By Sue Wambolt, Contributing Writer
Victoria Aramini positively contributes to the world around her on a daily basis. (Photo/submitted)
Westborough – Victoria Aramini graduated from Westborough High School in 2010. Prior to graduation, she was a member of the National Honor Society and the Prom Committee and was heavily involved in dance classes at Charlotte Klein Dance Centers. Currently a senior at the College of the Holy Cross, Aramini has continued her co-curricular involvement.
As a freshman at Holy Cross, Aramini volunteered through the Big Brothers Big Sisters SPUD program (Student Programs for Urban Development, the largest student organization on campus). Big Brother Big Sister offers Holy Cross students the opportunity to mentor at-risk Worcester youth through the Boys and Girls club or at one of the local public schools. During her sophomore year, Aramini became the program director for the Girls Inc. Big Brothers Big Sisters SPUD site, overseeing all of the matches at the specific location. Then, beginning her junior year, and now as a senior, she has been involved with the program as an intern, overseeing all of the Big Brothers Big Sisters SPUD locations and assisting in the execution of various SPUD programs, awareness weeks and fundraisers.
During her freshman year at Holy Cross, in addition to her involvement with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Aramini became involved with the admissions office, greeting and talking to families prior to campus tours. As a sophomore and junior, she volunteered as a tour guide, sharing personal experiences and promoting the college to prospective families. This year she has been a senior interviewer as well as a campus tour guide.
In addition to her already busy schedule, Aramini has been working alongside professor Susan Crawford Sullivan, associate professor of sociology, on a research project that analyzes how congregations support families dealing with special needs and how families draw on faith in coping with special needs children. She has been able to sit down with numerous parents and engage in conversations centered around the topic.
“Being able to meet all sorts of people and hear numerous inspirational stories has been a wonderful and meaningful experience for me,” shared Aramini. “Hopefully the work of our research team will lead to some sort of increased support within congregations for families dealing with special needs children.”
Not one to linger around her dorm room and watch television in her down time, Aramini said that she truly enjoys staying busy.
“I realize that when I am the busiest I am also the most productive and I love being productive,” she said. “I love meeting new people, challenging myself in new ways, problem solving and positively contributing to the world around me and I try and do this as much as I possibly can. When I am doing what I love, the activities seem to build up without my noticing!”
Aramini said that she is motivated by her mother, Jo Anne, who is quite the “go-getter.”
“My mother is a woman who balances many roles. She’s taught me a number of things, including the idea that being interesting and having hobbies is important, which is an idea I have worked to live by. Growing up and watching her accomplish everything she has set her mind to has set the bar pretty high for me,” said Aramini. “I aspire to become half the woman she is one day, if I’m lucky.”
If past performance is any indication of future behavior, Aramini will go on to accomplish great things. Hanover Insurance in Worcester sees this potential and has offered her a job in their Future Leaders Program (FLP) – a job she has accepted.
At Hanover and beyond, Aramini plans to be immersed in her career, continually learning and positively contributing to the world around her.