Siblings Day Speech

The following is a speech from Hofstra Sophomore Allison Kamin, which she delivered during Siblings Day on February 16, 2013. In it she tells the siblings of Hofstra students what makes our university so great and what it can offer its students.

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Hi everyone! My name is Allison Kamin and I am a sophomore here at Hofstra University. I am from Woodbury on Long Island and I am here today to talk you siblings about what it takes to get into college, what I have gained from my first few semesters here at Hofstra, and why Hofstra is so amazing! 

So first of all, I want to tell you all that I am also a sibling! I am the youngest of three, and therefore I was dragged to every school visit, and had to listen to every admissions counselor speak about boring SAT scores, and I went on countless campus tours. What I can tell you is that I still remember my sister’s tour of Hofstra seven years ago, and how impressed I was with Hofstra’s beautiful quads, the wide range of food options, the high-tech classrooms, and the small professor to student ratio. Fast forward a few years, and I was on my own tour of Hofstra University’s campus. I was even more in love with the school then I remembered.  As I was walking over the big bridge, we call the Unispan, I thought to myself, wow I can see myself coming to Hofstra.  Fast forward another two years and I am standing here today telling younger siblings, just like me, why I love Hofstra so much. 

To get into Hofstra, or any college, you need to be determined and passionate. My first advice is to take challenging courses in high school, such as Advanced Placement and honors classes. Explore elective classes that you think might be of interest to you.  Remember, that your grades matter, and colleges love to see students who did consistently well throughout high school. Colleges also love to see improvement through out your four years of high school.  Your G.P.A. and the courses you take matter. I also highly recommend you join a club or participate in a class that gets involved with community service; giving back to your community or high school is one of the best feelings in the world. You also want to join a club that you are passionate about, not just because “it will look good for college,” but something that you truly enjoy doing. For me it was the debate club in high school, and now I am a speech and English double major. Find your club! My last word of advice for what it takes to get into a college is become a leader. Take a leadership position in your club, on your sports team, or in the classroom. Whether you are inside or outside of school being a leader is a quality you will carry for the rest of your lives.    

So once you take challenging classes, join a club you are passionate about, and become a leader, what college should you go to? Well for me, it was an easy answer, Hofstra University. 

Hofstra provides an atmosphere and environment to allow you, the student, to grow and gain as much as possible during your four years of college. So far I have taken challenging courses in subjects such psychology, computer science, oral communication, mass media, painting, and creative writing. There is an amazing honors college here that is ran by two exceptional deans and offers the above average student a smaller community within Hofstra. There are limitless arrays of courses that will spark an interest or lead to a passion, and over 140 majors that will guide you to an exciting career. 

The career center hosts internship and career fairs every semester, and the Career Center’s website has exclusive updates on job and internship opportunities only for Hofstra students. 

Other than career fairs and countless classes, that are usually no bigger than thirty students, why come to Hofstra? Not only does Hofstra have brand new, refurnished, renovated dorms, but every single Hofstra student is guaranteed housing all four years! Hofstra also has a strong Greek life that is intertwined with Hofstra’s social calendar. There are over 100 clubs here on campus, and an office for student leadership affairs, and an interfaith office as well. Hofstra focuses on community service and played a huge role in Hurricane Sandy Relief. Whether you join the club soccer team, anthropology club, the American Red Cross club, a professional society, the guitar club, the Black Student Union, or a sorority, there is something for everyone.  

Tickets for students are free to all Hofstra sporting events, and there are constantly free trips to New York City offered by the office of student leadership. There are free movie nights every single weekend, in one of Hofstra’s six professional theaters, that show recently released movies. Every Fall the students, alumni, and families come together for Fall Festival. I personally had an all access pass and met the celebrities back stage! 

In just a short two years I have become a tour guide, a welcome week leader, a parent orientation leader, vice president of my sorority Delta Gamma, and made Provost's and Dean's Lists. I am an honors college student and gotten involved in tutoring local elementary school students. I traveled into Manhattan to personally hand out clothing to homeless men and women.  I participated in a leadership program and attend almost every Hofstra basketball game! I was one of the lucky students who participated in the presidential debate! I had breakfast with Jeb Bush, interned with News 12, and even had a ticket to the presidential debate. I absolutely love this school and am so happy that I still have two years left to enjoy every moment of college!

- Allison Kamin, Class of 2015
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If you are the parent of a high school student who is interested in applying to Hofstra University please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at (516) 463-6700 for further information.