A Wide World of Opportunity

Alden Mohacsi

Alden Mohacsi ’19

When Alden Mohacsi ’19 was a high school senior, he discovered a YouTube video that inspired him to check out Dickinson. Now he’s a Dickinson tour guide who also mentors first-year students, helping them adjust to campus just as a student-mentor once helped him. He also sings in the college choir and in an a cappella group, serves as student ambassador for The Trout Gallery and is a member of Tritons. And during fall of his junior year, he studied abroad in Italy, where he saw the Pope, played guitar in Piazza Maggiore, learned about the Italian migrant crisis and learned to make fresh pasta with his professor. This summer, he’s interning at the Art Institute of Chicago, an opportunity that draws on his history major and art-history minor.

Hometown:

Port Jefferson, New York

Major

History, with an art history minor.

Clubs and organizations:  

Liberty Caps Society (tour guide), first-year mentor, Tritons (admissions volunteer), Dickinson College Choir, Trout Gallery (student ambassador) and Crescendevils a cappella group.

Honors/scholarships/awards:

Dean’s List and Dean’s Scholarship.

Favorite book:

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown. I love the setting of the novel and how Dan Brown weaves history, mysticism, art and adventure into one thrilling story.

Why I decided to attend Dickinson:    

As a senior in high school, I saw a history video created by a Dickinson student while I was browsing on YouTube. I was so impressed by the attention to detail in the research that they conducted that I showed my family, and we came for an open house. Everyone was so welcoming, and it was really clear that Dickinson offered a unique college experience because of the level of attention and care that everyone showed. At that point I knew I wanted to come to Dickinson.

Favorite place on campus:

Denny Hall. I actually had the opportunity to ring the old Denny bell during a special veteran Liberty Caps tour. It was a really memorable experience. It made me think of just how old our campus is, and how many countless students have heard that bell ring over 100 years.

Describe Dickinson in one sentence:

Dickinson is a close-knit, international community that cares about global education and encourages students to explore new opportunities and experiences.

On studying abroad:

In the fall of 2017 I studied abroad in Bologna, Italy, at Dickinson’s K. Robert Nilsson Center. Honestly, there were so many highlights that it’s really hard to pick just one. We had the chance to make homemade pasta with [Associate] Professor [of Italian Tullio] Pagano, see the Pope come to town and learn about the migrant crisis in Italy firsthand. I was able to play guitar in Piazza Maggiore and travel to the beautiful Cinque Terre and Lago di Garda. I even had the chance to tutor a young Italian boy in English. Having studied Renaissance art at Dickinson, it was truly amazing to be able to experience the works of the Italian masters up close.

Little-known hobby/talent:

I’ve been writing and composing original music since I was 13. It’s a wonderful way to collaborate with people and be creative. 

About my internship:

I had a wonderful summer Internship at the Port Jefferson Historical Society and Mather Museum with a Dickinson alumna in my hometown who found out I was a history major during an open house. They asked if I would be interested in being a summer docent and whether I was interested in learning about curation. That experience really opened my eyes to a career in museum education. I am really excited about this summer, when I will be interning in museum education at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Most important thing I’ve learned so far:  

Aim high, even if you think something appears to be too difficult! With the support and encouragement from the Dickinson community and my family, I have learned to push beyond my boundaries, try new things and explore options I never would have thought possible.

On mentoring first-year students:

One of the things that I really appreciate about Dickinson is the opportunity to participate in the First-Year Mentor program. Coming to college as a first-year student, Pre-Orientation was a great way to get connected with other students on campus right away. Having mentors to turn to meant a lot in terms of getting acclimated during those first few months. Having gone through the program, it was amazing to be able to extend what my mentors provided to me when I became a first-year mentor the following year.

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Published July 11, 2018