Sophomore Sarah Post ’25 saw the possibilities the Mount offered, and once she began her involvement, the hard part was actually stopping.
Sarah recalls being a shy person prior to her freshman year at Mount St. Joseph University. Sitting in the University Theatre during freshman orientation amongst her peers, she remembers excitedly awaiting for the next speaker to come to the podium to welcome the students’ initiation into the Mount with a warm and uplifting introduction.
Finally, it was Dr. President Williams' turn to deliver his welcome speech. Building relationships and acquiring transferrable skills like communication, organization, and collaboration are at the heart of the many benefits of extracurriculars, which he so passionately emphasized. Dr. Williams provided the breadth of student organizations and opportunities available at students’ fingertips to transform into the leaders of tomorrow.
Immediately envisioning her future self taking full advantage of these endless possibilities, Sarah was inspired to launch herself into a student organization. From here, she has constantly put herself out of her comfort zone to promote positive change.
Sarah’s journey began in Criminology Club where she has been president for two years, holding numerous events and trips in efforts to rebuild it. By this point, the impact she made was immense and she couldn’t wait to spread her newfound skills to other organizations on campus.
“Once I found my groove with this club, I wanted to branch out into other extracurriculars. I saw all the possibilities that MSJ offered and supported, and I wanted to be a part of them. Once I started getting involved, I couldn’t stop!”
Trial & Error Leads to Transformative Results
She nostalgically recalls a special time during the beginning phases of Criminology Club meetings that speaks to its outstanding growth and evolvement.
“We used to have a very unorganized Google Doc displayed to take notes and the executive board were doing as best as we all could, being that it was our first year at MSJ. Looking back, it is funny seeing how disorganized yet functional we were; it is also amazing to see how far we have come since then.”
The club now plans their meetings out in advance, holds regular executive board meetings, and much more. In addition, nearly a month ago Sarah traveled to Columbus with the Student Government Association (SGA) Advisor and other SGA executive board members for Independent College Day.
“It was amazing to meet some of our representatives while furthering my friendships with other members of the SGA Executive Board,” she says. “I am still so grateful for that opportunity, especially since it was my first time to the Ohio Statehouse!”
As a current junior, Sarah’s involvement since freshman year goes as follows:
President of Criminology Club, President of the Performing Arts Leadership Council - as well as working on getting that recognized by the Student Government Association so it is an official MSJ organization, Vice President of The Student Government Association, Delhi Middle School Math Tutor, Member of the MSJ Lions Roar Band and Concert Band, Member of the MSJ Honors Program, Member of Theta Phi Alpha Sorority, Member of Alpha Lambda Delta Honors Society, and Kappa Delta Pi Education Honors Society.
Metamorphosing into a Social Butterfly
Sarah naturally gravitated to a major in Early Childhood Education, and with a dedication to serving others, it comes as no surprise. “I truly love the education field and working with students; I couldn’t imagine majoring in anything else!” Her involvement at the Mount has helped her to create strong bonds with her classmates, faculty, and staff.
“I used to be a very shy kid, so much so that sending emails would cause me so much anxiety. I have grown to be extremely outgoing, and it is because of my involvement at the Mount. Because I am more outgoing, I am able to create strong bonds with those in the Mount community that make me feel like I belong at the Mount.”
Her rigorous involvement has enhanced her coursework as she continues to receive a lot of hands-on experience that enhances her major. For instance, being a math tutor at Delhi Middle school continues to be a source of pride for Sarah. Her students have truly grown, even in the past month, and are a joy to work with. Tutoring middle-school children has helped her observe and interact with children more effectively and appropriately.
“Even if some of the experiences do not directly translate to my major, I am still able to build background knowledge and connections that will help in everyday life such as communication and planning skills,” she asserts.
The biggest lesson Sarah has learned from her extracurricular experiences is that getting out of your comfort zone can be difficult at first, but it is necessary if you want to improve.
“I would not be where I am today if I didn’t challenge myself to take more leadership roles. While getting out of your comfort zone is necessary, it is also important to respect your limitations, so you do not stress yourself out. Being involved in school has many great benefits but you should always take care of yourself first and foremost.”
Sarah fondly reflects on what she would say to her freshman-self sitting in the theater listening to President William’s Welcome Speech: “It will all work out.”
“I was very excited to start getting involved but I had no clue where it would lead me or who I would become. Freshman me would be very proud of who I am today!”
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