Danielle Armitage ‘23, a Political Science major on a Pre-Law track and a junior year transfer student, offers her unique perspective on the Villanova experience and what is to come for her post-graduation this May.
She attended her first university in Ohio with an offer to play D2 lacrosse. However, after an endless cycle of new coaches, she decided she wasn’t quite getting what she wanted from her college experience. “I wasn’t being academically challenged and that wasn’t what I wanted,” she explains. With parents local to the area and club lacrosse, Danielle found herself on the East Coast pretty frequently growing up and had Villanova on her radar. “I’ve always loved it out here, which is a little weird because I’m from Colorado, and people wonder ‘Why would you go to the East Coast after living in Colorado?’ But I have always just liked it,” she shares.
She was accepted to six universities, but her acceptance to Villanova stood out to her particularly. “It was 5:30 in the morning and I was opening at a gym I worked at. I saw that my application had been updated and saw the little confetti as I opened it. Right then, a woman walked in wearing a Sixers jersey. I knew that was a sign to make the decision to go to Villanova. The universe was talking really loudly,” she says. She enrolled at Villanova and deems it the best decision she’s made.
As a prior college athlete, Danielle was able to learn a lot about herself through her transfer experience. “Since I don’t play a sport here, it was terrifying to lose a big chunk of who I am as a person that had ruled my life for the past 19 years. But I’d do it again in a heartbeat,” she shares. “I was able to see if I have a personality outside of being an athlete and use my time in different ways.” She prefers the academic rigor of Villanova, sharing; “I focused more on accountability within myself, especially because now my life is not nearly as structured as it was when I was an athlete. In my first college experience, everyone was an athlete and they treated us as such without high academic standards. At Villanova, I can really focus on the high standards my professors hold me to and get what I want out of my degree.”
One of Danielle’s favorite professors is Professor Lance Kenny, who taught one of her favorite classes, International Relations. “I once told him I was going to London over Easter break and he fledged into a 45-minute conversation about how he loves it and used to live there. When I came back, he was so interested in the trip. He saw me as more than just a student and as a human being, so that was fantastic,” she says. She also raves about her Public Policy and Administration professor, Professor Marsha Tonkovich. “She really shows that she’s willing to put the students above herself, which is such a nice breath of fresh air and so encouraging, especially in my last semester,” she says.
A combination of transferring and COVID-19 restrictions have made opportunities for studying abroad and finding internships slim, but this has not stopped Danielle from making valuable progress. She works remotely for the YMCA, which has given her ample sales management experience and an income as she works towards her college degree. She describes those college years that overlapped with the COVID-19 pandemic as the “weirdest of her life,” but has had an amazing experience since her transfer. “I’ve met so many people who align so deeply with my morals and values, which I didn’t really get before,” she says.
Outside of the classroom, Danielle has fully immersed herself in Villanova’s spirit of community and involvement. She was a staff member for Villanova’s Orientation Program, serving as a Transfer Counselor. “It was the longest but most rewarding 12 days of my life. It was one of the best things I’ve ever done,” she says. “I learned so much about myself and met so many amazing, driven people. I fostered relationships that put me in such a good space where I knew that I had a community and a support system,” she shares.
She also hosts a radio show on WXVU called For the Benefit of the Radio with a friend each Wednesday at 5:30 pm. The two select a fun theme each week, including an Anti-Valentine’s Day show and Grandma-and-Grandpa-on-Aux-inspired music. “It’s a stream of consciousness between my friend and I catching up, playing good music, and talking to the world,” she explains.
After her quickly approaching graduation, Danielle plans to take a year off, look at jobs and internships, and attend law school in 2024. She plans to study International Law and diplomatic relations, and potentially study abroad for a summer. She has begun applications, naming Columbia and NYU as her dream law schools. “There’s a lot of schools that I really want to go to in New York because I love the city. I grew up in the wilderness, but I feel like I’m a little bit of a city girl,” she explains.
“The sense of community is the greatest thing ever and everyone wants to do well. No one is at Villanova just skating by. Everyone is challenged academically and very brilliant,” she says. When asked what she’ll miss most about it, Danielle provided a long list; “The campus is gorgeous, and the people are great. There are so many things you can do in so many clubs, the sports, the camaraderie, the community – I will miss all of it. It’s so bittersweet because I’ve only been here for two years, and I wonder what I could have done with all four. But even so, I’m very happy with what I’ve done with the two.”
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As Managing Editor and Staff Writer for Villanova University’s Office for Undergraduate Students, sophomore Gabrielle Piccirilli shares the stories, experiences, and accomplishments of the students of Villanova’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
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