Lauryn Anderson, who graduated on May 27 from Elizabeth Seton High School in Bladensburg, Maryland, has her future pretty well mapped out.
“This fall, I will attend Howard University, where I will major in finance and minor in Spanish,” she explained. “After graduating, I would like to work in financial consulting, with a focus on helping minority communities increase financial literacy to achieve financial freedom.”
In addition to that noble goal, she would like to operate her own hair care product business.
A resident of Washington, D.C., and the daughter of Allison and John Anderson, the future businesswoman says her time at the all-girls school sponsored by the Daughters of Charity has been transformative.
“During my time as an underclassman, I was quiet and reserved, but now, I am a self-assured leader and advocate,” she said. “I’ve learned the importance of speaking up, taking initiative, and embracing new environments with confidence. The saying ‘closed mouths don’t get fed’ resonated with me this year more than ever.”
Attending Seton, she said, played “a significant role” in helping her grow in her faith.
“When I began my first year at Seton, I didn’t fully understand the value of its Catholic identity. But now, as a senior, I can appreciate the school’s traditions and teachings, which have helped me grow my relationship with Christ,” she said.
At the school, Anderson was involved in a variety of extracurricular activities– including the K-Star Society Club and student government – that she said shaped her “personally and professionally.”
“These opportunities have taught me so many valuable lessons,” she said, and motivated her to “step outside my comfort zone, advocate for my peers, and become a more confident public speaker.”
As a student athlete, Anderson was a four-year member of the school’s varsity tennis team, and served as co-captain of the squad during her senior year. She helped lead the Roadrunners to a 2023 tennis championship in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference.
“Leading my tennis team helped me learn the importance of responsibility, sisterhood, and how to motivate and uplift others,” she said.
In addition to her school activities, Anderson pursued what she called a “passion for language and service” by volunteering as a Spanish interpreter at local food banks including So Others Might Eat (SOME), a District-based outreach serving individuals, families, senior citizens, veterans and those affected by physical or mental illness, and Martha’s Table, a community-led organization serving more than 30,000 people in need each year.
She said helping native Spanish speakers to overcome language barriers and access essential resources contributed to “a desire to use my skills to serve others.”
As she prepares for her future, Anderson said, “I feel prepared to take up space wherever I go, with purpose and faith.”
