2023 GRADUATION SPEECH: ALLISON SIERRA

Greetings to the Honors College members and Washington Adventist University community and loved ones,

My name is Allison Sierra, and I am honored to be representing the unique and carefully structured community of our Honors College at WAU. Does anyone know what studying interdisciplinary studies really means? Well, I sure didn’t when I started; I could barely say that entire word in one breath ... In summary, the definition of interdisciplinary is combining a multitude of academic subjects together to engage in critical thinking activities and knowledge. Essentially, you are exposed to an infinite field of knowledge in endless subjects, making you a key individual in a society that has knowledge of just about anything. Some might wonder what credibility I have to speak highly of this college, so I’ll tell you a little about what it’s done for me.

Being an Honors College student was the reason I initially connected with my current closest friends and acquaintances here at WAU. They say that you become the people you spend time with the most, and for the first time in my life, I have had a solid group of peers around me striving with the same potential and sense of purpose.

Being an Honors College student is the reason I was able to complete my four-year, double major degree in just three years. And for those wondering, yes, I did still have a personal life with this much schooling acceleration. Sort of!

Being an Honors College student, I was motivated to maintain a GPA of over 3.80 while also being taught the skills to multitask in many other extracurriculars. Being an Honors College student has introduced me to subjects and interests I never imagined I would enjoy, let alone be good at. I’ve served as a chair and secretary general for our Model United Nations conferences that we hold for high school students, I have been an NMUN delegate twice, representing both Belgium and Lybia, I have been a witness on both the plaintiff and defendant side of a mock trial team competition at Princeton University and I even got invited as a guest of our very own Dr. Spence at the annual Visionaries Gala.

Being an Honors College student is the reason why I have become a wise and critical thinker in the world. By integrating the spiritual aspect of WAU and an interdisciplinary method of thinking, I have grown to know how to adapt my knowledge to real-world situations.

And here, in 2023, I am graduating and moving on to my next adventures. I have to thank all the Honors College staff, particularly Professor Haas and Dr. Scriven, for all their support and time in guiding me throughout the years — just know I’ll be around! I am excited to say that I’ve already started using my learned interdisciplinary skills to attain a job before I graduate and recently started a full-time job as a family case manager. Next, I plan to earn a graduate degree and doctorate in counseling psychology and work in private practice for adolescents.

Now, I am proud to be not just a graduate of the Counseling Psychology department at WAU, but a soonto-be Honors College Interdisciplinary graduate as well!

Congratulations to the Class of 2023!