Nicole Kreischer, a Psychology major from Washingtonville, N.Y., spent her four years at Mount Saint Mary College weaving herself into the fabric of the campus community.
From her start as an Admissions Ambassador to her final year as a Senior Resident Assistant and Senior Class Senator, Kreischer’s journey has been defined by a commitment to service and a discovery of her own potential.
But surprisingly, it almost didn’t happen like that.
“I wasn’t going to go to college, that was never my plan. I was always told it wasn’t the right fit for me,” she explained. “But then I came to the Mount campus and I met with my tour guide and all the Mount support professionals. I just saw how beautiful the campus is and I realized this was going to be my second home.”
With the past four years now in books, it’s obvious that Kreischer made the most of her time at the Mount: She served as a founding member of Delta Alpha Pi, the disability services honor society. She’s also a member of Psi Chi, the psychology honor society, and Tri Alpha, which recognizes first-generation college students. Furthermore, her consistent academic performance earned her several spots on the Dean’s List, and she received Student Leader Awards for her extensive contributions to Student Government Association (SGA), Orientation, Residence Life, and Admissions.
As a first-generation student, these achievements hold significant weight for her and her family, she explained.
“It feels so good to be the first person in my family to earn this degree,” she said, adding that “My parents are my biggest supporters and every time I get an achievement, I immediately call my mom.”
While she’s well-known on campus, Kreischer’s also made an important impact 3,000 miles away with two community-based service trips to Honduras. She got the opportunity through her internship last year at Hilltop Communities in Warwick, N.Y. Both experiences were transformative events, she said.
“I was not the type of person to go travel halfway across the world,” she explained. “Two weeks before I left for the first time for Honduras, I didn’t even have a passport.”
But despite the expedited passport, Kreischer and the other volunteers made a great impact on their communities. In addition to other responsibilities, they spent their days teaching English to help locals get jobs in the thriving Honduras tourist industry. During the downtime, Kreischer would tap into her background as an accomplished dancer and teach the children some popular moves.
“It made me really realize that I want to get into community work,” she said. “I really like helping my community and helping my peers.”
At the Mount, Kreischer found a supportive environment that helped her navigate her own challenges with ADHD and dyslexia. She credits the staff and faculty for her growth, specifically citing her work as an intern for Maggie Kemp, the Director of Disability Services.
“All the supports here have really helped me succeed in my internships, succeed in my classes, taking tests, getting a tutor, everything like that,” Kreischer said. “I was always so scared of asking for help, but at the Mount, I never felt like that.”
Now with her career as a Mount student coming to an end, Kreischer finds herself reflecting on the past four years with gratitude. She views her time at the college as a period of profound self-improvement.
The Mount “is so special to me because it allowed me to grow into the person I am today,” Kreischer said. “I have become strong and more independent in the classroom and workforce… The connections that I have built will last long after college.”