Going out in style: Cabrini chooses final valedictorian

In any graduating class, there are some individuals who will always be remembered. Whether it’s the class clown, the best athlete, or the student body president, these are the people who become hot topics at class reunions decades after walking across the stage. Near the top of that list is the valedictorian, the title for the highest performing student of a graduating class.

Many students devote their entire academic career to work for this illustrious title. But for senior psychology major Abeni Cooper, the stars just aligned at the right time.

Cooper was recently selected as the valedictorian for Cabrini’s class of 2024. It’s an honor made even more meaningful as Cabrini graduates its final class in May.

“I don’t know if it’s fully registered yet,” said Cooper. “This recognition wasn’t something that I had in mind for myself coming into college, so for it to be here now is kind of surreal.”

A unique college experience

To say Cooper’s college career was one of a kind would be an understatement.

Cabrini checked off all the items on the Philadelphia native’s list: an inviting space that was close to home and affordable for her. However, her freshman year took place during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic when nearly all classes were held online. Despite this setback, Cooper made the most of the situation.

“It was really odd,” said Cooper. “I tried my best in the Zoom setting to be as present as possible and interact with people as much as I could, but there was no other experience. That was what my first-year experience would be, so it was about taking it as it came.”

As the campus slowly shed restrictions from the pandemic, Cooper joined the Cabrini step team and always enjoyed attending athletic events around campus. She also created valuable relationships with her professors that have helped her through the ups and downs of school.

“In college, you have to learn how to advocate for yourself,” Cooper explained. “If you need help, it’s really important to ask for that. I’ve always known that was a tool I had and made sure to use that to my advantage with asking for help from my professor or checking that I am on the right track. I always made sure that I was being intentional with making sure that I was successful in class. Because that’s what I want, I want to do well.”

A pleasant surprise

Because of the prestige in the title, the process for selecting the class valedictorian is long and arduous. Cooper admitted that she was surprised to see herself nominated for the title, and wasn’t sure how to react.

“I was hesitant to apply and I’m not really sure why,” Cooper said. “I had to realize while there are a lot of great students on this campus who are deserving of this honor, I was one of them.”

The selection process starts with filling out a thorough application, requiring the nominee to give thoughtful responses on their accomplishments while at Cabrini. Then comes the most daunting part, a formal speech given to the selection panel highlighting how the student has lived up to Cabrini’s core values.

For Cooper, this was the event that made her most nervous. But she was able to take a step back and realize the true purpose of the speech. “Nobody in that room wants you to fail,” she said. “They just want to hear what you have to say.”

It turned into a great moment where she got to shine light on her success throughout the last four years.

“A lot of the times I don’t acknowledge my accomplishments as much as I should,” she continued. “I wasn’t trying to achieve being valedictorian, I just wanted to come to school, do well, and make connections. For it to come out this way, it was surprising to me but not to everyone else that’s close to me.”

Eventually Cooper got the call that she was selected as the winner. It was an emotional moment for her and the culmination of years of hard work. “There was so much pressure I was putting on myself to be good enough for this,” said Cooper. “For it to finally work out I was like, ‘See, you deserved it.'”

“We are thrilled to have Abeni represent her class as the 2024 Valedictorian,” said Dr. Michelle Filling-Brown, Dean of Academic Affairs and a member of the valedictorian selection committee. “This prestigious honor is a testament to her embodiment of Cabrini’s Core Values, especially her unwavering ‘Dedication to Excellence’ as evidenced by her outstanding academic achievements. Abeni’s valedictory speech will be thought-provoking and relatable. I look forward to congratulating her and all of our graduates on May 19th!”

The top of Cabrini’s final class

Cooper will be able to go down in history as the final valedictorian of Cabrini University, something that still doesn’t seem real to her.

“It was already crazy to think about being the final graduating class, period,” she said. “But to be a part of the ceremony? That’s an incredible honor and I’m still not sure what to think of it.”

After graduating in May, she hopes to get a job in the psychology field. She also looks to eventually continue on to graduate school and get her masters in clinical psychology.

But before leaving the campus that she has called home, she offered some advice to her fellow Cavaliers as they move on to the next chapter of their lives.

“One thing that has become very clear in this particular circumstance [with the university closing] is that a lot of us stuck through,” Cooper said. “We persevered and adapted to the situation at hand. I think this next stage of adulthood is really scary because there are a lot of uncertainties out there that we might not know how to handle. But it’s so important to have confidence in yourself that you have what it takes. You have to have the mindset to be open to whatever changes may come and know that you will see yourself through them.”