If you don’t know AnneMarie Ianiero, then you probably should since she won’t be at Seton Hall much longer. As a senior, education major, AnneMarie tells us that she’s excited for change, but grateful for the time she has spent at Seton Hall University. You’ll know AnneMarie as member at large of Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority.
Where are you from, what do you study, and what do you enjoy doing in your free time? I’m from Middlesex, NJ (about 45 minutes from SHU), but I currently live in Maplewood. I am a Class of 2012 Elementary & Special Education and Social & Behavioral Sciences double major with a minor in Social Work. In my free time I like to do absolutely nothing. No, but really. I guess in my free time I’m usually doing something going somewhere with my sisters, spending countless hours refreshing my Twitter, at home with my pseudo-family, or watching trashy TV with my roommates.
What extracurricular activities are you involved with on campus right now and what have you done in the past? I’m not involved in many extracurricular’s, but the ones that I am involved in I throw myself into. I’m a sister of Alpha Sigma Tau, currently acting as a member at large for my final semester. I joined in the Spring of 2009, and since then I have acted as the New Member Educator (2010) and President (2011). I am also a member of the Pep Band where I play the flute and yell at the court during basketball games. This has been going on since day one of Freshman year. In the past, I have also been a team leader for Relay for Life. While not an extracurricular, I will be student teaching this semester, which will drastically cut out my social life as well as my extracurricular’s (but I’m not complaining!)
What is one of your favorite SHU groups that you participate in and what is most rewarding about being a member? This is tough. Since I really only am fully involved in two big organizations/clubs, I feel like I’m choosing my favorite child. I think there are rewards to being in both, they’re almost completely different.
With Pep Band, it’s such a great feeling to be involved in something so set on school spirit and Seton Hall’s success. I can see its rewards especially this season, where we have been there for every home game. This year, if (saying ‘when’ would jinx it) the team makes it to the NCAA Tournament, we’ll be right there with them, which is something I haven’t been able to say yet in my college career.
AST has a completely different set of rewards, ones that will carry with me after graduation. Having been given the opportunity to hold different leadership positions, especially the Presidency, I have gotten the opportunity to travel to our National conferences and meet many different people. One word: Networking. Being Greek, I have made (and will continue to make) connections with employers, employees, etc. not only in my organization, but others as well. Oh, and no matter how cheesy it sounds, AST has also brought me to the best friends I will ever know. I think that’s a pretty excellent gain.
What are your plans for after graduation? Leave New Jersey, find a teaching job, get tenured, get my Master’s in something education related. Right now it’s all pretty much up in the air. All I know is I want to be teaching elementary school, and right now, that means leaving NJ.
What would be your dream job? I’ve never had those “I want to be an ice-dancing ballerina” dream job wishes. I’ve always wanted to teach. So it might not sound very exciting, but for me, my dream job is to teach. I will actually be working my dream job.
What are you most excited for in 2012? Changes. Cliche, I know. But 2012 brings graduation, and unlike a lot of my friends in the School of Education, I’m not staying on for a Master’s. So I’m done with school in about four months. Yeah, I’m kind of scared, but I’m also really excited at the idea of moving on, getting a job, and having my own classroom.
Describe yourself in three words. Motivated, independent, child-at-heart. (I know, that last one is three words on its own, but it is so true I couldn’t leave it out.)