In just a few months, NKHS students will be moving to cities around the country, trading in the ocean, beaches, suburbs, and familiarity for skyscrapers, bright lights, urban neighborhoods, and a faster paced lifestyle. From the education, internship, and job opportunities to the music venues, authentic food, unique shops, and traditional architecture blended with modern infrastructure, the benefits from attending an urban university are prevalent every day.

A plethora of Rhode Island seniors will be leaving The Ocean State and moving to Boston, New York City, Chicago, and D.C. Among these students are Marcel Desvaux, Evan Toth, Giuliana Mancini, Elise Felker, and Emma Shindell.

Emma Shindell will be attending The George Washington University in Washington D.C. to pursue a double major in political communications and criminal justice. She will also be involved in the Elizabeth Somers Women’s Leadership in International Politics program, “Which focuses on intensive courses in oral arguments, persuasive writing, and a focus on broad issues around the world,” said Shindell.

The location is crucial for Shindell’s political communications degree, which is specialized for the political aura of D.C. “Washington D.C. is a fast paced, highly politicized city,” she said.

Shindell has a keen interested in politics and looks forward to immersing herself in debates and political conversations, as GWU has a reputation for being one of the most politically charged campuses in the world.

She is most ecstatic about being in the nation’s capitol on election night and the inauguration, as well as visiting the Smithsonian museums, monuments, and running into political leaders from around the world when they visit. Her campus is only three blocks from the White House, one block from the State Department, and near the Watergate complex.

The George Washington University embodies their political and international reputation and location by respecting the history and traditions that surround it. “On the first night for freshmen, the entire freshmen class to visits George Washington’s home, Mount Vernon,” Shindell said. “At night fireworks are released. They truly want every student there to embrace the culture of the city and the school’s namesake. GWU students also graduate on the national mall.”

Marcel Desvaux will be studying pharmacy at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, which is a private university located on Longwood Ave, Boston. “I know that it’s a wonderful city and has a lot to offer, especially in the medical field,” he said. “I am also really excited that there are good music events and good sports teams.”

The city of Boston has over 100 colleges and universities, including technical schools, art schools, liberal arts schools, and major research institutions, and thousands of potential internships. “It’s going to be amazing for connections during and after college,” said senior Evan Toth, who will be attending Northeastern University to pursue a double major in chemical engineering and mathematics. “I have no idea where I’ll end up after college, but it’ll be because of the connections I made with companies and/or people at Northeastern and in Boston.” Northeastern thoroughly integrates Boston into their curriculum, and students are able to either attain an internship or job in the city during or after their Northeastern experience.

Toth was drawn to Northeastern because of their co-op program, the accessibility from home via the train, as well as their unique campus layout. “The campus is a suburban bubble inside Boston, but it’s still literally a step away from the city,” he said. He looks forward to the vibrant atmosphere and active social scene that Boston has to offer, while still remaining more personal than other cities. “It’s a city but it seems less of a city than New York of Philadelphia,” he said. “Maybe it’s the curvy streets or something.”

Having a campus will prove beneficial for when he wants to escape the city lifestyle, and will help him to discover a balance.

Elise Felker’s college experience will be revolve around the theme of balance, as she will be studying theatre arts at Molloy College in Long Island as well as training with Collaborative Art Projects 21 in New York City.

Felker was one of only 20 selected to participate in this program, and will be riding a 30 minute train everyday with the other members to and from New York City. “I like that I will be exposed to both the city and suburban college experience due to the collaborative program,” she said.

This conservatory is well known in New York for both its technique based program and impressive alumni including Anne Hathaway, Lady Gaga, Kristen Bell, and Bobby Steggert. NYC is one of, if not the best city to pursue theatre, and Felker is eager to be exposed to the opportunities that New York City has to offer.

“I’m really excited about how fast paced everything is,” said Felker. “You get where you need to go as fast as you can get there.” Despite being in such a large, fast paced, diverse city, Felker is not concerned about her safety while attending either school, as she will almost always be traveling with her 20 fellow classmates.

Giuliana Mancini will also be living in New York City next year, but at New York University with a major in musical theatre and possibly a minor in Spanish. Mancini has been visiting NYC with her mother since a young age and NYU has been her dream school ever since she toured the campus. She is ecstatic that her dreams concerning life after high school are becoming a reality.

Like Boston, New York City offers internships and job opportunities like nowhere else in the country. “I found when visiting schools and talking to professors at auditions that the location helped them work and study in their respective field,” said Mancini. “This work keeps them refreshed and more modern, and gives students an open door to possible connections when they graduate from school.”Mancini also looks forward to exploring the local treasures of New York City, especially restaurants and stores. “I can’t wait to find the best place to buy shoes or my favorite pizza place,” she said, “because it’s those little things that make a place home.”