Senior Student Assistant Appreciation: 2020

Miracle in the Andes

Miracle in the Andes is a true story of the survival of the human spirit in a time of complete despair and helplessness. I find it to be an inspiration that these men and women (those who lived and those who did not) were able to survive such horrible conditions and choices even for a day. This story gives us incite to what one survivor was feeling and thinking throughout the entire ordeal which I found to be incredibly interesting. While this true story tells us of an absolutely horrible experience that these people had to go through, I cannot help but love the fact that they were able to continue on with their lives after everything they had to do to survive. They persevered and this story is one of true inspiration and survival of the human spirit.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I really enjoy the story of this book, and how it teaches the reader something about life in the South in the 1960s. The story is very emotional and uplifting at the same time, showing perseverance through struggles and hard times. Overall, I love the message of this book and connect with it deeply.

Yokimbo: the Bodyguard

Yojimbo is a movie that my older brother introduced me to by way of The Dollars Trilogy by Sergio Leone, featuring Clint Eastwood. It served as the inspiration (pretty much a copy) for the first of the trilogy, Fistful of Dollars, which shot Eastwood to stardom. Yojimbo itself is inspired from early 20th century detective novels and is a satire on negative human traits, such as greed, violence, and group mob mentalities. Even though it was released in 1961 and takes place in 1860, its commentaries on the various moral pitfalls that people will find themselves in are humorous, as well as thought-provoking, and still ring true to this day.

The Pursuit of Happyness

I chose to pick The Pursuit of Happyness as my senior appreciation item because this movie means a lot to me. It has been one of my favorite movies ever since I was a little girl and has continued to inspire me throughout the years. This movie perfectly showcases the importance of hard work and dedication and shows how one should do everything in their power in order to accomplish their dreams.

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

This book is written by a successful neurosurgeon while he was struggling with cancer and on his search for the meaning of life. He was no longer the doctor, but now he was a patient. He wanted to use his experience to ensure that patients were viewed as people, not just a problem on a to-do list. As someone that wants to work in the healthcare industry, I was recommended to read this book in high school, and I recommend it to others interested in this field!

Gone by Michael Grant

This was the first book series that I got invested in the characters. It's like my personal Harry Potter. I'd go back and re-read it before the next book came out to refresh my memory and I would always find something that I'd missed in the first read. Every time I read it I get lost in the world it creates.

The Truth in Our Times by David McCraw

David McCraw, the Deputy Legal Counsel at the New York Times, is known today as "the lawyer that every journalist dreams of having." He is a former professor of journalism and faculty advisor of the Marist Circle student newspaper here at Marist College. McCraw wrote this book to draw out his experiences defending the Fourth Estate in one of journalism's most turbulent eras in American history. This piece of work has inspired a great deal of my undergraduate research - and David McCraw himself has provided amazing resources to both my academic research and to the Marist journalism community.

Matchmaking for Beginners by Maddie Dawson

Matchmaking for Beginners is a smart and sweet read that shows us how difficult it can be to recognize love, and that the ones who push love away are often the ones who need it the most.

The Fast Forward Mindset by David Schnurman

As a business student with a concentration in Entrepreneurship, this book has taught me everything that I believe every entrepreneur should know before they start any venture. Most times, people make it look all easy and rosy but never discuss the struggles that come with being an entrepreneur. This book teaches that, in order to handle situations well and be successful, one needs to have a positive mindset and see the good in every bad situation. If you spend so much time looking at how bad a situation is, you miss out on experiencing the good side of the situation. My favorite quote from the book is“Good thing, bad thing, who knows?”.

Palpasa Cafe by Narayan Wangle

As a Nepali individual myself, I wanted to recommend a book written by a Nepali author. This is one of the first books (among the very few) I have read written by a Nepali author. this novel is successful in portraying art, rebellion and romance. It is set during the 10 year long Maoist insurgency in Nepal and portrays how it affected the youth. The stories feel real which makes the novel compelling and moving. It has messages and visions for a youthful living along with the suffering the people faced through the hands of the Maoists and the government.

Lilo and Stitch

Lilo and Stitch has always been one of my favorite movies of all time. It is a heartwarming movie that revolves around the theme of family. Throughout my time at Marist, I have come to deeply appreciate the more limited time I have with my family. I also have made a family away from home with my beloved friends at Marist.

Targeted by Brittany Kaiser

Brittany Kaiser is a role model to me. She is the whistle-blower to the Cambridge Analytica-Facebook scandal in 2018-2019. I first learned of her story through a Netflix documentary: The Great Hack. I then tries to connect with her on LinkedIn to keep up with her events and inspirational work in data, communications and politics. She introduced me to a number of sources online that I used in presentations and some class assignments. That alone, the book itself was hard to put down. I first found out about her book because she went on to Good Day New York to talk about it. Not only is it suspenseful, intriguing and a captivating story, it brings to light so many ethical concerns in our cyberspace and politics/democracy.