Anthony Lucci '11

Why did you choose Hofstra?

I originally wanted to major in Political Science and become a lawyer. Hofstra seemed to be the place that I could get the most individualized interaction and advisement for my journey. I knew that Hofstra's proximity to New York City would create all kinds of opportunities (which it has!). The small class sizes and accessibility to professors was also a selling point.

Where are you from?

It is a small town called Lisbon, Connecticut of about 4,000 in Southeastern Connecticut.

Tell us about the clubs you are involved in at Hofstra and what your role is in them.

I've been involved and held executive positions in a myriad of clubs and organizations. I've served as the Club Affairs Chairman in Student Government, Treasurer of the College Republicans, Founder/President of Students for McCain and Public Relations co-chair of the Newman Club. I have recently moved on from club activity to a more active role in University-sponsored venues (resident advisor, Center for Civic Engagement (CCE), peer teaching).

Last year you went to Togo, Africa with Professor Bogard, Professor Mwaria and three other students.  Tell us about that experience and what you learned from your time with the Togolese.

My trip to Togo last year caused a paradigmatic shift in my way of thinking. Exploring a foreign country, no less a West African country, transformed the way I view my position in the world. As a student of economics, I no longer associate the term 'Lesser Developed Country' with pictures in a textbook of spindly children. Rather, I think of the friends I made in Togo and everything they have to endure to get the same kind of education I tend to take for granted.

Do you plan on any other trips abroad during your time at Hofstra?

I would love to travel abroad again, but my current fiscal situation would seem to make traveling in the near future something more of a pipe dream than a reality.

How did you get so involved in the Center for Civic Engagement?

When I found out freshman year that I could get paid $10/hr for activism that brought forth social awareness in a notoriously apathetic campus, I almost stumbled over my own two feet in trying to hand in my resume to Dr. Bogard. I can honestly say that the experience I have gained and keep gaining from the CCE and Dr. Bogard are what keep me thriving in this organization.

Tell us about your role in the CCE and why you have become passionate about that.

In my third year on the job, I am a senior intern with a job title that loosely resembles 'Jack of All Trades.' Whether the job is speaking on a panel, organizing an event, reaching out to various groups on campus, or just hanging fliers, I have come to embrace the wonderful opportunity that being a CCE intern offers. Above all else, the CCE offers anyone a chance to become active. An object in motion stays in motion... and I refuse to be anything close to inert.

Why did you choose Mathematical Business Economics?

Having been bitten by the economics bug very early in my time at Hofstra, I have become enthralled in trying to grasp the 'dismal science.' The math and business portions of my major are used as a means to strengthen my understanding and give me the tools I need for a successful career in economics.

What are your plans after Hofstra?

My goal is to get a PhD in economics and work for a government or consulting agency to advise policy decisions. I have always had political aspirations, but I do not want to be presumptuous and start stumping here and now for a candidacy in the future like so many students in my situation do. I guess my prospects for the future are like a horse race. I have my favorites picked out, but there are always dark horses---here's to a big payout.