Ashley, Haley, and Jessica Romaniello at this year's Commencement.
Four years ago, the Romaniello triplets of Waterbury, Conn. lugged food, clothing, and their computers into their shared room in Sakac Hall on a summer Sunday.
On a warm spring day this May, Ashley, Haley, and Jessica headed across the college’s Commencement stage, decked out in honor cords. Their parents, Glorie and Todd, cheered as their daughters were
recognized for their hard work.
The young women each went to a different high school. When it came time for college, Jessica came to the Mount to study English on the Adolescence Education track. Ashley and Haley selected the Mount for its prestigious Nursing program.
“I always loved the idea of going away to college with my sisters, and once it became a reality, I was so excited,” Haley explained. “I could not have imagined going through four years of college without them.”
Ashley, who was the valedictorian of Wilby High School, had received a full scholarship to another college. She turned it down in favor of the Mount’s small class sizes and tight-knit, family atmosphere. It’s a decision that paid off.
“I am in a field I love,” she said. “Yes, the schooling, exams, homework, and clinicals were tough, and at some points, I never thought this day would come. But I persevered and here we are. I can confidently
say that the Mount has prepared me for my future as a registered nurse. I couldn’t be more grateful.”
After four years together at the Mount, the time has come for the sisters to follow their own separate paths. Ashley will be working at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as a Nurse Resident in the Intensive Care Unit. Haley landed a job at Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut as a Registered Nurse in the Medical Surgical Unit. And Jessica will be attending Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn. to pursue a Master of Arts in Teaching for Secondary English Education.
Looking back at her growth over the last four years, Jessica has some advice for new college students: “Do everything and anything possible, even if you’re unsure. Join the clubs! Take a class you normally wouldn’t think to take to fill a requirement! I’ve made friends that I will have for the rest of my life through theatre and going out of my comfort zone. College is the time to have fun and try new things!”