Amanda LoScalzo has quickly found her stride at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania where the Huntington High School Class of 2017 member is in her freshman year.
“So far my time at college has been a great experience,” Ms. LoScalzo said. “It is hard to believe that I have already been here for a month. From move in day until now, I can honestly say that I have enjoyed much of each day. I have met and become friends with many interesting people that reside throughout the world and I hope to continue to meet more.”
Ms. LoScalzo loves the study of history and the Gettysburg area is full of it. “The history that this town has to offer is simply incredible,” she said. “Some of my favorite memories were made during my first week here. My favorite one so far was taking part in Gettysburg’s traditional First Year Walk, where the entire class of 2021 retraced Abraham Lincoln’s steps, by walking the same path that he took when he came here to address the nation. When we arrived at the battlefields, the Gettysburg Address was read.”
The Huntington alum said she’s taking some “thought provoking” classes this semester. The courses include Contemporary Moral Issues, Cultural Anthropology, Psychology and a first year seminar called You’re not Yelping: From the Critique of Judgment to Consumer Rating Culture. “While these courses are challenging, my teachers at Huntington High School taught me valuable skills that I continue to apply,” Ms. LoScalzo said.
The teenager was heavily involved in the life of Huntington High School, playing key roles in several organizations, including Interact, which she helped to reestablish after a long hiatus. Ms. LoScalzo is continuing such extracurricular participation in college.
“Having enjoyed being involved in many clubs and societies in high school, I wanted to continue being as involved at Gettysburg,” Ms. LoScalzo said. “It is for this reason that I wanted to continue to help others on campus, locally, nationally as well as globally.”
The Huntington grad is a member of Gettysburg’s Campus Activities Board, which helps plan events on campus. “Most recently the organization helped plan international food fest, where numerous different foods were presented,” Ms. LoScalzo said. “The offerings, to name a few, included Indian, Sushi, Greek, as well as Mediterranean food. This event allowed me to see what Gettysburg College values most and that is community.”
Ms. LoScalzo is also involved with Gettysburg’s Attic Associate Board. It oversees a student-designed nightclub on campus. “Most recently, comedian Francisco Ramos from Last Comic Standing, Shameless and the voice of a character in the movie Rio performed for the school community,” she said.
The teenager tutors with 21st century Pasos, a group that helps Spanish- speaking students with homework. Ms. LoScalzo also holds down membership in Smart Woman Securities, which has an opportunity to meet with legendary investor Warren Buffett and in Rotaract, the college equivalent of Interact, “thus I was extremely excited to get involved,” she said.
Outside of class and clubs, Ms. LoScalzo is enjoying attending Gettysburg sports events with her friends. “College spirit here is contagious,” she said. “I am excited to see how the remainder of the year will progress.”
