Why did you choose Villanova? At the end of every tour I give on campus, I tell the prospective students and their families my story of why I chose Villanova. Not only is my story important to the families that I am touring, but recounting why I decided to make Villanova my new home serves as an important reminder to myself. Sometimes, I get caught up in the stresses of everyday life as a college student, and I lean into the complaints and negativity. However, when I walk around campus on a tour, I fall back in love with Villanova and remember why I wake up every day and choose to be a Villanovan. This is just one of the many things that the Blue Key organization has already given to me in such a short amount of time. Blue Key is more than just the tour guide organization on campus. It is a talented group of students who are all lucky enough to experience what it means to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.
Yes, it is our job to help students decide if they want to make Villanova their new home and our role as members is important to the University, but our job is also invaluable to members because of all that we gain from getting to be a part of this organization on campus. This role has made me a more versatile person, as I need to adjust to the quick changes that come my way like bad weather, difficult questions or a crowded campus. Making these adjustments in the moment seems so scary, especially as a freshman who is new to the organization, but it has also made me more confident in myself and my abilities. I have carried this versatility into other aspects of my on-campus life, such as my academics and my day-to-day routine. I know that no matter what challenge comes my way, I am writing my own script, similar to the way in which I create my own tour experience, and that script can be flipped because I am in the driver’s seat.
Aside from all of the personal skills that I have gained from being a part of this organization, I have also found a new sense of fulfillment. Getting to see the impact that we have had on families and their experience here at Villanova has been invaluable. It is so rewarding to know that by taking an hour or two out of my week, I may be helping someone make one of the biggest decisions of their lives thus far. This leaves me with a strong sense of responsibility as a member of Blue Key because the words we say and the experiences we share truly do make a difference for people.
“Since joining Blue Key as a first-year, I have made countless new connections and friendships that have been part of the foundation for my Villanova experience,” senior and outgoing President of Blue Key Harrison Jenkins said. “It not only fosters such an incredible space to meet new people but there is a sense of shared love for Villanova that creates such a positive environment that fosters a wonderful community.”
Personally, I have only gotten to witness the end of Harrison’s presidency, but he has done a wonderful job of upholding the community of students in Blue Key, encouraging us all to support one another by leading by example himself.
“Being a part of Blue Key has granted me so many opportunities to expand my experience here at Villanova,” Jenkins said. “I have learned so much about the workings of our school that made me realize more than I ever had in the past how much care there is for our students from the members of faculty and staff here.”
This organization has given us the privilege to step behind the curtain here at Villanova. We have gotten a front row seat to how hard the entire faculty and staff work to foster the community here at Villanova and define the student experience here as unique from any other University. It has made me as well have a new appreciation for all of the work that people put back into our community, especially because Blue Key has truly taught me it is not what you get here at Villanova but what you give. Ultimately, Blue Key has shown me that Villanova isn’t just a place we go to. It’s a place we help build, a place that shapes us as much as we shape it and a place we are proud to call home.
