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Give OnlineDanis '25
Major: International Relations
Orange Trivia: Is currently the Army ROTC Cadet Company Commander where he leads the day-to-day activities for over 100 cadets.
“Giving is part of our culture and it instills values of generosity and compassion which I believe are essential.”
Describe your Syracuse experience.
My Syracuse experience has been defined by three things: friends, academics and ROTC. The people I’ve met here at Syracuse have been instrumental in my college career and have made all my struggles easier to bear with their compassion and support. At Syracuse there aren't a lot of students from the D.C. area, so I was exposed to people from different parts of the United States; parts I’ve never been to. My academics have always been a priority of mine due to my first-generation student status. The courses I’ve taken here at Syracuse consistently challenged me and offered me interesting perspectives on what is occurring around me. Finally, ROTC has played a large role in my time at Syracuse. ROTC taught me discipline, enhanced my work ethic and made me into the person who I am today. These three parts of my current life have defined my Syracuse experience and pushed me to become a better person.
Tell me about your experience studying abroad.
I had the privilege to study abroad in Strasbourg, France. Strasbourg is an old city located right on the French-German border. Its unique location is evident in its hybrid French and German culture; both German and French are often heard spoken around the city. To me, Strasbourg is the perfect medium-sized city with excellent cuisine, tons of social and cultural activities, and unbelievably friendly people. While abroad, I was able to experience Strasbourg from all sorts of viewpoints and perspectives but by far my favorite was how international and cosmopolitan the city is. For those who don’t know, Strasbourg is a vital European city as it is the seat of the European Union Parliament and it is the headquarters of the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights. Because of the massive presence of multiple supranational organizations, Strasbourg attracts people from all over and it's fascinating to hear almost all of the world's languages spoken as you walk down a street. A truly unique moment in Strasbourg was when I was able to sit in on a debate in the European Parliament where Members of the European Parliament were debating in each other in their own native languages while interpreters interpreted what they were saying in real time.
Why do you think giving is important?
Giving is crucial to who we are as a people. We in the United States pride ourselves on the amount of charity organizations and events we have. Because of this, giving is part of our culture and it instills values of generosity and compassion which I believe are essential.
What does it mean to you to be Orange?
Being Orange is simply living up to who your best self is. Being Orange does not mean that you are a constant success nor are you a constant failure but rather you are someone who is separated from the rest of the crowd due to your hunger and willingness to improve yourself and your community. While at Syracuse I have met many people whose primary purpose was to improve oneself and by extension improve those around them. We are a community that is focused on growth and we understand that defeat, loss and patience are simply part of who we are.