Celine Healey is a graduate student at St. John’s College in Annapolis.
St. John’s College: How did you come to St. John's College?
Celine Healey: I was looking at the website for when the croquet match was going to be and I saw the Graduate Institute. I lived in Annapolis since 1994, but I was not aware that St. John’s had the Graduate Institute. And I was absolutely ecstatic, because I felt at that point, if St. John’s would have me, I have found my home.
SJC: What has been most enjoyable so far about your time at St. John’s?
CH: St. John’s is very forthright. They put their curriculum out there and you see what the great books are and you can read them on your own if you choose to. However, being part of the culture, the guidance of the tutors and having your peers and their input, I think just makes the experience so much richer, and that’s why I’m here.
SJC: What activities are you participating in outside of the classroom?
CH: One thing that was important to me was to immerse myself as much as possible here and become part of the culture. So I applied for a position at the bookstore. It will put me in a position to interact with my fellow students and also to surround myself with the great books that we should be reading.
SJC: What is different about the St. John’s classroom?
CH: I must admit that this was very unusual to begin with because I am coming from an environment where you’re typically fed information, and this is an environment where you seek it. It’s very, very different. My first few classes, I was very quiet because I didn’t necessarily feel that I had much to contribute. But now that I’m getting more accustomed to the flow of things, it’s becoming much more comfortable and I’m settling in.
SJC: What would you say to a professional who is considering St. John’s?
CH: People pursue an education for various reasons. One is to develop a career. One is for the love of learning. I’m here for the purity of learning. For the professional, there are certain themes here at St. John’s College that will be addressed. For instance, ethics will come into question, which is something that is very relevant in the business world and especially from the financial world that I am coming from.
—Brady Lee (AGI14)