The ideas of gratitude can be very important to a college student. At Le Moyne College, some students have hard jobs, harsh-grading professors, studying struggles, difficult home lives, and other hindrances to their education.
In these cases, it is important for students to remember why they are grateful, especially as an aid to the issues they may face while pursuing higher education. A group of Le Moyne journalism students recently interviewed people within the college community about why they’re thankful this holiday season.
When examining the motivations behind gratitude, a common one is stability. Most Le Moyne College students are under pressure due to college, and these pressures can cause a hectic schedule. An example is Zach Shostack, who was grateful for his cat:
“I guess my cat is one of the few stable parts of my life so it’s nice to have her around.”
Another common sentiment was being grateful for the opportunity to pursue higher education. Zel Harrington, a student who is also an immigrant, is not only grateful for access to education as a woman, but says:
“There are women in my (birth) country who can’t get education or have the same resources.”
Finally, family and friends were the most common source of gratitude for Le Moyne students. Nick Dodge said, “I have a lot of people in my life trying to make it better,” while Syd Kellogg shared the sentiment, “I am grateful for my friends for supporting me and being there to help me through my problems and vice versa.”
– Jordynn Firnstein
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Lily Zhovkliy, a junior marketing major at Le Moyne College, expressed great gratitude when speaking about the school. She originally considered attending a community college, but a visit to Le Moyne reshaped her view.
Lily spoke more about the factors that led her to choosing Le Moyne. One that stood out most to her was the importance of religious views and values. She feels, as a commuter, that she has found a home within the school that could not be matched at one that doesn’t hold faith as a core value.
When asked about what part of Le Moyne College for which she is most thankful, Lily mentioned the staff and how faculty members go out of their way to empower students. She mentioned her math class, and how her professor “made everyone feel like they’re people, not just students.”
Being around a religious campus with access to chapel makes many students, including Lily, feel safe and comfortable to be open about their faith. The final thing she emphasized was the attitude Le Moyne has on educating its students. She is endlessly grateful and determined about what she can do for the world because of the knowledge she has obtained throughout her years here.
– Mairead Conway
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Supportive, spontaneous, and caring are all words that Wyatt Dupell, the Le Moyne College men’s soccer program standout goalie, used when describing his family. Referring to his family as a “safety net,” Wyatt shared accounts of that support – specifically from his parents, Amy and Todd, during his soccer career.
By far, one of Wyattl’s most grateful moments was when Amy served as his youth soccer coach at the YMCA. He tells a story of how he would play on offense, but because he was able to kick the ball too hard his mom decided to put him in, as the goalie.
“I’m grateful that she put me in goalie because here I am,” he says, of a Le Moyne team he led to a stunning victory over powerful Syracuse University.
Wyatt recounts how his parents went to every single game this past season, only missing one due to a family illness. Even Wyatt’s older brother Ethan, a student at SUNY Oswego, made it out to a few games. Wyatt shared how extremely grateful he was for their commitment to always show up for him.
Wyatt was also grateful for the contribution his parents made when it came to the whole Le Moyne men’s soccer program, always contributing food to the tailgates, and specifically how his mom would bake cookies for the team. “They
make an effort to get to know my friends when they can,” Wyatt says.
One thing Wyatt wants his parents to know is how much he cares about them – more than they might realize or more than he might casually show them.
– Branwyn Lupton
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In a world that has become increasingly fast-paced and self-focused, gratitude can be hard to come by. People are often so caught up in their day to day lives, and now— with the rapid surge of technology in every aspect of our lives— meaningful connections and experiences can be somewhat hard to cultivate, especially practicing gratitude.
One person, however, who relishes that emotion is Le Moyne student nurse, Kira Jones, 21, who expresses how the daily patients she encounters and the lives she affects make her immensely grateful.
Whether it’s the little things, such as getting vitals or even witnessing a monumental surgery, Kira expresses that every day has new challenges, but ultimately is extremely fulfilling because of the gratitude from both the patients that she treats, and also the effect this has on her determination to continue working in the nursing profession.
– Lucy Webb
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Jacob Beale, a Le Moyne alumni from Elba, a small town about 40 miles from Rochester, works for a Rochester hospital as one of their facilities technicians. When asked about why he is grateful in light of the coming holiday season, Jacob stated he was most grateful for his mother, Beth Beale, his dog Bernard, his friends and for his job.
