"Prior to my years at Elms, I had never read or written poetry seriously. Now I want to dedicate my life to reading, writing, and translating it."

I don't really believe that things are meant to be, simply because life would be too easy that way. I must admit, though, I do believe I was meant to come to Elms College. I'm certain I would not be the person I am today had it not been for the incredible support that I have received here at Elms. I'm not only leaving this college as a more learned person, but, more importantly, I'm graduating as a better human being who has found her calling.

The faculty and staff here have made my educational experience unforgettable by helping me discover that Spanish, literature, and the desire to do community service are at the heart of my natural abilities. The independent studies that I have taken over the past years have allowed me to pursue more concentrated forms of study, and have allowed me to hone my poetic and linguistic talents.

The values that Elms promotes, especially the emphasis on community service, has helped me pursue my passion for helping others. I have been on service trips that have forever altered my outlook on life. The people of Elms College understand the importance of helping those in need, because it is when we are helping others that the essence of life begins to unfold.

A well-rounded education is one of the greatest gifts we can receive, and therefore must be used for the greater good. This is what the Elms has taught me.

At the 2010 Honors Convocation on April 18, Meghan Donnelly won the Sister Mary Fenton Award, which honors excellence in the humanities and commitment to the values implicit in their study; the Sister Marguerite Pelletier Award, given to the most outstanding senior with concentration in French and/or Spanish, who has demonstrated skill in language and who has given generous service advancing the appreciation of language; the Dorothy Fitzgibbon Award, which is presented to an English major in recognition of outstanding writing of prose or poetry. In addition, Meghan was inducted into Delta Epsilon Sigma, a national scholastic honor society for students of colleges with Catholic traditions who have shown outstanding academic accomplishment and dedication to intellectual activity; Kappa Gamma Pi, a national Catholic college society that honors graduates who have demonstrated outstanding scholarship, service achievement, and leadership ability as undergraduates and who further pledge themselves to continue leadership and service activities in the future; and "Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities," a national honor society that has, since 1934, furthered the aims of higher education by recognizing on a national level individual excellence in academics and campus leadership.