ONWARD SENIORS: Finding her path far from home

MINOT, N.D. – Arianna Polonio’s journey to Minot State was anything but direct.

Originally from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, her college path took Polonio from South Dakota to Wyoming before eventually bringing her to Minot. Along the way, she discovered not only a passion for communication and storytelling, but also confidence in herself and her abilities.

“I actually started college at the University of South Dakota, but during the summer after my first year ended, I realized I no longer wanted to go back,” Polonio said. “I ended up in Powell, Wyoming, for my sophomore year, where I earned my associate degree in communication from Northwest College. When I lived in Wyoming, I got to see Yellowstone National Park not once, but twice. Best experience ever.”

Minot State was not originally part of her plan, despite already having a family connection to the campus through her older sister, Aurora, a 2021 Minot State graduate.

“I came to my sister’s graduation in 2021, and that’s when I saw Minot State for the first time,” Polonio said. “To be honest, MSU was never in the books for me. Anyone who has siblings understands the struggle of not wanting to be associated with them. I went through that in middle school and didn’t want that to happen in college, even if we were almost five years apart.”

Still, after completing her associate degree and looking for the right place to continue her education, Minot State checked all the boxes.

“I chose Minot because it was familiar, tuition-friendly, and made my transfer easy,” she explained. “Being an international student, it’s not very easy to transfer. There is a lot of paperwork and requirements involved. Minot made it a smooth transition. Believe it or not, people still recognized me as Aurora’s sister, so I couldn’t escape that. The last name may have given me away.”

While the harsh North Dakota winters are often an adjustment for students coming to Minot, Polonio already had some experience with Midwest weather after spending time in both South Dakota and Wyoming.

“I had my fair share of winter in South Dakota and Wyoming, although the winter in Minot is next level for sure,” she said with a laugh. “I visited my sister for the holidays when she worked in Minot, and it was the worst winter I’ve ever experienced.”

The weather didn’t deter Polonio from ultimately deciding MSU was the right fit. At Minot State, Polonio found more than a campus close to family. She also found a major that truly fit her — even if it took some trial and error before making her final decision to pursue professional communication.

“Right after high school, I didn’t know what I wanted to study,” she said. “I graduated in 2020 in the middle of the COVID pandemic, and I spent a year deciding what career to follow.”

She initially pursued biology with the goal of working in zoology before discovering communication and journalism were a better match for her talents and interests.

“My second semester of freshman year, I did really well in a speech class, and my professor at the time pulled me aside and suggested I go for a career in media or English,” Polonio said. “I took her advice and haven’t looked back. I switched majors to journalism. I knew I was on the right path because I was excited about my classes and would quote every single thing I learned to my mom. I knew things by heart without having to memorize them. I got lucky, I found my footing so early in my career.”

At Minot State, Polonio pushed herself well outside of her comfort zone through opportunities with student media and campus communications.

She wrote stories for “The Red & Green” student newspaper and University Communications while also serving as a host for “MSU Inside Out.”

“Hosting isn’t easy,” she said. “There is a lot of preparation to be made, and the nerves are always there, especially on a live show. I may look calm, but my fingers are fidgeting. Neil (Neil Roberts, MSU associate professor of professional communication) points it out every now and then.”

She credits supportive faculty members in the communication program for helping her continue to grow as both a student and a person.

“I think having supportive faculty makes a difference when you are a student,” Polonio said. “My advisor, David Paterno (associate professor of professional communication), and Professor Neil Roberts have always rooted for me when I didn’t believe in myself. I’m grateful for them. I’ve never met faculty who truly care about their students’ feelings. Instructors like that are hard to find.”

The growth she sees in her own writing stands out as one of the biggest markers of her progress.

“I like writing, and I have improved a lot,” she said. “It’s a matter of reading a lot and making sure things flow well. I find crafting stories fun. The first time I wrote for “The Red & Green,’ I was a mess and doubted myself, but looking back, that’s just how you start. You can’t be perfect from the beginning.”

As graduation approaches, Polonio is still deciding exactly where her career path will lead, but she knows communication and storytelling will remain central to her future.

“I’m hoping to work for a year after I graduate and then pursue my master’s degree,” she said. “Communication is a broad field and so there’s plenty to pick from. I hope to work in something related to writing, maybe the publishing industry. I’m still figuring it out. I’ll take it one day at a time.”