Class of 2022 Student Spotlight: Dennis Liu

Name: Dennis Liu

Hometown: Yarmouth, Mass.

Major: Political Science major, double minor in Asian Studies and Rhetoric and Composition

Campus Activities: Goodtime Marching Band; Jazz Ensemble; College Orchestra; Residence Life and Housing; Writer's Workshop; O'Callahan Science Library

Please share a turning point or significant memory from your time at Holy Cross.

I remember Fall 2018, walking to and leaving the Bursar's Office, which is past the Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery, to talk about tuition or whatever. I was 18-years-old, and I was so alone and angry and anxious about whatever financial situation I was dealing with. Then, just last week, at 22 and a senior very close to graduating, I was cutting through Fenwick for something related to finals, and on a whim I decided to take a moment to look at all the art my peers made in the Cantor Art Gallery. It felt surreal to physically be in almost the exact same area, 3-4 years later, after all the ups-and-downs of college, so at peace and happy and about to accomplish something as huge as finishing and graduating college.

Name two or three items/lessons from Holy Cross that you’ll take with you after leaving Mount St. James.

All of the most important lessons I learned from Holy Cross were from senior year. Prof. Thomas from the Political Science Department taught me that "you only need one win" in life. That really helped me deal with the stress of job and graduate school applications. The next important lesson I learned is that you never know when the last time you'll see someone will be, be it friends, co-workers, or acquaintances, so just always be kind and in the moment, especially for the people you care about. And lastly, I have learned there is a difference between being kind and being nice. Both take a conscious effort, and I actively try to practice both as much as I can.

What’s next?

I will be working as a legal assistant at a business immigration law firm this summer. I will be working on graduate school applications and do some light reading, both for fun and to continue researching topics I worked on in school. Oh, and spending time with family, of course.