Admission: Not Impossible

With the economy the way it is right now, you might be concerned about your future. Even though you’re just starting the process of applying to college, you can’t help but think, “Where will I be in four years?” or “What will I be able to do with a liberal arts degree?” As an undergraduate Sociology major, I have to admit, I (as well as my parents) often had the same fears. So what does Holy Cross offer to students to help them make the most of their liberal arts experience? Take a look at the Summer Internship Program.  As a rising junior or senior, you have the opportunity to intern at corporations, non-profits, hospitals, banks, law firms, advertising companies, etc. all over the country. Summer internships are paid; they are often set up by alumni or parents and are frequently designated specifically for Holy Cross students. They are excellent places to connect the writing, analytical, and communication skills that you’ll learn in your liberal arts courses to the “real world.” I did my summer internship at AICUM (Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Massachusetts), an organization that works with private colleges in the state of Massachusetts. I was a research and policy intern; throughout the course of 3 months, I did research on the use and value of the SAT in the Admissions process and ended up writing a 50 page report. It was partly through this internship that I became interested in working in higher education, and ultimately ended up as an Admissions Counselor.

Don’t see an internship that appeals to you? Not to worry, the Career Planning Office would be more than happy to help you in your search for an internship, summer job, or even career after graduation. They will work with you to help perfect your resume and cover letter. There are also many alumni career panels throughout the year, where alumni come back to Holy Cross to talk about their careers and how they got from Holy Cross to where they are now.  Check out our alumni success stories.

The liberal arts education you receive at Holy Cross won’t prepare you for any one specific career; what it will do is provide you with the foundation and skills you will need to be successful in any field you should choose to pursue.

Nicole Zervos ‘09

Admissions Counselor

Hi! My name is Nicole Zervos and I am the newest Admissions Counselor at Holy Cross! I graduated from Holy Cross this past May where I majored in Sociology. I’m from Narragansett, Rhode Island and love the New England area. On a nice summer day, you can probably find me on the beach reading a good book, but I also enjoy heading up to the mountains in the winter to ski and snowboard. I’m a huge Red Sox fan, love to watch the medical mysteries unfold on the TV show House and enjoy spending time with my family, friends and chocolate lab.  At Holy Cross, I was involved in the SPUD community service program and the Appalachia service trips, peer-education, the Sociology department Student Advisory Committee, and working in the Office of Orientation, Transition and Leadership.

Why have I chosen to come back and work in Admissions at Holy Cross? First of all, I was curious to see how the Admissions process worked from a different perspective. Because I was a transfer student to Holy Cross, I actually went through the process of applying to college three times! I spent so much time working on applications that I became interested to find out how the selection process operated from the other side. Secondly, and more importantly, it was my positive experience at Holy Cross that has made me want to spread the word to prospective students. Everyone here truly cares about each other and there is a wonderful sense of community on this campus. For example, when I first transferred in to Holy Cross, I thought it would be difficult to get to know people and become integrated into campus life. Within my first week on campus, my Resident Assistant, Community Development Coordinator, and several girls on my floor had all come by my room several times to see how I was doing. My class dean as well as my professors also contacted me to check in and make the adjustment to Holy Cross a smooth one. Now that I have transitioned to being a staff member, nothing has changed! Ever since I started working in the Admissions Office, every member of the Admissions team has been constantly stopping by my office and trying to help me out in any way possible. As you can see, this is a truly special place.

This fall, I’ll be traveling to Connecticut, Westchester County in New York, Western Massachusetts, and Florida. I’m looking forward to meeting students and sharing my experiences at Holy Cross. Best of luck with your senior year and the college application process!