Star students get taste of Columbia University

After submitting two letters of recommendation, transcripts and a 500-word essay, Cardinal Mooney High School juniors Lauren Ditaranto and Megan Runge were accepted into a three-week rigorous writing program at Columbia University in New York City.

“The professors were so nice and helpful,” Runge said. “They really changed the way I look at my writing. This was truly one of the greatest experiences of my life that I will never forget.”

During their stay, the students vistied tourist spots and museums, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim Museum.

“I learned about writing and dissecting works of literature, especially poems,” Ditaranto said. “This was definitely the best summer I have had. I got a taste of college life and matured through this experience. It has motivated me to continue my studies and do well in my last two years of high school.”