Catching up with this lifelong learner on her continued quest for knowledge.
“My love for academics will always be an important part of my life.”
In our last update about 2012 Henry Viscardi School (HVS) alumnus Dayna Stropkay, she was just beginning a new chapter of her education journey at St. John’s University after receiving an associate degree at Queensborough Community College. We recently caught up with Dayna about some her latest accomplishments and what a long way she has come since enrolling at HVS in her junior year of high school.
Dayna graduated from St. John’s this past spring with a 3.9 GPA and will continue on at the university this fall, pursuing her master’s degree in Liberal Arts with a concentration in Humanities, Cultural Studies, and Social Science. She embraces the opportunity to keep her options open as she expands her studies in the years ahead.
“The greatest accomplishment for me is being able to surround myself with amazing, caring professors and constantly grow,” Dayna says. “Going forward on the next stage of my education, I’m still excited about learning and taking new courses. My love for academics will always be an important part of my life.”
Dayna’s experience at HVS unleashed a potential she couldn’t completely tap into while enrolled in public schools. She excelled academically in a fully accessible learning environment and participated in social activities, like competing on the wheelchair basketball team and assisting in the hearing specialist’s office during free periods.
HVS also prepared Dayna to be independent and advocate for her needs in different settings. She will draw on these skills with confidence during her quest for knowledge as a graduate student.
“I know it will be challenging because I’m nonverbal, but nothing has ever stopped me before from trying to reach my dreams.”