Livia Muller, an international student from Switzerland, has really left an impression on Green River Community College. She not only received the President’s Award - GRCC's highest honor, she was also the recipient of the Humanities and Social Science Divisions’ Student of the Year Award, the International Student Award, and a Leadership Award. Livia, who maintained a 3.99 GPA, was accepted into UNC-Chapel Hill, Brandeis and American University. She has decided to attend American University in DC to take advantage of an internship and scholarship. Her major is International Studies.

Livia had this to say about her two years at GRCC:

"Fascinated with cultures and the fight for social justice, I decided to pursue the studies of International Studies in the United States to make my passion my profession. Having grown up in Bettingen, an idyllic Swiss village hosting twenty times less inhabitants than the average US four-year university, this decision meant change – extreme change. To prevent myself from drowning in a tsunami of culture shock, a community college with its smaller class sizes, the community atmosphere and the suburban setting appeared like the best and most realistic way to start my adventure of studying abroad – and Green River with its beautiful campus and good reputation seemed the perfect place for that.

However, I totally underestimated how greatly this community college located in Auburn, Washington, would contribute to my success as a student and a person. The classes shined with excellence and the material presented interested me so much that I couldn’t miss one class. The instructors, besides being highly competent, were always there for me and helped me to excel. Provided with these resources, Green River enabled me to receive highly competitive grades, which contributed largely to my transfer to a top university. Furthermore, Green River offers its students such a vast amount of leadership opportunities and possibilities to get involved outside of the classroom, I had a hard time deciding which one of them to pick.

Looking back, my involvement on campus in programs such as CLEO, Student Government, the President’s Commission on Diversity, the Varsity Volleyball Team, or TRIO tutoring made my curriculum stand out of the pool of applicants at admission offices and assisted me getting accepted.

Last but not least, I have to give huge credit to the advising team in International Programs. Without their help, I could not have managed to get into the university that I did. Whatever the question, an advisor was available and ready to answer it. They assisted me throughout the process and helped me overcome the difficulties this confusing American system posed to me. In this sense, Green River immensely influenced my getting accepted by a top university and I am extremely thankful for having made the decision of coming here!"

Congratulations Livia.