The Model Student
The Pforzheimer Honors College was a big reason why Noelle Howard 鶹ý19 was initially drawn to Pace. It was a unique environment that acted as 鶹ýa home away from home,鶹ý she said, which makes sense. She grew up quite a distance from the NYC Campus鶹ýall the way up in Northern New York at the border of Canada along the St. Lawrence River.
Howard鶹ýs had her eye on moving to the Big Apple for a while, though, and the Honors College provided just what she was looking for. 鶹ýTheir individualized advising provides such a great support system,鶹ý Howard said. 鶹ýYou鶹ýre paired with someone who knows you and the things you are interested in and will recommend programs based on those interests.鶹ý
Originally, she chose to major in finance鶹ýand people made a ton of incorrect assumptions when they heard. 鶹ýI would always get asked if I wanted to work in investment banking. My response was: definitely not!鶹ý It took signing up for Mathematical Economics (taught by Lecturer Sam Baruch) to get Howard thinking about what major she might like to switch to. 鶹ýI really enjoyed getting a more well-rounded understanding of how the economy works. I have been able to use this in my finance courses to deepen my understanding of the topics we are taught.鶹ý
Beyond the classroom, Howard has been an active member of the Tau Sigma National Honor Society, Kappa Delta, and Beta Alpha Psi, whose completion team won second place in the nation last year. 鶹ýThose experiences made me realize how much I enjoyed learning outside of the classroom, so I began looking at what other opportunities Pace offered. That鶹ýs when I found the Model United Nations.鶹ý
There, she nabbed an Outstanding Position Paper award for her research at the 2017 Conference. 鶹ýThe experience changed me in multiple ways,鶹ý she told us. 鶹ýI learned a lot about different countries, I honed my writing and presentation skills, and I learned a lot about the different functions of the UN.鶹ý In particular, Howard said that meeting fellow students from other universities helped make the conference enjoyable.
Her desire to make the world a better place doesn鶹ýt stop there. She also interned for an immigration law firm last year, which was a job that left a huge impact on her. 鶹ýWhen families would come into the office and they [were] told their paperwork for citizenship was accepted, their reactions were truly amazing. I felt very fortunate to be able to witness it.鶹ý
It鶹ýs that empathy and desire for human connection that has woven its way throughout Howard鶹ýs life, beginning, perhaps, with her competitive ballet dancing. (Yes, really.) 鶹ýI鶹ýve greatly missed ballet while I鶹ýve been at school,鶹ý she told us. 鶹ýIt had a very large impact on my life. I loved dance because it was an escape; during rehearsals, you would be so focused on what you were doing that you couldn鶹ýt possibly think of anything else [in that] moment.鶹ý
She went on to explain that ballet became a way for her to relieve stress, and that moving an audience through dance was why she continued coming back to it again and again. 鶹ýThe impact performances [can] have is truly amazing. Some people are brought to tears because of the story [being] conveyed. That鶹ýs what inspires me most about dance.鶹ý