Students and their families interact with college representatives.
Donahue Academy hosts an annual College Fair in the Fall. Students and their families have the opportunity to meet representatives from several colleges, and the list is impressive! Ave Maria University (AMU), Catholic University of America, Christendom College, Saint Leo University, St. Thomas University (Miami Gardens), and Wyoming Catholic College were among the Catholic universities present. Hillsdale College, Rollins College, Nova Southeastern University, Southeastern University, University of Miami and state schools such as Florida Gulf Coast University and Florida International University also had tables at the Fair. Even the United States Army participated! Another highlight of the event is the chance to interact with the Collier Community Foundation, which presents information on numerous local scholarship opportunities.
The Fair, which this year took place on September 17 in the school’s library, is open to students and families for a two-hour period in the afternoon. Everyone is encouraged to attend. Students also are invited to participate in a raffle to win gift cards to Dunkin’ Donuts and Cold Stone Creamery, both of which now have locations in town.
Dr. Dianne Fabii, School Counselor, organized the Fair with the intent to expose students to a variety of post-secondary options and to provide experience in exploring schools from around the country. She shared the following helpful guidelines with students in advance of the event: “Remember that you never get a second chance to make a first impression, and that you are representing yourself as well as our school,” she offered. She also equipped students with powerful tips. Some are simple, such as “being polite and respectful, smiling, making eye contact, and thanking the representative for their time.” Others are more nuanced and require greater self-awareness and self-control, such as avoiding “crowding around tables and standing a reasonable distance from the person presently talking to a representative.” Dr. Fabii also had suggestions for good questions to ask at the Fair: “What makes your college unique? What is the average number of students in a class? What are the top majors at your college? What is the local area like?”
Mrs. Elizabeth Mariano, who attended the Fair with her husband Vince and their son Raffaele, a senior, said their family was “very pleased with the quality of the colleges represented,” and the opportunity “to speak directly to college representatives to address questions not covered on their websites.” She also remarked: “It’s great that Donahue encourages its students to visit the College Fair starting from Grade 9. It really gets them to think of their future educational goals after Donahue.”
