Student Stories: Amanda Costello

Amanda Costello is a junior at Marymount Manhattan College majoring in communication arts. Her father worked at Thyssen Krupp Elevator near the World Trade Center; he entered the building to try to help others. The year before 9/11 he had realized his dream when Amanda became the first in her family to attend college.

“My parents did not go to college,” said Amanda, “but they’ve encouraged me and my younger brother and sister to get an education.”

Amanda took a semester off from school to be with her family when she lost her father. “I moved back home and even considered transferring to a school closer to our home in New Jersey,” said Amanda. “Instead, I decided to remain at home and return to Marymount by commuting 90 minutes each way.”

Again a full-time student, she will graduate in the fall of 2004. Amanda works on Marymount’s newspaper, The Monitor, where she focuses on design and layout, and also writes some news stories.

“I’m grateful to the donors whose generosity is helping a lot of families like mine,” said Amanda. “I haven’t yet decided what I will do after college, but I’ll have more options thanks to my scholarship.”