A journalism class at The Academy of the Holy Cross in Kensington, Maryland, helped spark Hannah Chen’s interest in being a writer.
Chen, a member of the class of 2025 at Holy Cross, plans to major in journalism at the University of Maryland in College Park this fall.
“Journalism really appeals to me. I love connecting with people. I like hearing their stories. I like experiencing different cultures,” she said.
In her journalism class at Holy Cross, Chen wrote about the people she encountered during a school trip to Italy. “I realized I loved telling their stories,” she said.
The Holy Cross senior, who turns 18 on June 1, is the daughter of Shannon and William Chen, and she has a younger brother. The Chen family attends Our Lady of the Visitation Church in Darnestown.
At the academy, which is sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, her favorite classes included Advanced Placement language and composition, and AP human geography, which deals with different cultures and social issues. She also enjoyed her French and Spanish classes there.
“I feel all these classes reflect my major,” Chen said of her interest in studying journalism in college. She added, “The more you can learn about people, cultures and solutions, the more you’ll be able to change the world in a positive manner. That’s basically what I want to do as a journalist, help people understand each other.”
Her community service activities during her high school years included volunteering with the afterschool program at St. Elizabeth School in Rockville, watching and playing with preschoolers and kindergarten students, and also helping older students with their homework. That experience has Chen interested in possibly also majoring in education at the University of Maryland.
“It definitely got me interested in education. I really do love working with little children,” she said, noting how she enjoyed being present and engaged with them and was inspired by their childhood innocence and kindness. “They made me a better person.”
Chen also volunteered in the religious education program at Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Potomac, helping second graders prepare for their First Holy Communion. “A lot of them have questions, big and small, about what happens after First Communion,” she said.
In her first two years at Holy Cross, she played on the basketball team there, and in all four years, she played for St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Youth Organization team, enjoying the opportunity to get to know teammates from other local high schools.
She also participated in the One Love group that educates student athletes about the importance of having healthy relationships.
“It’s so fundamentally important to teach young girls what their boundaries are and what are signs they can look out for to make sure they’re safe,” she said.
As her June 2 graduation approached, Chen expressed appreciation for her experience at The Academy of the Holy Cross.
“The one thing about Holy Cross that’s been so impactful is the all-girls environment, because of the confidence it’s given me. It’s helped me become a better leader,” Chen said.
She added, “It’s given me the opportunity to succeed in whatever I put my mind to. I’ve learned to believe in myself. I learned there’s nothing I need to be afraid to try and put my mind to. I’ve always been encouraged to step out of my comfort zone, which in turn has prepared me for life beyond the academics.”
