Francesca Cocuzza

I cannot express in one little essay how much I have learned at this college. Looking back now, the girl who arrived as a freshman now seems like a child, and I feel extremely fortunate to have grown up on this campus.

I have done many things here that I am proud of, a few that I'm not proud of, but mostly I've built a lot of memories with many wonderful people. I have had the privilege of learning from so many brilliant and gifted professors who have helped to shape the way I think. But even more important have been my peers and classmates. This college has allowed me to encounter so many young individuals of remarkable talent, ambition and compassion, who continue to impress and inspire me. It is an honor to graduate among them.

One of my accomplishments at Vassar stands out among the rest: I now speak a language that I did not speak when I got here. Studying Italian at Vassar has been challenging, exciting, and truly the most rewarding endeavor I have ever undertaken. My involvement with the Italian department has contributed tremendously to my experience at Vassar, and I am grateful to have been part of such an intimate and welcoming community.

This year, as the Italian Department's intern, I had the opportunity to tutor students in some of the introductory classes. Helping these freshmen and sophomores learn grammar was like stepping into a time machine; they are now where I was four years ago, constantly memorizing and struggling to express themselves with foreign words. From their perspective, studying at an Italian school, making Italian friends, even holding a conversation in Italian seems unfathomable. It has made me so happy to help them, knowing how many wonderful experiences in Italian await them. Working with the freshmen always reminds me how far I've come and how much I've learned in only a few years.

And now upon graduation, I am unwilling to suspend my engagement with Italian and my relationship with the culture; in the fall I plan to teach in Italy, live among Italians, and continue on with the course which my studies at Vassar have directed me to these past years.

I cannot express how much I owe the Italian department, not only for advancing my facility with the language and my knowledge of the culture, but also for their consistent help and guidance outside the classroom. To the Italian professors, I am truly indebted to you; vi ringrazio con tutto il cuore.

Although at this point I realize I have no choice but to leave campus and start a new chapter of my life, I know that everything Vassar has given me will stay with me forever – memories, friendships, values, an open mind; the list goes on. Wherever I go, I will be proud to carry with me the traits that characterize me as a Vassar alumna.

After four years, I realize that I still have a lot of growing up to do. Yet perhaps the most valuable lesson this college has taught me is always to seek new experiences and to continue to grow. Vassar has instilled in me not only a profound appreciation for my education, but also a firm desire to keep learning.

—Francesca Cocuzza is the outgoing president of the Italian Club.