Andrew ('18) Zinnanti and Kelsy ('19) Johnson
Andrew Zinnanti ('18) and Kelsy Johnson ('19) got engaged this past summer and will be tying the knot this coming August!
Congratulations to Andrew and Kelsy, another SSCA love connection!
Issac Visits Egypt for U.N. Climate Conference
In November 2022, Issac Mann (SSCA Class of 2019) traveled to Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, to serve as an observer during the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference. After taking an environmental public policy course at Houghton University, Issac said his professor, Brian Webb, shared what sounded like a once-in- a-lifetime opportunity: Attending the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Issac applied and was one of two students from the class chosen to travel to Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, for the conference. This climate change meeting was the #rst meeting of the nations since the Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, has been in full effect.
According to Issac, this was “a critical year for the world to take action to combat climate change...Being able to experience and learn from this process is just amazing. This is one of the few times people will try to cooperate with each other, and to be present there and observe and learn from it, it's a really exciting prospect. I hope to bring back information about dealing with climate change and put it to good use."
Issac hopes to earn a graduate degree in ecology after graduating from Houghton University in New York.
Please click below to read the full Patriot Ledger article about Issac’s story and to read an article written by Issac about his personal experience at the climate conference.
Dylan Carter's SSCA Story
My college experience has definitely been entertaining and somewhat chaotic. Having my freshman year interrupted by Covid-19 three quarters through was anything but ideal. Coming back to campus this year has been rather crazy. Trying to be “Covid-Safe, Thunder Strong” comes with unique challenges, especially since I know what the culture on campus is like without so many restrictions. Having my sister here has definitely made my Wheaton experience way more crazy and entertaining.
Coming from SSCA, I have always had this drive to seek close community wherever I go. In general, being a part of Wheaton College’s theater community has made this transition so much easier. Although the academics here have challenged me more than I ever thought they would, I have never felt underprepared for any of the classes I have taken here at Wheaton. SSCA taught me the value of hard work and a dedication to doing my best, despite the circumstances around me. I know that I would not be where I am today without the help of every single person in my SSCA community, and I’ll remember that forever.
Looking forward, I am excited for the future. I am deep into my study of History and Secondary Education here at Wheaton College. I have been tutoring elementary and middle school students for children of refugees for the organization World Relief and cannot wait to eventually get to work directly in the classroom as soon as next year!
Olivia Lay's SSCA Story
At 5:00 AM, the day after graduation, I packed up everything in my apartment and moved to Ohio where I had grown up. I lived with my dad until I got an apartment in October and I was able to transfer locations with my job at Massage Envy from Massachusetts to Ohio. This past February, I was even promoted to management. In other exciting news, I adopted my first pet last December. He's a Maine Coon cat named Ollanger, and ironically we have to call him Ollie for short (he already had this name). I recently got a job as a leasing agent for Fath Properties and I'm excited to start in a new field. It is, however, scary to move away from something familiar. I look forward to moving into a cheaper apartment soon in order to save up to buy a house in the near future!
I miss high school sometimes but I think that's normal. It was easy to adjust to the adult world from where I was as an SSCA Senior. I lived in an apartment with two roommates during my Senior year and worked six days a week, paid the majority of my own bills, and still fit in time to do (some) homework and play softball. It was hard, but that experience shaped me to be who I am today. I consider myself successful and happy! I appreciate SSCA wanting to keep in touch with their past students and I hope this gave an insight into how my life has gone since graduation!
