A Professional Dancer, High School Senior Arianna Santos Combines Interests in Creative Arts and Academic Excellence to Move Her Education Forward as a Berkeley College Honors Student
Thursday, May 7, 2020
Vice President,
Communications and External Relations
973-200-1098
Angela-Harringt@BerkeleyCollege.edu
A Professional Dancer, High School Senior ArianNa Santos Combines Interests in Creative Arts and Academic Excellence to Move Her Education Forward as a Berkeley College honors student
Photo Caption: Graduating Memorial High School senior Arianna Santos of West New York, NJ, has been accepted to the Berkeley College Honors Program. She will major in Fashion Merchandising and Management, and would like to take a combination of online and on-site courses at Berkeley College.
Arianna Santos has been dancing since she was 4 years old and intends to continue working in the commercial dance industry as she graduates from Memorial High School in West New York, NJ. Following graduation, she will enter her freshman year in the Berkeley College Honors Program and will major in Fashion Merchandising and Management.
Although her parents did not go to college, several other relatives did and these individuals inspired her. Her older sister graduated with a Master’s degree last year.
“My first thought about choosing a major was pre-med,” Santos said. “Then when I thought about what I really enjoyed, fashion came into my mind. I enjoy dance and art, how the creative arts appeal to teens. I would like to learn about the business side of it.”
While working professionally as a dancer in the commercial industry, Santos gained experience in the world of stage and performance, and has had parts in movies, too. Her dance experience includes performances with the Kozmic Edge Dance Company, on the television series “World of Dance” Season 3, and the forthcoming movie “In the Heights,” scheduled for release by Warner Bros. Pictures in June 2021. As a member of the Performance Arts Academy in high school, she was able to participate in winter performances for more than 500 early childhood students.
Yet she wants to expand her skills. During the increased time she has spent at home due to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, Santos has taken to sewing and upcycling pieces of her own clothing, transforming the garments to cut down on waste.
Photo Caption: Graduating high school senior Arianna Santos of West New York, NJ, would like to take a combination of online and on-site courses when she begins her degree program in Fashion Merchandising and Management at Berkeley College this fall. She has been accepted in the Berkeley College Honors Program. Left, Santos as a dancer in the commercial industry and right, practicing social distancing at home.
Santos heard Berkeley College student Claudia Peralta speak at a luncheon held for high school seniors who were awarded Berkeley College scholarships before social distancing rules took effect, and was inspired. Peralta landed an internship as a Sales Marketing Associate at a luxury showroom in New York City through a contact she met during Fashion Week. Her work involves developing designers through trade shows and social media.
“I told the students to always keep on track and never give up,” Peralta said. “Always ask questions,” she added. “Ask your peers. Ask your teachers. Ask your counselors. Sometimes it can be rough. Never forget why you started on this journey.”
Santos, too, has a similar message for her fellow high school graduates. “Trust yourself and your instincts,” Santos said. “You are honestly the only person who knows what you want. Believe in yourself. Have confidence in yourself and in your choices.”
About Berkeley College
Berkeley College, founded in 1931, is a career-focused institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that offers students Master’s, Bachelor’s, and Associate’s degree and Certificate programs in more than 20 career fields. The College has campuses in Newark, Paramus, Woodbridge and Woodland Park, NJ, as well as in Midtown Manhattan and White Plains, NY, with more than 5,700 students enrolled. In addition, Berkeley College Online® serves a global population. U.S. News & World Report has named Berkeley College among the Best Colleges for Online Bachelor’s Programs and among the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans, for seven consecutive years. The website address is www.BerkeleyCollege.edu
The mission of Berkeley College is to empower students to achieve lifelong success in dynamic careers.
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