“Before I was born I was assaulted,” Patricia Ambroise said with a look of sadness on her face. “My twin brother Patrick, viciously kicked me out of the way on May 26, 1984 just to be born first! I still have the mark to prove it!”
Since day one, Patricia has been surviving like a trooper in this world. Living with her mother, brother, two cousins, three nephews, two aunts, and one uncle, Patricia claims to love her “Big Haitian Family.” With a double major in Psychology and Sociology and a minor in Theology, Ambroise is very busy academically. She is also the president of her sorority, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., and the president of HARAYA, a Pan-African Students Coalition .
“Freshmen year I was a wild child,” Ambroise said with a smile that spread to her eyes. “I was all over the place trying to find myself on this huge campus. By sophomore year I realized that I needed to do some soul searching and thus began a series of theology courses that helped me realize who I am in my faith, in relation to God and in my society.”
Through the guidance of these classes, Ambroise was able to better define herself as a Christian woman.
“Excuses are the tools of the weak and incompetent,” Ambroise said. As a “strong woman,” Ambroise is glad to know that she is powerful and can do anything she sets her mind to. Therefore, she has decided to set a goal of obtaining a PhD in Clinical Psychology.
“Talkative, aggressive, funny, diva, and a leader,” Ambroise said. “Those are the words that describe me.”
One would wonder where such qualities are cultivated. Without hesitation, Ambroise said that she was able to develop into the person she is today only through the life lessons that she has learned through Zeta Phi Beta.
“I learned about personal discipline, how to get along with people of different personalities, to love my sorority sisters, and how to carefully manage my time,” she said. “This is where I received a strong foundation in leadership.”
Ambroise came to St. John’s University because the school offered her the most money. After studying here, she can say that she has many more reasons to be a part of the St. John’s community. Of these reasons, her two favorite classes rank high: Research & Methods taught by Dr. Brondolo and Theology of Peace taught by Professor Michael Warren.
“I like these classes because they are challenging and stimulate my brain to think differently than what I might on a day to day basis,” Ambroise said.
At the mention of her mother, Ambroise beamed with pride and admiration while describing her most important role model and the most positive influence in her life.
“She is the solder of life, a woman who single-handedly raised twins while carrying three jobs and eventually managing to pay two college tuitions,” Ambroise said of her mother.
Another person who has deeply affected and helped mold Ambroise is Jodi Cox, the Associate Director of Campus Activities. Cox was the person who convinced Ambroise to join the sorority she today is president of. Ambroise described her as being a very giving and deserving person and a good influence in her life.
“Failure is an opportunity for success,” Ambroise said. Using this guideline in life, she has been able to be a successful person through her will and determination. Keeping these words in mind, we should all view the happenings of life in a positive light and make sure that good, whether our own or someone else’s, is produced.
