“We had to do weekly book reports with perfect punctuation, grammar, and spelling. If there were any errors we would have to do re-writes, and this was all during my elementary school summers,” said senior Anna Ingraham as she thought of the events that shaped her.
In her days of youth, experiences such as the above were the ones that fostered discipline and determination in Ingraham.
Ingraham is majoring in education because like her father, she believes that education is the greatest gift because it is “the gift that keeps giving.”
As many of us may already know, teaching is a hard job. It is something not many people have the patience for. This is why Ingraham describes it as “a calling, something I can truly be passionate about.”
Throughout her years as a student, Ingraham settled upon the conclusion that she wants to help people grow and develop into socially active and productive people.
Ingraham is involved in a slew of activities from President’s Society to the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
While it may seem like an overwhleming schedule for a college student, Ingraham is taking a light schedule of twelve credits during her senior year so that she can give her utmost attention to all of the activities she is involved in.
One of Ingraham’s jobs that she seems to find most rewarding is that of being a Resident Assistant. As an RA, Ingraham has the opportunity to bond with her 39 freshmen girls and to guide them as much as they would like now that they are college novices.
Being a Resident Assistant is a position that has led Ingraham to reap the rewards of watching her girls and her staff develop.
With a tinge of pride, Ingraham said, “They are all good girls; it makes me real excited to see that they’re like mini Anna’s!”
As president of the Student Programming Board, Ingraham has had the pleasure and the opportunity to set up events for people, to create leisure time for others, and to watch them enjoy themselves.
“It’s very intriguing to see activities go from idea to action,” Ingraham said. “Don’t be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
This is one of Ingraham’s life guidelines. She does her best to trust the unknown in the hands of the God she loves and trusts.
Academically, Ingraham is enthralled as she discovers more and more about her personal culture and history; some of her favorite classes have been her two American Literature classes taught by Professor Granville Ganter and Dr. John Lowney along with her Black American History course taught by Dr. Lez Edmond.
Ingraham has had much success in her academic development, and as a result, she was selected to be a member of the President’s Society, the highest honor society that exists at St. Johns University. This is an acheivement that Ingaham has much pride in.
On the day of Ingraham’s interview to be a part of the President’s Society she was very much anxious.
“My palms were sweating uncontrollably and my interviewer could tell that I was nervous,” she said.
But things turned out well and Ingraham was selected as one of the 25 seniors to receive this honor. Being involved so much academically and socially has given Ingraham plenty of networking opportunities and an excellent co-curricular transcript.
Aside from being in the President’s Society, being a Resident Assistant, and being President of the Student Programming Board, Ingraham is also an officer in Student Government, Inc. a Campus Activities Student Assistant, a Campus Ministry Student Assistant, and a former Orientation Leader.
Ingraham attends mass regularly and is someone who is loved and appreciated by all who know her.
