In this Senior Spotlight, meet Brandon St. Jean, a senior from Plain Field, Connecticut! Brandon is a Healthcare Management major in the School of Business and a Political Science minor in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He is also someone with a strong passion for service and giving back. Read more about Brandon below!
What are your post graduation plans?: I’m just looking to be happy. People my age have far too many incredible options to plan too far ahead. A couple of my friends are in grad-school abroad and a few others are utilizing one-year work visas to spend time in Australia. This summer will be my fourth amazing year with Camp Horizons and then I’ll hopefully be leading a team of young adults in service with AmeriCorps in the fall. All I know for sure is that I’ll be traveling, volunteering, and enjoying life. Eventually, I see myself participating in youth and community development through service-learning initiatives.
What is your favorite UConn memory?: In February, Community Outreach sent me and a handful of other students to Los Angeles to present at the IMPACT National Service Conference. I was able to meet some incredible people and learn about some really important issues that often go overlooked, as well as lead an awesome discussion about alternative breaks. It was also my first time traveling to the West Coast and LA’s a much different city than any other one that I have visited before. Of course, escaping four feet of snow for the beautiful LA weather wasn’t so bad either.
Why did you become a Husky?: I grew up as a huge UConn basketball fan, but I honestly never really wanted to be a Husky. I was used to a small school setting and I never thought I would be very comfortable here. Financial reasons brought me to UConn and I couldn’t be happier that that was the case. I have had an incredible four years and it will certainly be tough to leave it all behind in a few weeks.
What is your favorite place on campus?: I haven’t spent nearly enough time there over the past few years, but Horsebarn Hill is definitely the first place that comes to mind. On the few days we have warm weather during the school year, there is no better place to hang out and take your mind off of everything else that is going on.
What have you been involved in at UConn?: Much of my involvement at UConn has been through volunteering with different community service initiatives and three alternative spring breaks. Last year, I was a team leader for the disaster relief trip to Moore, Oklahoma and this year, I was the trip director for the trip focused on Migrant Farmworkers that went to Immokalee, Florida. I also participated in the summer abroad Social Entrepreneur Corps program in Guatemala and am currently the Campus Fellow for the program, taking on the role of recruiting new applicants and supporting them throughout the preparation process.
What will you miss the most about UConn?: The people. I’ve never met so many incredible, inspiring individuals in my life and I’ll certainly miss having them around every day. I’ve been exposed to so many new perspectives over the last few years and this experience has completely reshaped the way I see the world. Of course, Dairy Bar ice cream will be tough to live without too though.
What was your biggest accomplishment while at UConn?: I was going to say the alternative spring break trip that I lead this past March, but I think my biggest accomplishment is actually what resulted from the trip. It’s pretty incredible to see the bonds that the 54 people involved have formed and the passion for service that they have demonstrated. I really can’t take credit for much of that since they’re all just fantastic people, but I’d like to think that all of the work that went into recruitment, planning, and arranging service and education opportunities in Immokalee played a bit of a role.
What advice do you have for underclassmen?: For me, the most important lessons in life are the ones that challenge me to become a better person. For you, those might be something different. Either way, they probably don’t come from a classroom setting. Academics cannot be your entire college experience. There is so much more to gain here than what a professor can teach you. Find where you’re passionate about and make that a priority. If you don’t know where to start, alternative breaks and study abroad were pretty incredible for me (and everyone else I’ve ever spoken to that’s done either of them).
What is one little known fact about you?: It’s not that little known anymore, but I’m mildly color-blind. You know that dress that everyone was debating over whether it was purple or white? Yeah, I thought it was pink…
Anything else?: I’m so thankful to everyone who has made these last four years even better than I ever could have imagined and I want to give a special shout out to my Community Outreach family. It’s going to be tough for me to move on, but I know I’ve got great things ahead thanks to the fantastic ones I’m leaving behind.