The College’s First-Year Experience Program announced the winners of the inaugural writing contest for fist-year and transfer students. The contest geared to engage all students new to Whittier College, prompted students to make connections between their First-Year Reading, Gregory Boyle’s L.H.D. '14 Tattoos on the Heart, and their own experience and sense of responsibility to improve their own communities.
The winners of the contest are:
- First Prize (First-Year Student): Taylor Charles ‘19
- First Prize (Transfer Student): Tanya Kim ‘17
- Second Prize: Alexander Ragucci ‘19
- Third Prize: Angelica Arellano ‘19
- Honorable Mentions: Rebekah Herrera ’19 and Sopahn Kellogg ‘19
Prizes for these students ranged from gift certificates to the college bookstore to cash allowance to purchase their books for the fall semester.
In addition to receiving the program's recognition, the students will have the opportunity to present their essays at the 2016 Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, Creative Activity (URSCA) Presentation Day in spring.
The First-Year Experience Program, led by Associate Dean of First-Year Programs Gil Gonzalez is designed to help freshmen successfully transition to Whittier College and develop dispositions of academic and social engagement.
Father Gregory Boyle was the featured speaker for Whittier's First-Year Convocation and the College's 2014 Commencement ceremony.
