“I really never had any ideas of going to Union,” says Beth
Wierzbieniec '99. “Coming from New York State, I had no intention of staying
here. I looked into Union randomly, but soon found out what a small, personal school it
is. I knew this was a place where I could become involved.”
Beyond “involved,” Wierzbieniec has been an integral part of the student
body. She was the recipient last week of the Bailey Prize, given annually to the senior
who has rendered the greatest service to the College in any field. “It was an amazing
honor,” said the Amherst, N.Y., native. “Union has meant so much to me and
it's really nice to know that I have meant a lot to Union.”
She has been a part of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program for four years, a tour
guide for the Admissions office for four years, a tutor at Elmer Elementary School for
three years, an Orientation Advisor for two years and has served on the Multi-Cultural
Advisory Group for two years. Her senior year, she served as president of Student Forum,
an experience she says has been “a true learning experience, and at times really
frustrating. But it was a position where I felt I could work positive changes for
Union.”
Equally rewarding, she says, was her founding role and involvement in “Dialogues
on Race,” a discussion series aimed at promoting diversity awareness. The Schenectady
County Human Rights Commission recognized her for the project with the 1998 Human Rights
Youth Achievement Award. She received the 1998 Hudson Mohawk Association of Colleges and
Universities' “Creating a More Welcoming Community” award.
She was also a recipient of the Alan Lake Chidsey Citizenship Award, to the senior who
has made distinctive contributions to the advancement of responsible government in student
affairs, and a Meritorious Service Award.
After graduation, Wierzbieniec will be in Baltimore, Md., with the Teach for America
program. She has committed to a minimum of two years, and will likely teach middle school
social studies. “This is a program I wanted to be a part of because the mission of
Teach for America fits with my own convictions. I believe that every child deserves an
equal opportunity for education.” After that, she hopes to study public
administration or public law and “get involved in changing the United States'
current educational system.”