LET ME EXPLAIN.

When I was just eleven months old, my parents, Michael and Stacey Bevilacqua, adopted me from Yekaterinburg, Russia. I traveled across the world to State College, Pennsylvania, to the place I call my forever home. At home I have 3 siblings, a sister named Ava and two brothers named Isaac and Alexander. We are a tight knit Christian family and I am forever grateful for all their love and support. 

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For the past twelve years, my family and I have used our faith to move mountains in Aguacate, Guatemala. Our mission trip, Hogar’s Helping Hands, is led by my parents and our family friends Carrie and Scott Odden. We serve at a children's home called Hogar Miguel Magone. My family sponsors 7 children and we love developing relationships with them and seeing them grow every year. I take this opportunity to use my creativity and knowledge of photography and videography to capture the special moments we spend with the children. Every night our group gathers together for prayer and worship, and I put together music videos of my favorite pictures taken each day. I present all of the photos and videos to the group as well as showcase them on our social media accounts such as Instagram and Facebook to spread the word about our mission and reach people across the country. Serving in Guatemala is easily my favorite time of the year, and these experiences have shaped me into who I am today. 

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I graduated with honors as a member of the “wolf pack” at Saint Joseph’s Catholic Academy, in Boalsburg, PA. In the small environment, I was given the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of activities making 9 o’clock dinners were a normal thing. I played on the junior varsity and varsity volleyball and basketball teams and also participated in the track and field. I was a part of the “howl-leluia” a cappella choir, in which I was the business manager for my senior year and had a solo with the song “I Want You Back” by Jackson 5. I preformed in our school musicals “Fame Jr.”(cast), “Into the Woods”(Lucinda), “The Sound of Music”(Marta Von Trapp), and lastly “Oliver” (Oliver). I used my creativity to turn myself into each character, and I have been able to implement the skills I learned on stage into my every day life. Lastly, I was a part of the prom committee during my junior and senior years. I was elected the president my senior year, and used my creativity and organizational skills to come up with themes and homemade decorations for the event. I am extremely proud my accomplishments throughout high school, and these experiences helped guide me to pursue a creative degree. 

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The pressure of deciding what to do with my future was a difficult task for me. The legacy that my parents created, going to the Pennsylvania State University was definitely an option, but I knew it would be the comfortable choice and not challenge me to grow. It is expected for an 18 year old to make those decisions, and sometimes it’s not the right one. Ultimately I do not regret mine. With adventure in mind, I applied to West Virginia University on a whim. Upon acceptance, the first moment I stepped foot on West Virginia University’s campus, I knew this was the place I was going to call home for the next 4 years, and begin my life journey.

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ALAS, WE ARE HERE, TODAY.

 

I am a recent graduate from West Virginia University  with a BSJ in strategic communications, with an emphasis in Advertising and a minor in English. I believe the things I have learned, and continue to learn at West Virginia University will help me achieve my dreams and aspirations.