He said his mother, friends and dog are his “greatest sources of support in his life,” and without them he wouldn’t be where he is today. In light of a recent motorcycle injury, resulting in surgery and total reconstruction to his collarbone, he is most thankful for his health.
Concluding our brief interaction as strangers who had just met on the street in Elba, outside the Sweet Life Country store, Jacob stated how refreshing it is to be asked what “he is grateful for.”
– Hannah Martz
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During orientation for freshman Lindsay Clos, she was asked: “What is something you brought to campus that you think is out of the ordinary?”
Her answer was simple:
“Roosevelt,” her stuffed Zebra.
She won Roosevelt from a claw machine at Flamingo Bowl, a local bowling alley, seven years ago. She said they’ve been inseparable ever since, stating, “I sleep with her every night.”
When asked why this stuffed zebra meant so much to her, her response was immediate: “I’m grateful that I can have a stuffed animal that has been with me for a long chunk of my life and the memories it holds.”
Going to college can be a big change, but Lindsay knew she’d be fine as long as Roosevelt was by her side.
– Grace Crooks
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Taylor Bonner, 21, senior communications major on the women’s swimming and diving team here at Le Moyne, shares her appreciation for her family, specifically her little sister, Kaitlyn Bonner, 17, from Gardiner in Ulster County, for not only being family by chance but friends by choice, and for truly being a special, empathetic, one-of-a-kind person.
Taylor states that Kaitlyn is the hardest working person she knows, and is wise beyond her years. Kaitlyn, although younger than Taylor`, has been a role model for Taylor as they grow older. Swimming has been a big part of the Bonner family’s lives as all three Bonner sisters grew up swimming for as long as Taylor can remember. Taylor also gives us a glimpse of her home life by sharing that her sister never fails to make her laugh, and is always there when she needs someone.
Taylor pulls at the heart strings, stating anyone who’s ever grown up with siblings can understand that it’s a special kind of relationship. For Taylor, having a younger sister like hers is one of the greatest gifts. For that, she is grateful.
– Riley Brennen
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Stephen Moore, a junior at Le Moyne College expressed his gratitude and gratefulness for his college experience. Stephen is most grateful for the people with whom he surrounds himself daily.
Hanging around good people who make good decisions is adding to a healthy lifestyle. Stephen feels grateful for the hospitality here at Le Moyne. From the very beginning, he felt it, through his acceptance visit and the second he stepped onto campus as a student.
“Without the hospitality of this Le Moyne community, I doubt I’d be half the person I am today as it has allowed me to see a different side of me while also helping me build character and maturity,” he said.
However, Stephen wasn’t always this confident. College can be a scary transition, having to start completely over. In a whole new environment, away from family, you have to make an entirely new set of friends. It is even harder to make friends when someone isn’t as outgoing. This is exactly what Stephen was worried about.
Instead of letting that fear get to him, he saw an opportunity. Even though he was more reserved in high school, he used this new opportunity where nobody knew him in college to make friends and change that. It gave him a push outside of his comfort zone.
Stephen has flourished at Le Moyne. He is engaged all throughout campus, from being the sports editor of the Dolphin to playing club soccer. He has made the most out of his time here by being grateful for his friends and the hospitality.
– Sophia Melone
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Jalynn Guido, a sophomore at Le Moyne College, is majoring in human resource management and minoring in dance and art administration. Before sharing her many talents at Le Moyne College, she grew up in DeWitt dancing and acting, at Guzman’s Dance Studio and the Syracuse Children’s Theater.
She started as a student at the Children’s Theater when she was eight, and then became an intern during her freshman year of high school. Jalynn continued as an intern until 11th and then joined the staff in her senior year of high school.
Since the beginning of her freshman year at Le Moyne, she has continued her passion for the performing arts, having been cast in the production of “Edgar in the Red Room,” “Yerma,” and this year’s Fall Fringe Fest. She also serves on the Performing Arts Center’s Council of Leaders as a student engagement coordinator.
Her mother always encouraged her to pursue many different opportunities while growing up. “I am very grateful for my mom and she is one of my biggest inspirations.” said Jalynn about Jessica Guido, an x-ray technician and the manager of her department at SUNY Upstate Medical University.
