The Saint Rose Chronicle

Issue date: 10/28/09 Section: News

Mitchell during her visit to South Africa with the volunteer group, Student Movement for Real Change

While other students her age were preparing for college, one 18-year-old junior at The College of Saint Rose had already traveled to Africa to improve the lives of an impoverished community.

Natalie Mitchell lives her life through the famous quote by Mahatma Gandhi, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." Mitchell is a Political Science and Law major at Saint Rose striving to work for an international organization representing human rights violations and international business.

Childhood for Mitchell involved constant movement around the United States because of her father's job. She was born in Syracuse, NY, but soon after she moved to Texas where she began kindergarten. Toward the end of the school year, the Mitchell family moved again. This time they traveled to Maryland, where Mitchell was tested into first grade with two weeks left in the school year, ultimately skipping first grade and beginning second grade in the fall.

This was not the extent of Mitchell's traveling throughout her childhood. Mitchell spent fourth and fifth grade in Pennsylvania and most of her high school career in Ogdensburg, NY, later relocating to Kennebunk, Maine.

Spending six years in Ogdensburg, Mitchell considers this to be her hometown. While living there, Mitchell attended Ogdensburg Free Academy for the first three years of high school. In the process of moving from New York to Maine, Mitchell decided to complete her high school education by taking a writing course at SUNY Canton and two summer courses at her high school in Ogdensburg.

The same month of Mitchell's graduation, she entered college as a 16-year-old freshman, younger than all of her peers. She never wanted to talk about her age, but she did want people to know that age has never inhibited her from accomplishing anything.

In addition to looking at Clarkson College, in Potsdam, NY, she was interested in colleges in Albany and Washington D.C. which would allow her to get an internship in a city that revolves around politics.

In February 2007, application and scholarship deadlines were quickly approaching and Saint Rose was extremely helpful in this process. Mitchell enrolled in the 3+3 program with Albany Law.

After the Spring 2010 semester, Mitchell will have eight more credits to complete in addition to taking the LSATs. She will graduate in August 2010 after finishing summer courses either at Saint Rose or in a study abroad program.

Continued...

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