Florence Murabito ’15
Currently Attending: Washington University in St. Louis
Years at Shipley: 12

Activities, Positions, Awards: DECA, Student Ambassador, Sprouts; Senior Class President, Yearbook Co-Editor; Class of 1944 Bowl

A Community Like No Other
I feel extremely privileged to have had the opportunity to experience Shipley from first grade all the way through twelfth grade. Shipley has a very unique high school atmosphere; not only is our class itself very close-knit, but the School as a whole has the most amazing sense of community. The bonds that teachers form with students are incredible, and I don’t think at any other high school do students feel as close with some of their teachers as we do at Shipley.

A Place of Integrity & Compassion
Shipley is a place where the importance of integrity and ethics is stressed, which are important life skills that are not taught everywhere. Not only does Shipley emphasize rigor and challenge, but also they emphasize that compassion for our peers at school, the community, and the world is a crucial part of developing as a person.

The Importance of Discipline & Passion
Throughout my 12 years here, I have learned the importance of discipline and a strong work ethic to complete any goals I might have. I have also learned to have fun and explore my passions.

Rigor and Support
Shipley has been the perfect environment that has encouraged me to challenge myself and help me through any difficulties without being overbearing or holding my hand. Shipley guides students to take risks that are appropriate for each individual, but never discourages anyone from attempting anything they want to do. Shipley encourages us to stretch ourselves to explore new interests and passions, no matter how late in our Shipley career they appear.

For example, at the end of junior year, some of my classmates thought I should run for Senior Class President and plan Prom. I hadn’t been involved in Student Government at all throughout high school, so at first I thought this was an odd request, but I decided it was something I was interested in and I decided to run. Being Senior Class President was an amazing experience. I love my class, and the fact that I was able to give back this year by planning Prom for everyone was incredible.

Passionate Teachers
One of my favorite parts of Shipley is the fact that the majority of the teachers are incredibly passionate about what they teach, so it’s extremely hard to just pick one teacher as my most influential. In Lower School, I had Mrs. Van Horn as my fourth grade teacher and although fourth grade may seem like an inconsequential year, she was definitely one of the most influential teachers I have had. Our entire class was so close, and Mrs. Van Horn made such an amazing impression on us that we actually had a fourth grade reunion this spring.

In Upper School, I would have to say that one of my most influential teachers was Mr. Rich. Having the same teacher for Latin for all four years was an incredible experience, because he watched us as we learned and grew. I found Mr. Rich so influential because he is so passionate about the Classics and Latin. Even when I was not the best Latin student or did not find something interesting, Mr. Rich found a way to encourage me and make me interested just because he was. His passion for what he teaches was so infectious he made me want to come back to Latin every year. I want to be as passionate about whatever I do in the future as Mr. Rich is about Latin.

The Sweet Fruits of Labor
I had one of my most memorable experiences just a couple of weeks ago, when the yearbooks were delivered to school. After working on the yearbook since after spring break of junior year, Rachel and I finally had the chance to see how it came out. Flipping through the yearbook page by page with Mrs. Greenwood would have to be one of my most memorable experiences because after spending so much time together this year we could finally see the culmination of all of our hard work.

Plans for Fall 2015
In the fall of 2015 I will be attending Washington University in St. Louis. I will be in Olin Business School, most likely majoring in Finance and International Business, with a minor in ballet. In college, I am especially looking forward to studying abroad at some point.

Future Ambition
Although I do not know the exact job I would like to have when I am older, I know that I would like to major in business, most likely finance and/or international business. I am interested in the business field because it can open up so many different career paths and I want the chance to be able to pursue whatever I find it is that I love. I enjoy being a leader and working with people, so I believe the business field is the perfect place for someone with my personality type. I also am very interested in learning other languages and travel, so after college I hope to be able to possibly live and work in another country and to go to graduate school to earn an MBA. I also hope to continue with ballet throughout my life as much as I can, and maybe teach a class or two at some point.