Planning to visit Siena soon? Our summer tour guides are ready to show you around our peaceful, suburban campus, which is absolutely gorgeous this time of year. Do yourself a favor and make a weekend of it; there's a lot to do in the Capital Region. In the meantime, say hello to one of your potential tour guides, Ryan Kelleher '18.
A double major in political science and French with a pre-law certificate, Ryan hails from nearby Clifton Park, NY. In case you find yourself on one of his tours before he ventures off to Hershey for a week with his family in August, get to know him a little bit here.
How'd you first find out about Siena? When did you know it was the right school for you?
I first found out about Siena from my mom, who worked at Siena for ten years. She said that I should consider it while I was making my list of schools I wanted to visit when I was in high school. I knew Siena was the right school for me when I came for a campus visit, where I was able to sit in on a political science class, meet with a poli sci professor and also meet with the former dean of the School of Liberal Arts. After that visit, I knew that I had to come to Siena.
What do you like about giving tours in the summer?
What I enjoy most about giving tours during the summer is being able to really connect with the families that are touring. Since there aren't too many students on campus during the summer, our roles as tour guides are even more important when it comes to building strong bonds between us and the families. I also love working with the admissions counselors on the different admissions programs we have throughout the summer. Finally, the tour guides this year are awesome, and it's great to make new friends and meet new people!
And what do you like most about the Capital Region in the summer?
For me, the Capital Region really comes alive during the summer. There are so many different options for people to choose from around here. Albany has many streets festivals, free shows in Washington Park and a great vibe overall. There is SPAC (Saratoga Performing Arts Center), Saratoga Springs, the Saratoga Race Track, Lake George, hiking and camping in the Adirondacks, the list goes on! You can never be bored during the summer months here in the Capital Region.
Got a favorite Siena memory so far, or perhaps a "proudest" moment for something you've accomplished?
My favorite Siena memory and proudest moment for something that I have accomplished is attending the Student Conference on United States Affairs at the United States Military Academy at West Point. It was a four-day conference focused on talking about different kinds of international relations problems that affect our nation's foreign and domestic policies. The conference was also built to bring together students and cadets alike to work together in coming up with solutions based on the round tables that we were assigned. I was assigned to the climate change table. During the conference, I was able to hear from speakers such as Madeline Albright. It was an honor to represent Siena College and our political science department on this level.
Finish this sentence: You know you’re at Siena when...?
...someone is willing to hold the door open for you, even if you are at an awkwardly long distance away from the person holding the door open!
Do you have any advice for prospective students considering Siena College, among others?
The biggest piece of advice that I would give to a student considering Siena College over other schools is to come on a tour if they have not done so already. The tour guides are very well trained here to talk about all the major aspects of campus life, whether it be the different academic programs we offer, sports and student life. I also highly recommend trying to sit in on a class, and visit with a professor here. Returning back to my reason for picking Siena, the political science professor that I met with is now my advisor, and I have had the former dean of liberal arts for two French classes. For me, making these connections as a prospective student really opened my eyes to the community that Siena is founded upon, and why I knew Siena was the best choice for me.
