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When Alivia Cunningham ’25 transferred to 91��Ƶ in 2023, she knew she wanted a place where her professors would know her name and where she could grow as both a scholar and a person. What she didn’t know yet was just how deeply the College’s tight-knit, liberal arts environment would shape her path forward.

“I wanted a small liberal arts school,” Alivia explained. “When I toured larger campuses, I just felt lost in the crowd. At Columbia, I loved that the classes were small and the professors were so accessible. I really got to know my mentors.”

That sense of connection would come to define her two years at 91��Ƶ. A transfer student from Midlands Technical College, Alivia entered the English program ready to immerse herself in critical reading, writing, and research. She quickly found her place within Sigma Tau Delta, the national English honor society, and began working closely with faculty mentors like Dr. Claire Lenviel, Assistant Professor of English, and Martin Lang, Assistant Professor of Studio Art.

“Dr. L was my mentor for my senior thesis,” Alivia shared. “They really helped me figure out what I wanted to do with my life and put into words what I was passionate about. The work I did with them completely prepared me for grad school.”

Her senior thesis, a 27-page critical analysis exploring Marxist theory and feminist discourse in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, was the culmination of months of research and reflection. Under Dr. Lenviel’s guidance, Alivia presented her work at both the National SAMLA Conference and the SEACS Conference at UNC Charlotte, experiences that solidified her confidence as a scholar.

“I used that same project to apply for graduate programs,” she said. “It got me into every R1 school I applied to.”

Now a graduate instructor at Clemson University pursuing a master’s in English literature, Alivia credits 91��Ƶ’s rigorous preparation for her success. “My cohort is still getting adjusted to the level of reading and writing in grad school,” she said. “At Columbia, we were already doing that kind of work, writing senior theses, taking critical theory courses, so I feel incredibly prepared.”

Her time at Columbia wasn’t all papers and presentations, though. Alivia also found creative outlets in Professor Lang’s film photography class and opportunities to stay connected with faculty who became lifelong mentors.

“I still talk to Dr. L and Martin Lang all the time,” she said. “Martin even told me I could come back during breaks to use the darkroom to process film. It just shows how much the faculty care about you beyond graduation.”

When asked what she would tell a prospective student considering 91��Ƶ, Alivia didn’t hesitate: “The faculty really work with you to make sure you succeed—and finish on time. They genuinely care about helping you figure out what you want to do and how to get there.”

As for what’s next, Alivia plans to continue teaching English Literature. “I love being in the classroom,” she said. “Humanities are important, and I want to help others see that.”

And though her journey now takes her through Clemson’s campus, 91��Ƶ will always be the place where her confidence as a scholar and her future as an educator took root.