by Jeanice Brad, photographed by Erica Jackson
Even as a pilot whose travels have taken her many places, Torah never imagined that the school of General Studies would be one of the many important destinations in her life. Though she worked for a corporate aviation company, an evaluation of her life and goals made her decide that she only wanted to fly as a hobby. She realized that she didn't want the hectic schedule of a pilot, but she still didn't know exactly what she wanted to do with her life. Taking time out for herself, Torah traveled to different countries, steeping herself in the rich aspects of different cultures and meeting people from all over the globe. After her travels she decided to continue her education, focusing on industrial design.
Though she applied to other Ivy League schools, the Wisconsin, Michigan native always wanted to live in New York City. And though Columbia didn't offer an industrial design program, she couldn't pass up the chance to attend once she was accepted. "Being raised as Amish, you were only allowed to advance to the eighth grade. You were taught only how to read and do basic arithmetic. Education was frowned upon, so for me an Ivy League education was an amazing impossibility. I've always been grateful."
When she entered Columbia in Spring of 2003, Torah contemplated the possibilities of many different academic majors and disciplines but finally narrowed in on Philosophy with a concentration in Buddhist and Tibetan studies. The junior is a mentor in the GS student mentoring program.
When Torah first arrived here, her main challenges were funding her education and acclimating to Columbia's distinct "academic mentality." The requirements and standards for papers and projects were much more strict than she was used to, but over time she's managed to adjust. Other than these challenges, she's felt that her experience here has been extremely positive. "GS is a really great program. There is never a day that goes by that I'm not thankful to be here. I still can't believe I'm here, despite my challenges. There is so much support for non-traditional students."
Torah would like to see the school's housing program improved. Having lived in I-House (International House) upon first coming here, she was overwhelmed and delighted by the warmth of the community atmosphere there though many of its residents were not part of the Columbia community itself. In fact, wanting to be more integrated into Columbia culture is why she opted to be housed through University Apartment Housing. When she moved into housing, she was surprised that there was essentially, "no GS community." She explains that the experience there felt "very cold. I'm not really complaining since its nice to have privacy and not be bothered, but it's not very fun. We need GS [student exclusive] housing. There are so many resources among us GS students that go to waste because we can never connect with each other."
One of Torah's most memorable moments at Columbia happened when she attended a First Friday Forum. During the event she tried to introduce herself to GS Dean Peter Awn, but, "He already knew who I was!" She was in awe that she was in a school where the Dean knew her name and where she was from. "These people care about you and who you are. They are so supportive."
Having served on the Junior class committee this year, Torah is running for head of Alumni Events. She believes that the connection with the Alumni of the school is important for students, especially those who want to use networking connections to jumpstart their careers. "Network, network, network!" she advises.
After graduating, Torah plans to use her degree to translate Tibetan literature into English, particularly Tibetan children's stories. A dream that hits even closer to home is one where she can somehow help young Amish adults make a transition into "the real world." She hopes to somehow get involved with or start a program to help young Amish adults (and others who don't have the immediate resources) gain access to education. "I'm big on education and learning for learning's sake."
Torah's advice to incoming GS students is, "Make the most out of it. Don't worry about grades too much, don't let that overshadow the learning experience. Enjoy the ride."
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