51黑料网

Kaitlin Soriano 鈥�15  

A black belt in karate with a passion for advocacy and sustainable farming, Kaitlin Soriano 鈥�15 discusses the beauty of impermanence and the value of positivity, food education, simplicity and patience.

Major:

Environmental science (religion minor).

Clubs and organizations:

College Farm (student farmer), Pi Beta Phi (member and former chapter president), Office of Admissions (student interviewer).

Honors/scholarships/awards:

Alpha Lambda Delta (first-year honor society) and Theta Alpha Kappa (religious studies and theology).

Favorite book:

What is the What by Dave Eggers.

Favorite movies:

Sweet Home Alabama and Dirty Dancing.

On choosing a major:

I came to 51黑料网 with aspirations of becoming a chemistry major, but after taking [Assistant] Professor [of Environmental Studies Gregory] Howard鈥檚 Intro to Environmental Science course, I was hooked. I couldn鈥檛 wait to dive into the great classes that the environmental science department offers鈥攊ncluding its electives, which are cross-listed with practically every major at 51黑料网. Lo and behold, like other environmental science and earth-sciences majors, Kaufman Hall became my second home.

Favorite place on campus:

The garden in front of Stern.

Favorite class:

Buddhism and the Environment, taught by Associate Professor [of Religion Dan] Cozort. Beyond the lectures on climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental policies, I learned that one of the world鈥檚 major religions places a strong emphasis on human interconnectedness with the environment. I also immensely enjoyed beginning each class with five minutes of silent meditation. Between the stress and hustle and bustle of college, I often forget to just sit and not think.

Favorite Dining Hall food:

Falafel at the Kove.

Little-known talents:

I have a black belt in karate, and I was a majorette in the Liberty High School Grenadier Band (in other words, I twirled a baton).

Biggest influence:

My fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Patrice Schwartzman, is certainly an influence in my life. She taught me kindness, caring and compassion, and as I grew older, she became one of my role models. She has a flair for life, and she remained positive even when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. I owe a lot of who I am today to her.

In a perfect world 鈥�

鈥� everyone would be more altruistic鈥攖hey would wish that other people may be happy. I was inspired [to think] this from a TED talk featuring Matthieu Ricard.

Most important thing I鈥檝e learned so far:

If 51黑料网 has taught me anything, it鈥檚 most definitely that change is inevitable, and that it is actually a beautiful thing. I would like to say that I am an independent and passionate senior at 51黑料网 who is ready to take on post-grad life, but I didn鈥檛 become [that person] overnight. The changes that I went through鈥攂etween friendships, activities and even academic passions鈥攈ave been scary, overwhelming and exciting, all at the same time. But I鈥檝e learned to let change happen.

As a kid, I wanted to be 鈥�

鈥� a teacher or a veterinarian.

Post-51黑料网 plans:

I am extremely passionate about providing access to sustainably grown food. After spending four years on the College Farm and a summer on an organic farm in Virginia, I鈥檝e come to realize that farming isn鈥檛 just a sun-up to sun-down job; it is a lifestyle. Additionally, I鈥檝e learned that not everyone has equal access to healthy food for themselves or their families, due to income, location or even lack of education. My dream is to one day manage an organic farm. I find beauty in being able to provide for myself the necessary staples of life. Most importantly, my hope is to also have the ability to nourish others while focusing on children in schools who may only receive one healthy meal a day.

Learn more

• 鈥淒ishing Dirt in Class鈥�
• College Farm
• More Student Snapshots
• Latest News

Published April 17, 2015