Virginia Exley

From the moment I arrived on the Mesa I knew it was the place I would want to spend the next four years of my life. The stunning views, positive atmosphere and smiling faces engulfed me almost immediately. After applying and being accepted to Cate I moved into 25' house with my new roommate. The experience of having a roommate (now for the second time going into my sophomore year) was one that I will not soon forget. And living in the dorm lets you be with your best friends as much as you want and it means you don't have to harass your mom to drive across town to see your friends. I got to know people so well living in close quarters with them that it will not be soon forgotten. I continued on to do theater in the fall, soccer in the winter, and softball in the spring. Cate gave me an opportunity to try new things, like theater, that I never would have thought to try before. As I said before I fell in love with this school the moment I stepped on the campus, mostly for it's friendly hospitality and concern for the well-being of the students. The outings week trips and other organized Freshman/Sophomore group activities help to connect the members of each grade. The smallness of the school is another contributing factor to the campus closely knit friendships and relationships among faculty and students. Cate has helped me grow and learn more about myself than I ever knew was possible, and for that I thank the Mesa and the Cate community.