Hi there! My name is Jenna Scalia, and I am a senior here at the Mount. I am just a few months away from graduating with a degree in communications with minors in business, creative writing, and philosophy.
There is a sense of poetic justice in choosing to write for this blog as I can now reflect on my time at the Mount while also painting a picture of what life is like here for any prospective student. To start, I'll tell you all how I got here.
I moved to Maryland in 2018 and entered Kent Island High School as a sophomore. My father is active duty in the U.S. Coast Guard, and I had a massive dream to go to college one day. Naturally, I knew a plethora of colleges and universities I wanted to apply to all over the country, considering I was familiar with many different areas, having moved around so much as a kid.
I joined Kent Island's cross country and track teams and became familiar with the upperclassmen and the different places they were aiming to go to study. Along the way, Mount St. Mary's University became a semi-familiar name as I knew a handful of teammates and classmates who ended up here.
Once I became a senior in high school, I got to work in applying to as many schools as possible. Due to the pandemic, many application fees were waived, enabling my ability to do so. One school I took a particular liking to (that was also massively interested in me) sent me an acceptance letter two days after I submitted my application. I was floored! But as I was reviewing my commitment form and was about to sign it, something physically pulled me back and said "No."
I wasn't able to justify or explain what made me suddenly feel that way, but I held off my decision for two weeks. In the meantime, I enjoyed the flow of acceptance letters and gift packs (lots of stickers, shirts, socks and other goodies).
One day, I got an email from Mount St. Mary's University and something compelled me to look into the school and apply. I figured, "What's one more school?" A day or two later (crazily enough), a guy I used to go to school with announced on Instagram that he had committed to Mount to play for the men's rugby team. I reached out to tell him I was applying, and it was in my state! He admitted it would be cool to go to school together again and that there would be a familiar face around (outside of his new rugby friends, of course).
Gradually over the month, the Mount made its way to the top of my list. It had my desired major (communications) and my desired minor (creative writing), was Catholic-conservative, had small classes, and was not far from D.C. (where I am hoping to get a job after graduation), among many other wish-list items I had in regards to picking a school. A plus (but not a requirement) was that I was only short of two hours away from home.
It was overwhelming. My guidance counselor, who I met with regularly during my three years at my second high school, had never put Mount on my radar. When I told her I applied and was falling in love, she was surprised but supportive. My parents felt a lot better about the Mount than the school I was originally going to commit to. On accepted students day in 2021, I knew that this was home. This was my future. I came here and the call had never been louder. My mother, who was with me, heard it too.
Four years later, I have accumulated many achievements, have the greatest and most loyal friends anyone could ask for, an army of relentless support and valuable guidance, and memories that will last a lifetime and beyond. The Mount is my home. Even when I am at home-home with my family, I find myself wanting to go back and be with my people, the Mountain, and the energy that resides here.
I believe that the physical pull I felt when I was about to commit to the other school had to have been God. God led me here and brought me to something greater. This was the path I was meant to lead, and it has been nothing but rewarding, even when there were hurdles, bumps and obstacles. I've burned some bridges along the way, but I've forged so many new ones.
So for anyone who is reading this blog, wondering if the Mount is for them, I say, the Mountain truly calls you. If it is for you, you will feel it.
I'll see you in the next one!