Our Wildwood, Summer 2018, Volume 43

“” GOING FROM A SCHOOL OF 400 TO A SCHOOL OF 65,000, I THOUGHT I’D BE LOST. AND IT TURNS OUT, I WASN’T BECAUSE I’D HAD SUCH AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE AT WILDWOOD— TO UNCOVER AND DISCOVER WHERE I FIT.

SPELLMAN: Aside from your very rigorous course load, what’s one new project that really stands out to you from this first year? VECCHIONE: Early in the year, I joined the Student Ambassadors Program. It was weird being a new kid welcoming other new kids. I was thrown in and people would ask me questions, and I wouldn’t know how to answer them. I really loved it because being in that position forced me to learn about so many different aspects of the school, connect with such a diverse group of students within the college, in all majors, in all disciplines, with different interests. I remembered the Multicultural Guideline, “Lean into your discomfort.” SPELLMAN: It does go back to the Habit of Perspective. Because sometimes I think when you’re new in a situation, you notice things or appreciate things that for people who have been there a long time is just normalcy to them. So I think having that new perspective probably was helpful to people because you were pointing out things that you were starting to see, being totally new in the environment. What advice would you give to somebody on their first day at Wildwood? Something you think is important for them to know about the community. VECCHIONE: The one thing I will always remember about my first day is that I was walking through the main hall and I hear “Hi, Dylan, welcome!” from some random voice. I had no idea who this person was, but they were welcoming me to the school. And that’s a testament to how unique the community is. SPELLMAN: What kind of advice would you give to our graduating students as they embark on their university experience?

VECCHIONE: I think that coming from a place as special as Wildwood is difficult because you assume that you won’t ever be able to find a place with a similar community. I’d say no matter where you’re going, you will be able to find your community because you’ve been part of such an incredible one. You know what community means. And that, to me, was one of the most important realizations of this year because going from a school of 400 to a school of 65,000, I thought I’d be lost. And it turns out, I wasn’t because I’d had such an incredible experience at Wildwood—to uncover and discover where I fit. SPELLMAN: You have the tools to develop your community. Because it really is about taking the things that you feel are so special about Wildwood and building a community like that for yourself someplace else. And the hope is that as students graduate, they continue to build those kinds of communities, which ultimately makes the world a better place for everyone. W

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OWW SUMMER 2018