My Alverno College story has multiple parts to it because looking back into my past, I realized Alverno College had always been an integral part of my life even before I knew it was a college option for me to pursue. I was in the second grade when I first came to Alverno College. It was for a summer Kids on Campus workshop event.

Then, during the school year that followed, I went back to Alverno College to receive some tutoring help for my math. Although I was not in college, I could still see how Alverno College had a commitment to community outreach. However, after those few years during my childhood, Alverno College faded from my mind. It was not until I was in a senior in high school searching for Milwaukee area colleges to attend that Alverno College reentered back into it.

Throughout my schooling, I have always been a focused and inquisitive student. I loved to work with diverse student groups and consider the multiple perspectives it takes to learn new information. After one of my high school teachers saw this learning style potential within me, she recommended that I should apply to Alverno for a college option. She had been an alumna there herself. She said Alverno College helped her to reach her highest learning potential as a college student. At the time, I was accepted to four other Milwaukee area colleges but I figured I should still attend an Alverno College open house just to see why my teacher was so strong and passionate about wanting me to attend Alverno College. In addition, I am also a first-generation college student. Therefore, the process of choosing a college was a very new process for my family and I. So, I took the advice of my high school teacher very seriously and I scheduled a time to attend an Alverno College open house.

When attending the open house, I immediately knew Alverno College was the right college for me. Not only did they have amazing cookies at the open house, but I could also feel a sense of belonging and being welcomed into a diverse learning community. I was drawn to how Alverno College had a diverse learning community which consisted of women who had come from various walks of life; yet all each had one goal in common — to invest in themselves and to learn to their fullest potential. The professors who I met during the open house were very knowledgeable and helpful. They were very passionate about sharing information within their program of discipline and the educational opportunities available at Alverno College.

It was also during this open house where I learned about the academic process of how Alverno College uses a criteria-feedback based grading system. This is a system which is based off Alverno College's eight abilities (Communication, Analysis, Problem Solving, Valuing in Decision-Making, Social Interaction, Developing a Global Perspective, Effective Citizenship, and Aesthetic Engagement)versus the typical letter grades and numerical GPA other colleges use. This was one of the main reasons why I choose to attend Alverno College. I have primarily gotten As and Bs as a student but I never knew the exact reasons why I got the grades I received except for the fact that I knew most of the information needed to pass the test.

Now as a senior student in my seventh semester at Alverno College, I have used several of the eight abilities. Using these eight abilities help me to know specific areas I do well on and the areas I need to improve upon in the assessments I take. This is because I have written feedback to look at from my professors, my peers and even from myself. I can then see how my educational growth is as a student. Also, the eight learning abilities are not only applied to what I am learning inside of the classroom but they have an impact on my daily life outside of the classroom.

For example, I am currently sitting at my kitchen table typing this article up on my laptop. Yet I am still using each of the eight abilities I learned at Alverno College to write out this article:

Communication: I am using the ability of communication by communicating my thoughts and ideas down into written words. Then I will share what I wrote through the communication medium of technology.

Analysis: I am using the ability of analysis because I am analyzing the relationships I have made in my education experiences. I evaluate my past educational experiences of receiving letter grades and numerical GPAs by applying the relationship to my current educational experience of receiving ability based feedback.

Problem Solving: I promote the use of the problem-solving ability because I can connect my previous learning situations to the similar ones I am having now and tp those I may encounter later in my future.

Valuing in Decision-Making: I do valuing in decision-making because I reflect upon the diverse values Alverno College women have but I also mention they have the same goal to invest in themselves and to learn to their fullest potential.

Social Interaction: I engage in social interaction because after I post this article, those who view it can write me comments. I can then interact with my viewers by giving them a response back in their posted comments.

Global Perspective: I share a global perspective since I am explaining about the positive impact of what an Alverno College education has done for myself and for others. Now viewers across the world can read my perspectives I shared in my article. They can use what they have read to learn more about an educational experience from a college student's perspective of attending Alverno College.

Effective Citizenship: I am an effective citizen due to addressing the issue of how Alverno College's unique education system informs its students. I address how Alverno College has a positive impact in the issue of education by using various abilities to engage students with current community issues in and outside of the classroom.

Aesthetic Engagement: I am using Aesthetic Engagement within this article by including a visual image of the eight abilities. I am using this visual image to connect to my article's words and the main topic about my educational experiences as an Alverno College Student.

To conclude my Alverno Story, Alverno College is a learning environment like no other. It is a learning environment that is diverse and it encourages each student to succeed beyond their initial expectations. Alverno College promotes the educational goals of its students. It does this by having the students gain valuable knowledge through diverse educational experiences which apply the eight abilities. Therefore, Alverno College does not only instill academic knowledge like most colleges do; they instead create a unique education. An education which gives students the tools of educational innovation to apply their knowledge outside of the classroom and to make a personal impact. Therefore, I am proud to have educational opportunities through Alverno College and to share my Alverno College story.