Opera Singers to Quilters: Juniata College’s Class of 2013

( written by Grace Canfield ‘09 )

Juniata College is preparing to welcome the new freshman class-the Class of 2013. This group, which has an average grade point average of 3.74 on a 4.0 scale and an average SAT score of 1,186 (math and critical reading), is comprised of individuals who are not only ready to meet the challenge of college, but whose interests range from figure skating to working at an animal rescue league.

The Class of ‘13 is also geographically diverse: students hail from Ghana, India, Jamaica, Japan, China, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates. In addition, California, Florida, and Kansas are just a few of the 26 states that students call home. Sixty-two percent of the Class of 2013 are Pennsylvania natives. Both domestic and international diversity represent 12.5 percent of the class.

“This year, yet again, I will be welcoming an enormously talented and motivated group of students,” says Thomas Kepple, president of Juniata. “They selected us because they know Juniata will both challenge them and will also benefit from their considerable talent as they prepare to become leaders in the 21st Century.”

The Stats

The statistics reveal the overall makeup of the Class of 2013, but the members of the class come to Huntingdon with a variety of stories:

• One student took three mission trips to the most poverty-stricken regions of Peru. “The people of Peru have taught me that service is not all about setting out to change the world,” he explains, “sometimes it is about simply having a willing heart and allowing the world to change me.”
• One student is an accomplished figure skater and was born in Russia.
• One student was selected as the Most Outstanding Speaker at the Junior Statesman of America Summer School program at Stanford University.
• One student started her own charity to help impact the lives of children around the world by giving clothing to those in need.
• One student has spent the last eight summers at the Intensive Spanish Summer Immersion Programs with the Concordia Language Village in Minnesota.
• One student was a member of the Metropolitan Opera Children’s Chorus for six years. He performed on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in productions including “La Boheme,” “Carmen,” “Tosca,” “Hansel and Gretel,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and “Queen of Spades,” to name a few. He can also read, write, and speak Polish.
• One student makes quilts and completed a triathlon.
• One student graduated high school in 2008 and spent her “gap year” working at the Animal Rescue League of Boston, doing service work in northern India for three months, and interning at a wolf park in Indiana–where she discovered that the director is a Juniata grad.
• One student attends Jakarta International School in Indonesia, and first found Juniata because her parents work in the U.S. Embassy with a Juniata graduate. The student has also lived in Barbados, Singapore, France, and Virginia. She has done extensive volunteer work for Yayasan, an organization that assists disabled Indonesian children, and has helped to develop a program called “Operation Backpack,” a service to match sponsoring families with needy children to provide educational scholarships and supplies. Additionally, she plays tennis and models for Indonesian fashion catalogs.

Each year, Juniata asks individuals why they chose to attend the College. The answers tend to be remarkably similar, with students citing the College’s community atmosphere, the student-centered nature of the campus, and the strength of its academic programs. Members of the Class of 2013 continued in that vein:

“I chose Juniata because of its great science department and because it offers many levels of support that will help me succeed academically in a welcoming, diverse community.” -Alex Pasqua

“I chose Juniata because it has a wonderful education program. I want to become a great teacher and I know Juniata will help me accomplish this dream.” -Melissa Zilch

“I chose Juniata because it was a perfect size–big enough that I could meet new people and not get bored, and small enough that I don’t feel like a number.” -Megan Hourigan

“I chose Juniata College because of its outstanding science program and my program of emphasis (Biochemistry), which will allow me to fulfill my dream of going into the field of medical research.” -Ellen Swanson

“I chose Juniata because to them I’m not a number in a file. I am a person.” -Darcy Stock

“I chose Juniata College because of the comfortable environment that feels like home; also because with my POE I can direct my interest in biology towards pre-med.” -Emma Ruggery

Juniata is already beginning work on the Class of 2014. Interested students and their parents should contact Michelle Bartol, Dean of Enrollment (814) 641-3432 or visit our Admission site.