This story appeared in the 2025 Spring/Summer issue of Onyx Anneau.
By Marc Valderamma, sophomore psychology and kinesiology double major.
I first heard about The Woods when Coach Ron Kiernicki, head men’s and women’s soccer coach at SMWC, approached me and introduced me to the College. As an international student, many factors went into my decision of where I was attending college. Thankfully, the SMWC website provided a lot of insight and pictures of the beautiful campus and the community, so I knew what I was getting myself into when attending Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. It automatically drew me in and ticked all the boxes for me. As an international student, it was quite daunting at first being so far from home and transitioning from a massive city like London to a small community that we have here at The Woods. However, the moment I stepped foot on campus, I was welcomed with open arms, and thanks to this, the transition could not have been smoother. From my teammates on the soccer team to the wonderful faculty, I felt at home very quickly. The faculty, especially in the kinesiology program, have helped me so much with my education and organization, especially as the education system is hugely different from where I am from.
So far, life in The Woods has been fantastic. As a sophomore, I have been here for almost 2 years now, and it feels like I have truly found home despite being far from home. I have thoroughly enjoyed life as a student-athlete, from traveling to different states on away days to expanding my knowledge in my majors and pursuing the education I desire. Double majoring in psychology and kinesiology seemed like a super daunting experience, but thanks to the support from my academic advisor and mentor, along with the brilliant faculty and staff, it has been super interesting so far, and I can’t wait to continue in these two fields. The classes within these majors have been perfect so far in putting me on the right path to pursue the career path I want to take in the future. The Woods has brought me many memorable moments as a student-athlete. A lot has come from moments in soccer. The most important for me so far has to be finishing at the top of the assist leader board in our conference. Another memory outside of sports was sharing my culture on International Education Week, which was a very enjoyable day that not only felt good sharing information about my home but also made me feel like I was contributing to the school and made me feel like a part of the wonderful community
Attending SMWC was the best decision of my life it has been everything I hoped for and more, from the athletics to the education to the warmth and closeness of this College’s community. I will always recommend The Woods to any new student as a current student and even after I graduate.
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