Student Spotlight: Silvia Valentini (Class of 2021)

My name is Silvia, I am a senior degree-seeking student here at John Cabot University. I am from Marino, a small town just outside Rome. I am majoring in English Literature, with a minor in Classical Studies, and expect to graduate in Fall 2021.

I have always been very passionate about literature, since childhood I have been an avid reader. During my high school years, I developed a special fascination for English Literature which brought me to the decision to focus my studies on it. My decision to study here at JCU was particularly informed by my willingness to study English Literature in an anglophone, international, and cosmopolite environment.

I would say that, besides the obvious expansion of my cultural horizons, my time as an undergraduate here at JCU has provided me with the tools to think and write critically, as much about the texts I have studied, as about events and situations. Certainly, the pandemic has affected the course of my studies. The thing I have suffered from the most is probably the social aspect of the university experience. Besides missing the face-to-face side of lectures, I have sorely missed meeting with my closest friends between class in the courtyard or sharing a hasty meal in the cafeteria before heading back to the classroom. Such situations are too much outside of our control, so what one can do is focus on the little things that still taste of normality, like sharing a drink with one’s friends on video chat or organizing a remote study sessions before exams.

I have taken away a lot by being part of The Matthew. Through the stories or interviews I read before we publish, I learn more everyday about the individuals who make up the university’s community. I also deem it a privilege to help and be part of the team who get these stories out to the public, so that they are aware of the extraordinary people and organizations active in our community.

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