St. Mary's Alumni Spotlight: Aaryn Taft '18

We recently had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Taft, a proud member of the Saint Mary's High School Class of 2018. Ms. Taft is an undergraduate student in the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. We asked how our school laid the foundation for her education at Georgetown, and she replied, "St. Mary's provided me with invaluable academic and extracurricular experiences allowing me to enter college at Georgetown with a strong foundation. Most importantly, though, I learned the importance of hard work and, believe it or not, the power of your network. At St. Mary's, I was posed with many opportunities to actively participate in the school community, thereby providing me with the opportunity to network with other students outside of the classroom environment. Whether through involvement in student council, spirit week, campus ministry, sports, or theater, the opportunity to participate in my school community was all around me. Participating in my school community at St. Mary's informed my decision to be involved at Georgetown. I was taught by teachers that changed the way I viewed academics, and more importantly, the world as a whole." 

Her thoughts on the best class or teacher at St. Mary's are no surprise to us. "I had too many amazing classes and teachers to just name one, but the class that prepared me most for Georgetown was Economics with Mr. Kevin Dillon. This class was my introduction to how society manifests and subsequently influenced my decision to major in business and enter the finance field professionally." We also reflected on the tragic passing of Mr. Dillon, who impacted so many students and their academic success during his tenure at St. Mary's.

Ms. Taft shared that her best memory from St. Mary's was "when my class year (2018) won Spirit Week three years in a row. This experience was incredibly special for me as I helped organize Spirit Week's implementation and served as the Spirit Week President of my class."

If given the opportunity to speak to a prospective family about attending St. Mary's High School, Ms. Taft said, "I'd love for a prospective family to know that the opportunities are endless at St. Mary's. All of my positive experiences at Georgetown have their foundation in high school. The intimate class sizes and engaging, caring teachers made me a strong Georgetown applicant and soon-to-be graduate. I couldn't have asked for a better high school experience." 

The Catholic formation she received at St. Mary's remains with her along each step of her continued educational journey. "I see St. Mary's like the foundation to faith through academics. What that means to me is keeping your faith at the center of your academic career. College is hard, no matter how prepared you are. It encompasses a massive change in teaching styles, personal lifestyle, studying habits, friendships, and how you practice your faith. Similar to my experience at St. Mary's, Georgetown also provides plenty of opportunities to regularly practice my faith in the church and opportunities for service to other students. I find that keeping my religion at the center of my academic lifestyle makes for an optimal experience."

Thank you, Aaryn, for taking time away from your studies to revisit your St. Mary's experience with us. As demonstrated during your four-year academic career, we know that you will continue on this successful path and not lose sight of the values you hold so dear to your heart, especially your faith in God. May your journey be filled with blessings and more.