Word from the Valedictorian and Salutatorian of the 2020 Graduating Class
The following article was featured in the June 2020 edition of The Campus.
By Jaquelin Bautista
The Valedictorian, Sabastian Hajtovic, and the Salutatorian, Isabella Joseph, of the class of 2020 took the time to speak with The Campus magazine about their time at The City College of New York (CCNY). Amidst a global pandemic, these students are unable to celebrate their achievements with their peers. Nonetheless, their time at CCNY has been nothing but memorable and there is plenty to look back on and cherish.
Hajtovic is graduating with a degree from the CCNY-based Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education Program with a 4.0 GPA. He is anticipating his MD from the CUNY School of Medicine (CSOM) in the spring of 2023. Being Valedictorian is not something he planned for, Hajtovic explains, “I was just walking to school and I got the email about being a candidate, some of my friends did, too. I didn’t know anything about the process, but I decided to give it a shot.”
Similarly, Joseph who is a member of The Macaulay Honors College at CCNY is receiving her bachelor of architecture degree from the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture with a minor in anthropology and a GPA of 3.94. It should be noted she is the first salutatorian from the Spitzer School. She recalled, “I remember being in class and getting an email saying I was a candidate. I didn’t know anything about the process.”
This email was followed by a group interview. Due to the circumstances, both students were confined to their homes and participated via a Zoom call. “It was weird to do it through Zoom, I haven’t had that many interviews… this was very intimidating… Once I started talking, I wasn’t that nervous. They were asking questions that made me reflect on my time at CCNY, which was nice considering everything that is going on right now. It was nice to take the time to reflect on my five years,” states Joseph.
However Hajtovic had a different experience, “My interview was towards the end of March, it was the same week that my father got COVID-19, so everything was very fresh. During the interview, I was reflecting on my time at CCNY and the current times. I feel like what we’ve done over the past few years in terms of our leadership and involvement puts into context how important these skills are for being leaders in the future.”
This new reality we are all living in puts the future of these two students into perspective about how they are able to have an impact on the future. “It made me think of public spaces, especially urban places. I live in suburbia but I used to live on campus and you can tell the difference in having adequate open space. People are experiencing the quarantine extremely differently in urban areas.” said Joseph. Hajtovic noted that “If you want to impact populations of people or the health of entire communities, you have to think bigger than becoming a physician. You have to think about public service and politics. So, I’ve struggled about finding a balance between wanting to pursue medicine and having a greater impact”
Both students were highly involved on campus and note that many of their achievements would not have been possible had they not had the opportunity to dorm or live near campus. Hajtovic remembers his first year when he was commuting, “... It was brutal. I slept over at my friend’s house many times and got on the train at four or five in the morning. My second year I got an apartment with my friends -- it has made my experience significantly better. It’s a nice experience to be on campus studying and then easily be able to get home.”
Joseph, on the other hand, dormed at The Towers at CCNY, “I lived on campus out of necessity, because architecture school is known for having really long nights. You have to be in the studio to do your work, a lot of architecture school is about being there.”
Despite their dedication to their degrees, both found the time to get involved outside of their disciplines. “I felt like for the sake of my own mental health I had to get involved with something that was outside of my major. For me, that was the Collen Powel Fellowship, a two-year fellowship in leadership and public service,” states Hajtovic. Joseph took it back to her roots and involved herself in things she had always enjoyed; “In high school, I was used to doing so many things. I played piano and sports and had so many hobbies. But when I started college, architecture was the one thing that defined me. But, I found ways to engage in different things, I was a soccer coach in the south Bronx. It was great to be working with kids. It was rewarding to teach girls about the sport and watch their games and see them grow.”
Both students have used the people in their lives as resources for their success. Joseph finds that “Your peers become really important to you. They become resources and can teach you more than your professors.” While your peers are a great resource to tap into when you need help, it is important to find someone you look up to guide you through your journey as an undergraduate. Hajtovic thanks Dr. Holly Atkinson and Dr. Nancy Sohler for their efforts to guide him in his research and in achieving his goals. Joseph is grateful for the guidance she has received from Professors Brad Horn and Shawn Rickenbacker.
College can be extremely stressful, and these two students are no exception to the demands of undergraduate studies. Hajtovic suggests that all students take the time to find something that helps them get their minds off their responsibilities, even if it is just for a moment. For him, that is getting on his bike and go for long-distance bike rides -- the longest he has biked in a day was 70 miles. After a big test, he found that this was the best way for him to clear his mind. Joseph suggests that students take the time to practice mindfulness whether that be through journaling or through the use of modern applications. She suggests downloading the Lumosity Mind app and the app Mindshift.
There were many challenges that both students faced while working towards their undergraduate degree. Joseph came from an immigrant family and faced being in spaces surrounded by people with connections and Ivy League degrees, but she overcame the effects of imposter syndrome by recognizing her excellence. Hajtovic found it difficult to manage his time with his involvement on campus, but above all struggled to balance his dream of practicing medicine and develop solutions for greater communities.
The Campus congratulations Sabastian Hajtovic and Isabella Joseph for their successes and wishes them prosperity in their futures and careers.
