Muhlenberg athletes are spending the summer of 2026 enjoying fantastic experiences on campus, in their hometowns, across the country, and even around the world.

Summer Check-In returns to New England for the second day in a row to catch up with junior Sophia Sciarrino of the cross country and track and field teams. The media and communication major stepped out of her comfort zone to work with high school students from all over the world in a pre-college program at Brown University.

Checking in from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island!

This summer I've had the privilege of working for the Brown University Pre-College Program. As a resident assistant on the Student Life Team, I was assigned to the Leadership Institute, where my main role is facilitating a vibrant living and learning environment for high school students from all over the globe. These students were here to learn how to cultivate social change and make a real difference in their communities, and being a part of their journey has been incredibly rewarding.

To support them, I've been hosting professional development workshops focused on essential skills like public speaking, writing, and visualizing their long-term goals. I've also been working directly with students in the classroom, facilitating leadership initiative activities. These sessions are designed to help students discover exactly how their personal leadership style shows up, how it interacts with others, and how they can leverage it to make a lasting impact. 

I chose this role because I wanted to push myself completely out of my comfort zone and explore a brand new city. Funny enough, I had never even stepped foot in Rhode Island before committing to move here and live on Brown's campus for six weeks. What I enjoy most is the overall energy of the city, and the timing of the World Cup has only added to this vibrance. With an amazing outpouring of international fans right here in Providence, there are always new watch parties to attend, diverse restaurants to try, and new people to meet. It's been exciting sharing the joy of soccer with people from all over the world! 

I would like to thank my sisters of Alpha Chi Omega, who informed me about this opportunity and encouraged me to apply, as well as Dr. Michael London. His Organizational Leadership and Peer Education class gave me the exact facilitation skills needed to guide, connect with, and understand these students. Also, my innovation and entrepreneurship courses with Dr. Kecia Sturdivant have taught me how to think on my feet, design creative programming, and approach community building with an innovative mindset.

This experience has also served as a major stepping stone in my career. I've made an abundance of meaningful connections with faculty and staff at Brown, and it's become a second home.

While having connections at one of the oldest Ivy League institutions will definitely come in handy, what will help me most is what I've learned about myself here. I've learned I can go somewhere completely unknown, alone, and succeed. I've learned how to be the only American in a room and still find ways to connect and build community. Most importantly, I've gained a tremendous amount of hope for future generations, because the students I've worked with will be the change makers of tomorrow.

These lessons will continue to anchor me through my time at Muhlenberg, my upcoming study abroad journey, and well into my professional life. This has been a truly fulfilling experience, and I can't wait to bring this energy back with me to Muhlenberg in the fall!