Jalynn chose to attend Le Moyne because of the small school feel and because she would be close to where her mother lives. In addition, Jalynn was looking for a college with a diverse student body where she could find a sense of community.
Although that feeling has sometimes been elusive, her mother is a constant source of support. Jalynn also noted her academic experience at Le Moyne has been positive since the classes are small and the professors take the time to get to know you.
– Emily Symans
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An often-underestimated feature of Le Moyne campus is its size. Compared to Syracuse University and many other institutions, Le Moyne’s space is far more compact and ergonomic, with all the classroom buildings mostly clumped together.
For on-campus students, nothing is out of reach of a 5-minute walk. But those five minutes can turn into far more for off-campus and commuting students.
This fact doesn’t stop Nick Estabrooks, a junior STEM major living in off-campus housing provided by Le Moyne. Despite the added length of his daily walk to his classes, Nick has enjoyed his commutes between classes more than ever this semester, in large part thanks to campus being easy-to-navigate.
Nick cited campus as being “really walkable,” making his hectic schedule far more digestible. But arguably most important for him is the presentation of the campus itself: “How beautiful it looks in the fall, just walking around. The campus looks really nice, especially the way the sun sets by the gym.”
Nick displayed a deep gratitude for the school’s ability to turn the campus into eye-candy at certain hours of the day and night, especially during the fall and spring seasons, when the school’s trees and plant life make the most impact visually. That, on top of the ease of access to every corner of campus, which definitely doesn’t hurt.
– Michael Leahy
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A Le Moyne senior, Carly Nicolai, shared her memories regarding the college and why she is thankful. Having studied at Le Moyne since 2021, Nicolai gained much experience and affection toward the college.
Carly is dual majoring in communications and English with minors in arts administration, advanced writing, and film. “Le Moyne offers a lot of diverse opportunities,” says Carly, which allows her to do many things, such as being an Editor-in-Chief of The Dolphin and participating in theater performances. These opportunities and faculty members were pivotal in Carly’s college choice. She pointed out that “all the professors seem genuinely interested in their students as human beings, and it has remained consistent.”
Being a legacy student, Carly is grateful that her mother made her visit Le Moyne College, which resulted in finding the right place to stay. She is thankful to her advisors and professors— Julie Grossman, Matt Chiorini, and Sean Kirst— who helped her shape her perspective on life and discover the things she is truly passionate about.
“They care about you as a person,” said Carly, about the professors she had a chance to work with.
– George Vasilev
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“I’m really thankful for Le Moyne,” said Adin Potter, a student at Le Moyne and Le Moyne Student’s Programming Board Weekly Event Coordinator. With Thanksgiving nearing, many people are evaluating what in their life makes them truly thankful, and Adin is thankful for the opportunities that Le Moyne has given him.
In addition to being thankful for coffee and his friends, Adin expressed his gratitude for Le Moyne and its faculty, saying Le Moyne has “given me too many second chances–more than I think that I deserve.”
Adin spoke of how happy he is to be on the LSPB e-board, expressing how thankful he was to have a boss that is “chill but also a damn hard worker,” in Jeff Matteo, and just how happy he is about where he is right now.
Ultimately, so much of this comes from his life here at Le Moyne, and he thanks the faculty here for how they are “always willing to help.” Because of them and the help they give, Adin – and many others – is able to take those extra chances, and achieve great things because of them.
– Aidan Mingoia
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When asked about gratitude, Chef Ted Ludington, of the LaCasse Dining Center, gave The Dolphin the simple response of just being thankful for workers and students that come at the times to eat and pay for the experience of breakfast, lunch and dinner. Ted also said he’s thankful for his employees, students and the amazing people that show up to do their shifts.
The response of Ted, raised in Skaneateles, shows how optimistic is, and his everyday sense of humor, despite the amount of difficult things he deals with on a busy schedule as a chef in the dinning hall. Even if there might be days where the machines are either not working or just having difficulties, Ted has great positivity to help or try to figure out why they are having problems.
– Richard Dann
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Madyson Sebastian, a ’26 Marketing & Data Analytics major, is also a part of the Le Moyne College Dance Team. When asked why she is grateful for Le Moyne, her response was: “I have a gained a lot of useful connections and nourishing friendships…all while I was able to continue to pursue my passion for dance.”
