Bellevue College means the beginning of a great career and college journey for many students. As stated in its mission, BC is “committed to teaching excellence, that advances the life-long educational development of its students.”
Quinn Ewanchyna started his career at Bellevue College in the Summer of 2021, majoring in Business. He is currently studying Government (Honors) with a secondary in Economics at Harvard.
During his time at BC, Ewanchyna not only succeeded academically, but also actively participated in different clubs and helped lead them. “Bellevue College provided ample opportunities for me to become involved within the college community,” Ewanchyna shared with The Watchdog. “To me, the teaching faculty at Bellevue College cultivates not only well-rounded students but the future leaders of tomorrow.”
Although most of his classes at BC were online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ewanchyna emphasized that “the BC staff and faculty did a phenomenal job of making the courses as engaging as possible, despite being virtual.” “Learning was not simply ‘memorizing facts to pass a test,’ but instead consisted of fully immersing ourselves within a particular field of study in order to understand why the world operates the way it does,” he said.
When sharing his experience about the transfer process from Bellevue College to Harvard, he described it as “gratifying chaos.” “I would spend hours revising and editing my essays, often changing only one or two words at a time. After many sleepless nights, I was eventually able to recite them from memory. Despite these stressors, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat,” he shared. “Bellevue College handled the administrative tasks in the most professional and expedited manner possible, as nearly all of my credits transferred over from Bellevue College to Harvard,” he continued.
The Watchdog asked Ewanchyna for general tips and advice to those BC students who are looking into transferring to their dream university. Here’s what he said:
“My first tip is to cultivate your story early on. Set aside time every day to disconnect from the outside world, and reflect on who you are, and the story you want to tell. Discover the change you wish to see in the world, and ponder how you can create that change through the opportunities offered at your dream school.”
“Secondly, do not downplay the importance of your essays. A mentor once told me, ‘Your application essays should be the best work you have ever written in your entire life,’ and I wholeheartedly agree. You won’t be able to craft the essay of your dreams the night before the due date. Take time to prepare, and take time to perfect your work.”
During the interview with The Watchdog, Ewanchyna took a moment to thank Dr. Stephanie Brommer and Professor Theresa Ford of Bellevue College, who, in his words, “were instrumental in my successes, and whom I consider to be heroes of mine. Still, to this day, I carry the knowledge and erudition I gained from their courses with me as I walk through the halls of Harvard.”
Ewanchyna is currently enjoying his college life in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and plans to work in investment banking, then later participate in a government policy-making position. His ultimate goal in life, however, is to become the Secretary of the Treasury.
He concluded the interview by encouraging Bellevue College students to continue dreaming and believing in themselves. “Remember that the world in which we live was crafted by individuals who were no different than you. The technology we use, the cars we drive, the textbooks we read were created by humans just like you. You hold the same power to impact the world, and I urge every student at BC to never underestimate their potential.”
