As a close-knit community, Aquinas is known for offering its students a multitude of opportunities. From starting new student organizations to studying abroad, the College presents unique avenues for engagement and growth. Take Catherine Jandernoa, a 2014 graduate majoring in music with a psychology minor, who will be singing the National Anthem at the 2014 Commencement ceremony.

While some students have always known precisely where to attend college, Jandernoa’s case was quite the opposite. “Aquinas was actually the last place I ever expected myself to be at,” she said. “I was dead-set on going to a school outside of Michigan; my sister had gone here, so I wanted to go off and pave my own way. However, I took a year off and did NET (National Evangelization Team) Ministries. After that, I was pretty passionate about going to a school that had nursing, theology, and music programs. Since the UDM Nursing program was direct admit, and Aquinas had good music and theology programs, I was reeled in!”

From the moment she arrived, Jandernoa was instantly involved with a variety of campus organizations, and even started a club of her own. In her freshman year, she worked with her Resident Assistant, Kathryn Chandonnet, to start Abandon, a praise & worship group. “It’s been monumental in my experience,” Jandernoa said. “At first, we just brought in local Christian bands to lead the worship. However, we had to cancel one time because of snow, but people still wanted to have it, so we did an impromptu praise session led by students instead. Since people loved that one so much more, we just decided to keep it going!”

“Throughout my whole five years at Aquinas, then, Abandon has been with me every step of the way. It’s really going to be one of the hardest things for me to leave. Especially seeing it grow from 15-20 people to 80-90 people coming, it’s unexplainable how inspiring that is to me.”

In addition to her formative role with Abandon, Jandernoa has been actively involved in service projects, was a member of AQpella, the women’s acapella group, and is currently a Student Ambassador and Resident Assistant in Apartment D.

Taking this spirit of engagement beyond campus, Jandernoa has also been an active member in the Aquinas Study Abroad program. In her junior year, she travelled to Tullycross, Ireland. “Driving on the left side of the road was an experience with Dr. [Robert] Marko, especially since he forgot half the time that the left is where you’re supposed to be!” she said. “But, it was a great experience to learn so much about the world and myself. Humanity is so much more than what we see in the U.S. Otherwise, it was great to see Dr. Marko and Sister Catherine [Williams] outside of the teaching-realm!” After her Ireland experience, Jandernoa also traveled to Guinea, West Africa last year with the Women’s Chorus on a cultural immersion trip, where participants learned forms of native dancing and drumming.

Generally speaking, however, Jandernoa sees all of these instances as exemplary of her Aquinas experience. “This school has been a really good growing place,” Jandernoa said, “where I could meet people of different beliefs, appreciate their different backgrounds, and grow with them at the same time... I think that I will leave Aquinas with a better understanding of what faith means to me, not just in the sense of doctrine, but in the universality of Catholicism, how the real beauty of it is meeting people where they’re at and being Christ to them.”

With graduation right around the corner, Jandernoa has been setting herself up for life beyond Aquinas, recently starting a job directing a children’s choir at Holy Spirit Church. “Immediately after graduation, though, I plan on becoming a certified nursing assistant and working in a hospital,” she said, “just until I figure out whether I want to pursue music therapy or speech pathology. Those are the two areas that I’m most passionate about when looking at graduate studies.”

Having reflected on her time as a Saint, she gives this advice to those who may be considering joining Aquinas for the fall. “I think that you should never judge a book by its cover. I know it sounds super clichéd, but small schools have their perks just like big schools. Coming into Aquinas, I thought I would be limited in the number of possibilities available, but I have been blown away by the great number of opportunities that come with attending a smaller school. For instance, being given a pretty awesome role in a musical during my first year. At how many larger schools can you be involved with nursing and theater at the same time? The opportunities that are offered by Aquinas have definitely been a major part of loving my time here.

“Also, before graduating from Aquinas, you must walk around campus barefoot and step into Wege pond at least once or twice! Wise words from a senior”

Jandernoa will be singing the National Anthem at this year’s Commencement ceremony, which will be held at Sunshine Community Church on May 10, 2014. For more information, please visit the Commencement website.