Molloy Insider Student Spotlight: Elizabeth Ann Meittinis
Liz is a junior at Molloy studying Childhood Special Education with a concentration in History. She is heavily involved on campus and has utilized all of her time at Molloy. As a campus leader, Liz holds a variety of different roles including…
…a Junior Class President on Molloy Student Government, Dominican Young Adults Co-President, Student and Social Media Ambassador, and Orientation Leader.
She enjoys membership of a variety of clubs including…
…the Molloy Performing Arts Club and the Education Club.
She even finds time to work in the Campus Ministries Office through Molloy’s work study program and participate in an impressive amount of service opportunities. I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Liz and hear about her time at Molloy.
You also have the chance to speak to Liz by participating in the Molloy Insider Program or by coming to the Spring Open House this Sunday at 1 p.m. Check out the links below for more details.
http://www.molloyinsider.com/
https://www.molloy.edu/admissions/spring-open-house
On Choosing Molloy
“When I was deciding on where to go to college, I was between Molloy and The College of Saint Rose. They both had great programs and were known for their Campus Ministries. Then, I visited Molloy and heard a student named Mary Kate speak about Molloy’s service trips. She talked about her trips to Camden, New Jersey, which I had visited during high school. This was when I started to feel a connection. Then, after experiencing the campus and the community at Accepted Students Day, I knew that Molloy was where I was supposed to be. I had the chance to talk to Sister Diane, the head of Campus Ministries, and she made me feel like I was at home. I thought I wanted to go away for college, but now I commute and have loved my time here.”
On Campus Ministries
“Campus Ministries is my second home. Wait, it’s my home within my second home because it is at Molloy. That makes sense, right? I work in the Campus Ministries Office and help them any way that I can. The entire office is so welcoming…”
*Note that with no appointment, Campus Ministries allowed me to interview Liz in one of their offices, so I can confirm. Definitely welcoming.*
“…and allowed me to get involved with all of the service opportunities and trips here at Molloy.”
On Mission Trips and Service
“During my time at Molloy, I have been lucky enough to go on service trips to Camden, Appalachia, and El Salvador.”
“I went to Camden twice with Molloy. In Camden, NJ there is a service center that acts as a home base for volunteers. While you are there, you get sent out to different areas or centers in need. You can be sent out to homeless shelters, daycares, or food pantries, to help out people in need.”
“I have been going to Appalachia, WV with Molloy since my freshmen year and each year has been incredible. We host a Water Camp for the local boys in this impoverished area. They get to make crafts, learn, have fun, and play in a bunch of pools. It is shocking to see this level of poverty in the United States because it seems like a third world country. They know that parts of West Virginia and New York have very wealthy areas, so they almost feel a sense of embarrassment for something that is totally out of their control. We make it our jobs to make them feel happy and enjoy themselves like kids are supposed to.”
“I went to El Salvador with Molloy once so far and it was an entirely new experience. The strong sense of faith, love, and appreciation these people have for what most Americans would consider nothing is incredible. I wish everyone could experience this faith and love because it totally changes your perspective. Their culture and community is so strong and built around their faith. It is inspiring.”
“All of these experiences are so hard to describe because of the strong emotions, the Love and the Faith that these people have, it’s like nothing else. They make me feel selfish because I receive so much from these trips. I feel like I get so much more than I give to these people, and yet they are so thankful. It’s my passion.”
Molloy Moments
“My favorite Molloy Moment was organizing and hosting Saint Baldricks Day. Saint Baldricks Day is an event on campus which focuses on raising money for childhood cancer research and awareness for children with cancer. We were able to donate $6,000 and a lot of hair. The hair goes to Pantene which makes wings for children with cancer. The campus support for the event meant a lot to me, and it felt great to make a difference.”
On Advice For Freshmen
“Do what makes you happy, and don’t focus on doing what you think will make other people happy. If you are happy, you’ll spread that feeling to the people around you. So do what makes you happy!”
If you want the chance to learn more about Liz’s journey at Molloy, sign up for the Molloy Insider Program or come to our Open House this Sunday at 1 p.m.
http://www.molloyinsider.com/
https://www.molloy.edu/admissions/spring-open-house