Student Profile

Toni LIttle

Toni Little

Creative Writing Major,
Class of 2011
Hometown: New Britain, CT

No one would accuse Toni Little of lacking in energy. She is a resident assistant in Governors Hall (one of the on-campus residences), a student employee in the Dean of Students Office, a member of the Dance Club, a National Scholarship recipient (one of only 107 nationwide), is on the JSC Dean’s List, recently received a governor’s award for her work organizing a student voter registration drive, and went to Louisiana in spring 2009 on a service learning trip with the Break Away program. In addition, this creative writing major/education minor works to take advantage of the rural charm of the campus and region, which represents quite a stark contrast to her hometown of  New Britain, CT. "I love to walk around campus and the area and see new things," she says.

JSC wasn't even on her list of colleges to attend, says Toni, but it won her over nonetheless. She was accompanying a friend who was considering attending Johnson State College, when she was taken in by the mountains and natural splendor surrounding the campus. The beauty of the college and the area combined with what she describes as the openness of the college community — “People hold doors open for you here, and look you in the eye!” she remarks — meshed with her upbeat personality and her interests. She was sold.

A creative writing major (concentrating on fiction) and education minor, Toni hopes her enthusiasm for writing and experience working on the college’s Gihon River Review will land her a job in publishing after graduation. Another career possibility, she says, is teaching English in an inner city high school like the one where she got her own secondary education.

For now, what she describes as the nurturing and supportive nature of the faculty, staff and students makes her a strong advocate of Johnson State. “JSC is a safe haven,” she says. “It’s a place where you can not be afraid to dream and have all of your dreams come true.”