By Jessica Easthope
Sophia Faustino is proud of her dream of becoming a TV actress, she says her school backs her all the way. As a sophomore film student, Sophia tends to focus on the visual, and at St. Francis College’s new Livingston Street campus – she says it’s hard not to.
“Everything is beautiful, the decoration is amazing so I was really excited,” she said.
This year the semester began in a brand-new building. The 255,000 square foot space was announced in May of last year and now 2,700 students are learning in the real thing.
It’s making their college experiences all the more hands on. President Miguel Martinez Saenz says this is where students come to find their passion.
“Our faculty are saying the students are more engaged than they’ve ever been and I think it’s no coincidence, we create conditions for students to make a living and a fully human life and that’s what it means to be a Catholic college,” Martinez-Saenz said.
While Sophia says the state-of-the-art classrooms, labs and common areas are nice to look at – they’ve also made her and her classmates look inward and examine more than just their schoolwork.
“Now I feel that with the new building it brings a whole sense of a way to review and renew your faith what are the new things coming our way,” Sophia said.
“In the Catholic faith you’re meant to grow and progress further and so I’m seeing this as a growing period and that we can change overtime that’s what I’m taking away from this building,” said senior, Reginald Monteau.
Assistant vice president for enrollment management Robert Oliva is an alumni of the school, now he works to help the kids who are where he was 18 years ago. He’s old school – but says now in the new school using faith to uplift students is a lot easier.
“The energy, the excitement, the spirit across campus has been amazing and we are thrilled to celebrate with them today,” Oliva said.
St. Francis College officials say enrollment is up in part thanks to the new campus that welcomed 900 new students this year.