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Meet Owen Verzella '18

Owen Verzella '18
Currently Attending: 
St. Joseph's University
Years at Shipley: 4
Activities & Positions Held: All School President, Student Government, Executive Council, Baseball (Captain for 2 years), Basketball, Debate Team, Math Club, Investment Club

How Shipley Shaped Me
Shipley has prepared me for college and beyond by giving me all the resources I needed to become a better writer, public speaker, and communicator; which are all essential skills to become successful. Because of the encouraging community, I felt little to no pressure when I took the risk to run for All School President, and luckily, it paid off because I was able to create many new relationships while giving back to Shipley, who has done an extraordinary amount of wonderful things for me over the years. An “Aha Moment” for me would probably be when I won the presidency and realizing that I can accomplish almost anything that I set my mind to.

Who was your most influential teacher and why?
My most influential teacher is Mr. Farr. Although I was in his Algebra I class almost four years ago, I still remember it vividly. I ran into some struggles, and he recommended that I come in a few days before school to get some extra help. He showed me that repetition and persistence can sometimes be more important than actually knowing the material, and I firmly believe that Mr. Farr is the reason why I am the hardworking student I am today.

Most Memorable Experience
My most memorable experience was when we won our first Friends Schools League championship for baseball in 2015. Before I arrived to Shipley, the team was known as being the laughing stock of the league, but we put in a lot of hard work in the fall and winter to be successful in the spring. Which makes this memory even sweeter is that we won the championship four years in a row now, and we still have the same hardworking mentality as we did back in 2015.

Plans for Fall 2018
I will be attending Saint Joseph’s University.

What does “Courage for the Deed; Grace for the Doing” mean to you?
To me, “Courage for the Deed” means to step out of your comfort zone and challenging yourself in ways that will help other people and help you grow as an individual. “Grace for the Doing” is conducting yourself with kindness and living your life in a way that reflects a grateful presence and kindness.

Complete this sentence: Shipley has prepared me...
to become a confident leader and a better person.
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The Shipley School is a private, coeducational day school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students, located in Bryn Mawr, PA. Through our commitment to educational excellence, we develop within each student a love of learning and a desire for compassionate participation in the world.