“Your forwarding address has infinite possibilities, but your permanent address will always be Bonaventure.” – Sister Margaret Carney
Four years ago around this time, I was weighing the pros and cons of colleges, trying to decide where to spend my college career. It was a toss up between two private schools that, now I realize, are incomparable.
Luckily for me, I made the right choice. I chose St. Bonaventure University.
When visiting the university for the first time, I thought the two-hour drive was too much. I was already not interested at the half-way point.
As I sat that rainy day in Murphy Auditorium, the place I pass on my way to class everyday, I already started to change my mind about this place.
Walking around St. Bonaventure for the first time my senior year of high school, I felt something different. Something about the place made it feel home-y and welcoming. I was a scrawny senior walking around a campus filled with 20-somethings, and most of them took the time to smile at me. Everyone held the door, and no one looked out of place.
Every day during senior year, I received so many emails and pamphlets in the mail. Nothing really stood out to me until the day I received a letter from a Bonaventure alumni. Not just any alumni either, it was signed by Chris LaPlaca. Yeah, ESPN Chris LaPlaca. He took the time to write a letter to the prospective communication students; that is how much he cares for this university.
Since that day, I knew where I belonged. And, since that day, I have not regretted my decision once.
I chose SBU for the Bonnies.
So, prospective Bonnie, I am going to do my best to convince you:
At St. Bonaventure, you will find your best friends. These best friends will sneak you through the Burton window when you get denied. These best friends will lay in bed with you, watching Netflix until your eyes burn. These best friends will study with you until the library closes, doing more giggling than studying. These best friends will hold you close to their heart for the rest of their lives.
Now, that may not seem totally unique to St. Bonaventure, but what if I tell you that everyone here is a friend? There are no sororities or fraternities that turn you down at the door because you are not wearing certain letters. Everyone is welcome everywhere. Seniors want to get to know freshmen because they want to live vicariously through their firsts. The welcoming feel of the campus attracts people who are the same way. A simple walk through the dining hall entails saying “hey!” at least ten times. You will leave here with so many friends and hundreds of familiar faces.
Still not convincing you?
It is a small university that feels big. It is hard to explain, but our Division I athletics and the Bona connections give us a name outside of what we call the “Bona Bubble.” As a matter of fact, our men’s basketball team made ESPN Top 10 just this morning for a buzzer-beater finish. And, our women’s basketball team is nationally ranked. The cool thing about that is you could be reading the GoBonnies.com article about it, look up, and see one of the athletes right in front of you.
Every Bonnie success is a Bonaventure success.
Aside from sports, the Bonaventure connection gives you endless opportunities when applying for internships and careers. You could be applying somewhere across the country and someone will recognize our university.
As a senior, I can truthfully tell you that St. Bonaventure University really did help me “Become Extraordinary.” It is not just a slogan. The professors I have helped me become the best I could be in the classroom. I graduate in May and I already consider myself very experienced in my field. I have become more outgoing and more accepting as an individual. Challenging myself to become better has become natural for me.
This place made me someone a younger version of myself would look up to.
St. Bonaventure gives you room to grow as a person and as a student. It gives you opportunities that many other universities do not, or cannot, offer. It basically hands you a group of lifelong friends.
Sister Margaret Carney says we have “infinite possibilities” in our future, and that is solely because of this university’s incomparable atmosphere inside and out of the classroom.
That is why 3261 West State Road, St. Bonaventure, NY, will always be our “permanent address.”
