February 18, 2026<\/p>\n
Gurbani Sian traveled around the world only to find a home at St. John\u2019s University.<\/p>\n
Born in Chandigarh<\/a>, India, the first-year Government and Politics<\/a> student at St. John\u2019s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences<\/a> emigrated with her family more than a decade ago to the Washington, DC, area, settling in Clarksburg, MD. An honors student in high school, she set her sights on St. John\u2019s after a neighbor enrolled a year earlier.<\/p>\n She has found at St. John\u2019s a welcoming community and support system that has made her transition to college seamless. \u201cI always wanted to study in New York, and the more I got to know about St. John\u2019s, the more intriguing the idea became,\u201d Gurbani said. \u201cMy expectation was that everyone would be welcoming and help to provide opportunities for me to grow in my career plans; also, that I would meet people that I stay friends with for a long time. St. John\u2019s has, in many ways, exceeded my expectations.\u201d<\/p>\n Meet Gurbani Sian, Honors Student at St. John\u2019s University\u00a0<\/p>\n A member of the University Honors Program<\/a>, Gurbani\u00a0aspires to a career in government, ideally in a policy evaluation role. While in high school, she participated in the American Legion Auxiliary\u2019s Girls State<\/a> seminar in Maryland, an experiential civics education program that included lessons in policymaking and government operations. Alumnae of the program include US senators, state senators, journalists, and authors.<\/p>\n Girls State was a transformational experience, said Gurbani, who has since secured two legislative internships, including one through St. John\u2019s in the office of US Rep. Grace Meng<\/a> (D-NY). The week culminated with Gurbani drafting and presenting a bill to the Girls State leadership committee to amend elements of the H-1B visa program.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI started by doing speeches while in high school,\u201d Gurbani recalled. \u201cThe more I did, the more I realized how interested I am in government. Girls State offered a great deal of exposure to government, and with immigration, there is certainly plenty of policy work that can be done.\u201d<\/p>\n Girls State also led Gurbani indirectly to St. John\u2019s. Her eagerness to study government and politics at a well-regarded university in New York City\u2014enhanced by her time in Girls State\u2014put the University squarely on her radar. Even before she applied, she began considering which student clubs and organizations<\/a> to join, especially Student Government, Inc. (SGI)<\/a>, for which she seems a natural fit. She is already a member of the Mock Trial<\/a> team and serves as a Career Peer for University Career Services<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI have talked with the leaders of Student Government,\u201d Gurbani said. \u201cThey seem like great people, very welcoming.\u201d<\/p>\n A Welcoming Experience at St. John\u2019s University<\/p>\n It seems inevitable that Gurbani will join SGI. In the meantime, she is enjoying the adjustment to college life, including living in Donovan Hall<\/a>, and being in the Honors Program. The demanding curriculum\u00a0challenges high-achieving students while offering smaller class sizes, a more direct connection with professors and classmates, and vigorous class discussion. Students receive peer and staff mentorship, fostering a supportive and encouraging community of learners.<\/p>\n Gurbani speaks highly of the honors program, which is open to students of all majors. About 1,000 students are currently enrolled; students must maintain a 3.3 grade point average and complete 30 credits of honors-designated courses.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has been a good experience,\u201d Gurbani said. \u201cIt is great to have mentorship, especially from someone close in age. It provides a valuable connection knowing that students in the program were in the same boat as me\u2014adjusting to a new school and coming into a new environment.\u201d<\/p>\n Her academic commitments do not allow Gurbani much time for herself. When she can unwind, she enjoys visiting Manhattan, NY, especially Broadway<\/a>. Her fondness for the theater predates high school, and what better place to indulge it than in the Theater District<\/a>?<\/p>\n Gurbani has been a singer most of her life, specializing in Indian classical music and opera. She even took part in talent competitions as a child, imagining one day she might join the \u201cGreat White Way\u201d of Broadway.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI love musicals, I love Broadway,\u201d Gurbani said. \u201cI am focused on my future career, but I want to keep my hobbies for sure. It is the key to a balanced life.\u201d<\/p>\n One show Gurbani is eager to see is Lin-Manuel Miranda\u2019s Hamilton<\/a>. The hip-hop story of the nation\u2019s first Treasury Secretary\u2014Alexander Hamilton<\/a>\u2014seems perfectly appropriate for a theater-loving future lawmaker.<\/p>\n \u201cIt seems so captivating,\u201d Gurbani said. \u201cI loved the music from Hamilton even in middle school. It is as much a cultural phenomenon as it is a Broadway musical.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n