This year’s soloist for Bucknell University’s Class of 2024 Commencement Ceremony is Alexandra Slofkiss ’24, a biology major with an anthropology minor from Marlboro, N.J.
Slovkiss found her passion for the performing arts at a very young age once her parents enrolled her in dance lessons at just three years old. Nurturing her talents further, she enrolled in the Fine and Performing Arts program at Howell High School through the Freehold Regional High School District, majoring in acting.
For Slovkiss, singing the national anthem at the commencement ceremony is an opportunity to merge her enthusiasm for performing with her love for Bucknell.
“I’m so passionate about singing and the performing arts,” she said, “so having the opportunity to use this platform to connect with my classmates is the greatest gift I think I have ever received.”
At Bucknell, Slovkiss has been able to continue pursuing musical endeavors in both formal and informal settings. Last year, she took on the lead role in Bucknell’s production of “The Storms We Brave”, a musical that her former roommate authored. Even offstage, Slovkiss says she and her friends would often fill their apartment with the resounding echoes of Broadway tunes during lively karaoke sessions.
She adds, “Those are the times we’ll never get back. I’m sentimental thinking about these experiences, but I’m so grateful that Bucknell gave me them.”
Also among these memorable experiences is her dedicated involvement within the biology department. Remarkably, the very biology lab she visited as a high school senior was the one that she spent three years researching in.
“Even as a visiting high school senior, the professor wanted to immerse me hands-on in the lab,” Slovkiss recounts. “Everyone within the department wants you to grow and succeed. Being a part of the biology program has genuinely been the highlight of my Bucknell experience.”
In addition to these pursuits, Slovkiss has worked as a Teacher’s Assistant for the biology department, a physics department grader, and a mentor for first-year students through the College of Arts & Sciences Peer Mentorship Collective. She has also shared her passion for fitness as a zumba and yoga instructor at the KLARC.
Post-graduation, Slovkiss plans to work in biotechnology sales, leveraging her dual expertise in biology and anthropology. She emphasizes how her degree has equipped her not only with the biological fundamentals required for selling medical devices but also invaluable skills in cultural awareness and human empathy gained through her anthropology classes.
As Slovkiss bids farewell to Bucknell, she does so with a profound sense of gratitude and fulfillment.
“I’m grateful for the connections I have with my roommates, my friend group, and everyone else here,” she shared warmly, acknowledging their support that has shaped her college experience. Being true to yourself, Slovkiss added, is essential to making the most out of your years at Bucknell.
“I can confidently say that I am not leaving here with a single regret,” Slovkiss said. “Spend your time doing things that enrich you. Bucknell is filled with so many diverse and plentiful opportunities that can build you up as a person, so make sure to engage in activities that serve you well and try everything that you can.”