Maddy is grateful for dance because “I have been able to learn how to teach peers my age. I believe that learning how to speak in front of a large group of people and leading others is a very useful and important life skill.”
She went on to add that she is “thankful for the opportunity to continue my education while also experiencing life on my own.” When asked about “three important life values that you have learned since being at Le Moyne,” Maddy began by saying, “Independence, because it is many people’s first time experiencing life without parents or guardians, but also because you’re going to meet many great people that are on different paths than you are in college. So, while having friendships and a good support group is essential, it is important to be established in your own self and your values.”
She continued to say, “Perseverance, because there are going to be hard classes, bad grades, difficult social experiences, and inner-turmoil as well. However, as long as you stay focused on your end goal and stay true to yourself, you can, and you will push through the hardships.”
Finally, Maddy completed her answers by saying, “Kindness is one of the most important values. You will never regret treating someone with kindness. It is so important to go through life with grace and kindness, for everybody will gravitate towards your positive energy and hopefully people will take a little bit from who you are and apply it to their own lives.”
– Payton Hirsch
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The director of the Higher Education Opportunity Program and Alana at Le Moyne, Leandra “K.L.” Lane, said she is grateful for the work she gets to do.
The HEOP program is a partnership between the state and Le Moyne, providing “broad and varied educational experiences” to students – due to multiple reasons – who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend college.
She feels lucky for the work she does, she said, because she gets to be part of a pivot point for many students. K.L. Lane has been able to make a huge impact on the lives of many students because she has the positivity and encouragement to help others achieve their goals.
Those who know her understand she does it for the feeling of seeing people at their best – and being a part of the process of that success. She noted that she is also grateful for her circle of friends because they help her when she needs them the most – especially if she is feeling down.
– Aliyah Brown
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Savloryn Moshiwa, a student who enrolled at Le Moyne College, sat down recently to reflect on how this year has gone. After taking a break from school to focus on a different passion and her mental health, it’s taught her she has a lot for which to give thanks.
“I am deeply thankful for my family,” said Savloryn, “I really am.”
Each year gives hope and prosperity as she prepares for Thanksgiving and looks forward to celebrating it. As busy as she is balancing work and acting lessons while being coached via Zoom, she’s looking forward to a lot of things. As she remembers, at just 18, she should have been excited about starting school, only to be taken aback by college.
“College has always been the plan and having been there for one semester has given me a taste of the experience and I am thankful for that,” she said. “For now I’m still situating things out.”
Her mother Mulay, with a refugee background, initially opposed Savloryn taking a break but has now supported her. “I cannot express how much of a relief it is to see my mother still supporting me,” said Savloryn, who plans on eventually returning to school.
“I understand and I want her to be happy,” said Mulay. “My daughter deserves to be happy.” For Mulay, surviving on borders between two countries, happiness was always the goal. Taking interest in higher education was expected for her children, but she understands that without their happiness, it would not be possible.
Savloryn is slowly finding her way back in school, of which her mother was deprived, fulfilling a different kind of happiness. As they both reflect on how far they’ve come, they are more than grateful for all the opportunity Le Moyne College has and again will soon provide. With each and every step of the way, gratefulness is an understatement.
– Joakay Shidoma
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Gracias. Merci. Ευχαριστώ. Thank you.
Lizzie Van Buren shows her gratitude in not one language, but four.
The junior Spanish major, who calls herself a try-lingual because she speaks “each [language] with degrees of proficiency that seem to vary day-by-day,” is spending her November showing gratitude for the little things. From the vibrant autumn leaves to the flurry of activity happening on campus, as well the “soft encouragement of [her] dogs’ snuggles,” Lizzie is thankful for all the small moments that make up her life in Syracuse.
“I know that these are the things that I am going to miss the most when I study abroad in Spain next semester,” Lizzie says. “I look forward to sharing pictures of all the things I love about living in New York with all the people I’ll meet there!”
Something else Lizzie is grateful for? The unexpected comfort she found in attending Le Moyne, which unites her with so many members of our community.
“The moment I first set foot on campus for an information session, I immediately felt at home– I knew, then, that I could never go anywhere else.”
– Corinne Becker
