Junior David Ulin-O’Keefe has established quite a connection with Friends education. Before coming to Olney as a sophomore in 2014, David attended Arthur Morgan School in Burnsville, North Carolina. During the first semester of this year, David also studied abroad at Monteverde Friends School in Costa Rica. Throughout his journey thus far, however, David has been keen on finding schools that aligned with his personality and passions.
He originally attended Arthur Morgan School after a recommendation from his local school principal. He found the rural campus and boarding program appealing and enjoyed his time there. AMS students graduate after 9th grade, though, so finding the right high school was important.
“I was looking for Quaker schools and I interviewed at another one first. I didn’t really like it so I kept looking around and eventually found Olney,” he said. “I remember going on a tour and sitting in on a class with Phineas (Gosselink). They were reading One Hundred Years of Solitude, which I later finished and am probably going to read again in Spanish. I just got this feeling it was the right place for me.”
David’s transition to Olney is somewhat unusual as his previous school was actually smaller. “Well, when I first got here, it felt huge to me,” he said. “I didn’t really know what to do with myself, but after a while, I realized I enjoyed hanging out with the international students. And now, I just hang out with everyone and it’s great.”
Having returned from his studies in Costa Rica, David now has an even greater appreciation for his international friends on campus.
“When I got to Monte Verde, at first it was difficult for me to understand the native Costa Ricans but I could understand people from the United States who spoke fluent Spanish,” he said. David credits his time studying at Olney and the work of former Spanish teacher Cory Mathieu for allowing him to feel comfortable navigating the language in a new environment. “I think the main thing is that we were really immersed well last year to the point where even in Spanish 1, for the last quarter, we didn’t speak any English. That was really cool.”
Having assumed the role of both domestic and international student, David believes those considering studying abroad in the United States could really benefit from doing so in academic communities similar to those he has encountered.
“If there’s anywhere you’re going to come, it would be a place like Olney because even if you don’t always understand the domestic students, there are a lot of international students also learning the language.”
After graduation, David has expressed interest in studying languages in colleges and living abroad. He hopes to achieve Spanish fluency then possibly focus on learning Mandarin or Arabic. As for his college choice, he has given thought to Quaker schools like Earlham and Haverford, as well as other liberal arts colleges like Pomona.
David was recently elected by his peers for the role of student moderator for Olney’s weekly Community Meeting. He also serves as a member of the boys dorm staff and as a student ambassador for the admissions department.
Photos of David’s experience at Olney and in Costa Rica can be found below.
