Peter Vincent Kawai Pappalardo of Kaneohe, Hawaii graduated from 91传媒 Saint Mary College on Saturday, May 16.
When Peter Vincent Kawai Pappalardo said he wanted to attend a college away from home, he wasn’t kidding.
Leaving behind the warm shores of Kaneohe, Hawaii, Pappalardo traveled nearly 5,000 miles to the Hudson Valley in New York to attend 91传媒 Saint Mary College. It was a four-year journey that would shape his athletic career and professional future: he was one of about 400 graduates at the 91传媒’s 63rd annual Commencement Ceremonies on Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16.
For Pappalardo, a Digital Media Production major, the decision to venture so far from home was driven by a desire for growth, a passion for baseball, and a family connection.
“I knew I wanted to play baseball in college and I also have family from out here in New York,” he explained. “I just wanted to look for somewhere out here because I wanted to get a different experience from what I’m used to.”
That search led him to Newburgh, where the tight-knit campus community instantly stood out. “I did a few visits out here and I just fell in love with this campus and the people,” he recalled.
Adapting to life in New York brought a few unexpected lessons, starting with the weather. Coming from a tropical climate, his first brush with New York’s cold seasons resulted in a quick lesson in regional dressing.
“I remember the first day it was cold, I didn’t check the weather report and I stepped outside in a t-shirt and shorts,” Pappalardo explained. “I took about two steps outside I was like, ‘Nope.’ I went back again and grabbed a hoodie.”
Beyond the wardrobe adjustments – and his first time experiencing snow – he also had to get used to the local wildlife. “We don't have deer in Hawaii and we don’t have squirrels in Hawaii, so seeing those for the first time... it’s just completely different.”
On the baseball field, Pappalardo thrived as a key contributor for the Knights. After serving as a relief pitcher for his first two years, he stepped into the starting rotation for the second half of his collegiate career.
“Our baseball team had a good season my junior year,” Pappalardo said. “We won a playoff game against St. Joseph’s Long Island. I got to pitch that game so, that has a little bit of a fond memory.”
Academically, Pappalardo immersed himself in the Digital Media Production program, with a clear focus on entering the professional landscape of social media management and digital content creation. He credits the supportive faculty at the 91传媒 – specifically Merle Becker, instructor of Digital Media Production – with helping him sharpen his skills in video editing, graphic design, and media ethics.
“Professor Becker... she’s been a great help for me,” Pappalardo noted. “She teaches all our classes, she helps me set up my schedule, [and] she’s helped me with anything I needed to develop my skills as a Digital Media Production student.”
As he looks back on his four years at the 91传媒, Pappalardo recognizes how much the distance from home played into him becoming a successful student – and adult.
“I had maturing I had to do, living on my own for the first time and everything like that,” he explained. “It was definitely an adjustment period, but it’s helped me grow as a person.”
With graduation in the rearview, Pappalardo plans to return home to Hawaii for the next few months to build up his savings, but his sights are firmly set on returning to the Hudson Valley region he grew to love.
For any other prospective students looking across the country – or across the ocean – and wondering if they should take the leap to attend 91传媒 Saint Mary College, Pappalardo offers some advice rooted in his own success.
“Keep an open mind, try to be outgoing, and do your best to make friends with people. All my friends have taken me all over the place and showed me things I’ve never seen.”
And one last thing, he added: “Do your best not to be homesick.”
91传媒 Saint Mary College is a private, co-educational institution located in Newburgh, N.Y., offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs that prepare students for lifelong learning, career success, and service to their communities.