By Brooklyn Filtzkowski
While most people view having a sibling as a curse at times, Taylor ‘23 and Zoe Lewis ‘25 see it as a blessing. Taylor, a junior here at St. Norbert, and her sister Zoe, a first year student, are both current members of the SNC Honors Program. After both attending smaller schools growing up, they each made the decision to attend school here because of the friendly and welcoming atmosphere, the small class sizes, and the beautiful environment. Of course it was a given for Zoe to apply to St. Norbert because of her sister, but Zoe fell in love with the school just as Taylor did, making the final decision reliant upon much more than just having family on campus.
Since Taylor had already gone through a few years with the Honors Program, as well as being an Honors Torch Leader, she knew the ins and outs of the program, and was a great resource for Zoe as she entered into the honors community. Along with having a built-in friend on campus, Zoe found that having a sister so close could answer all of her questions, whether they were big or small. “It is much easier to reach out to my sister than it is to talk to my torch leader, our advisors, or even other people on campus,” Zoe commented. Taylor, having more experience in the program, helped to guide Zoe in her first months here on campus. “I tried to help her not make the mistakes that I made,” Taylor said, showcasing her fantastic skills as an older sister.
Both sisters also agreed that the friendships made while living in Bergstrom will be ones that carry on throughout their time here, and they would not have met some of their greatest friends if not for the Honors Program. “Even though many of us are not living together after the first year, we are still a community,” Taylor noted. Not only did the program give them the chance for friendships, but it can also offer multiple opportunities as well. “There are so many opportunities and resources available to Honors Program members that would have never been offered or known if it weren’t for the program and advisors,” Taylor said, giving testament to how the program can benefit students throughout their entire journey at St. Norbert.
Both Taylor and Zoe had nothing but great things to say about their time in the Honors Program thus far. The tight-knit community in Bergstrom gave both sisters a great opportunity to thrive among like minded students, all of who share the same determination to succeed. “We are all here for a purpose, and each of us has the drive to do the best we can,” Zoe shared. The atmosphere of driven students and welcoming advisors drew Taylor and Zoe to the program, and it has not disappointed. The shared experiences between honors students and the strong community it builds were noted as the favorite parts of the program by Taylor and Zoe. Although they are both attending St. Norbert and are both honors members, both sisters give each other room to have a true college experience apart from each other. Zoe does occasionally swipe her sister into the cafeteria for brunch, and that has become their time to catch up and connect with each other. After interviewing these two great sisters, it’s clear why it is a great experience to have a sibling in the honors program. Having a built in friend, cheerleader, and support system going through the same experiences adds another level to the concept of sisterhood.
