By Alora Peters, Editor-in-Chief
One year later, Saint Leo University’s 2022 alumni are still seeking to live out the Core Values of Excellence and Community as they seek to help the people around them through their work, education, and daily lives.
For many ’22 graduates, a Saint Leo education was the pathway to a rewarding career serving others.
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In addition to working as campus minister, Hannah Wiand is also pursuing her master’s in catechetics and evangelization at Franciscan University of Steubenville. (Photo was provided by Hannah Wiand)
Alumna Hannah Wiand, who graduated with dual degrees in religion and psychology, now applies the skills she learned in the classroom to her work as a campus minister at St. Petersburg Catholic High School.
As campus minister, Wiand is responsible for planning class retreats, for coordinating Mass and the sacraments, for building connections among students through prayer and community discussions, and for leading off-campus trips with students, including the March for Life and a mission trip over spring break. She also teaches two sections of an honors theology class, in which she mentors seniors in order to help them become leaders in the school community and to practice missionary discipleship.
Wiand stated that both of her areas of study at Saint Leo influence her work, with her degree in religion helping her to speak about the “various aspects” of theology and her degree in psychology helping her to “actively listen” to the high schoolers she works with.
“Overall, I am here for the students,” said Wiand. “I am here to journey with them, to be there for them, and to love them. My goal is for students to know that they are seen, known, and loved by Christ, and that holiness is attainable for them.”
Extracurricular involvement through Residence Life, University Ministry, and the Student Ambassador program during her time at Saint Leo also prepared Wiand for her current role.
“I feel as though I received a plethora of skills that I have been able to use in this job, such as effective communication, a spirit of hospitality, and administrative organization,” she said.
Wiand’s advice for current students at Saint Leo is to focus on strengthening relationships within the Saint Leo community.
“I … learned how important good community is, and how crucial it is to surround yourself with people who encourage you and challenge you to be constantly growing,” said Wiand. “The community is absolutely incredible and you have so many people who love and care for you.”
Wiand also emphasized the importance of continuing to rely on the community for help and support even after graduation.
“The transition from college to working is not always the easiest, so be sure to give yourself some grace as you figure it out and make sure you surround yourself with good, supportive people,” said Wiand. “You are constantly learning, especially in your first year of your job. It’s okay to be uncertain … Be open to growth and don’t be afraid to ask questions.”
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Karl Nyman hopes to use his research experiences at Moffitt to help with the crafting of his dissertation. “I learned a lot of really important techniques there that I can apply throughout my project,” he said. (Photo was provided by Karl Nyman)
Alumnus Karl Nyman, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and a minor in chemistry, is currently a Ph.D. student studying cancer biology at the University of South Florida (USF) and Moffit Cancer Center.
At Moffit, students rotate between various research labs on a cycle of ten weeks. Each lab has a specific focus; Nyman currently is working in a lab that focuses on metastatic melanoma, a type of skin cancer that spreads to other organs.
“We’re trying to identify why cancer cells want to grow in the brain,” he said.
Nyman hopes his work and studies will contribute in some small way to the ever-growing body of cancer research.
“Cancer is a very, very difficult disease,” said Nyman. “Allocating research, time, and resources to contribute [and]to reduce the instances of cancer-related deaths is
immensely important. And, from a personal perspective, it is very interesting to learn about this. There is so much more we need to learn.”
Nyman felt his education and experience at Saint Leo prepared him for success in his current field.
“I think Saint Leo offers some pretty advanced classes, actually, in the science field, and it’s definitely … underrated,” said Nyman, who emphasized, in particular, courses offered at Saint Leo in cancer biology and immunology.
Another foundational experience for Nyman was an opportunity to be a research lab assistant with one of his professors, Dr. Sergiy Borysov; it was here, he said, that his scientific interest really started.
“It was really beneficial to do your own hands-on research,” Nyman said.
For current students, Nyman advised becoming more active on campus by joining a student organization, honor society, or athletic team, and by taking advantage of the resources available at Saint Leo.
“I don’t know if it sounds cheesy, but get involved,” said Nyman. “Saint Leo offers a lot of opportunities … Take initiative and build friendships and collaborations.”
For Nyman, the community was one of the most impactful parts of his time at Saint Leo.
“I think the community at Saint Leo is something that I really hold close to my heart,” he said. “There are so many professors that I am immensely grateful for – not just for their ability to teach, not just in school or in a certain subject, but also to teach in life. I came here as a kid, and I left as a man. I mean, I’m still getting there, [but]that’s something I’m really grateful for.”
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“I wouldn’t have done it differently,” said Danae Jones, reflecting on her decision to study psychology at Saint Leo. “It was the best route for me.” (Photo was provided by Danae Jones)
Alumna Danae Jones, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Clinical Psychology, began working at Sunrise of Pasco County after graduation, where she interned during her senior year. She now works at The Spring of Tampa Bay in Hillsborough County; both locations are shelters for victims of domestic violence.
“I work primarily with the moms and kids, helping them get resources for school, clothing, daycare, [and]childcare,” said Jones.
She also provides safety training and regularly hosts group activities and outings for the children in the domestic violence shelter, to help them during this difficult transition period.
“If I can put something [together]so that they don’t have to think about where they are right now for just a little bit, it makes me happy,” said Jones.
In addition to working, Jones is also pursuing a master’s in social work at USF. Even though her graduate field of study is different from her undergraduate field of study, she feels her education at Saint Leo provided a strong foundation.
“I hadn’t realized … how much psychology was in social work,” Jones said. “It’s helped me a lot, because we study human behavior … and interacting with other people.”
Jones also finds the lessons she learned in the classroom applicable to her personal life.
“I think studying psychology helped me out in life in general,” she added. “It’s helped me when I’m transitioning between different jobs … [or]how to manage my work environment and balancing school and work.”
Jones shared that one of her favorite parts of her Saint Leo experience was the opportunity to build connections with faculty and staff.
“My professors are probably the reason I finished school,” said Jones. “The staff there became my family and they supported me in so many aspects of my life … Their support is what I remember the most.”
Jones said that the best advice she received upon graduation was to remember to take her time and be patient with herself during the transition period, so she offers similar words of encouragement to the graduating class of 2023.
“You have time to learn who you are, to figure out what you are truly passionate about,” said Jones.
