June 02, 2022
Trusting in our abilities: Andrew Antonik ’22
Andrew Antonik ’22, from Attleboro, Mass., was one of five top students in the Class of 2022. An accountancy major with minors in computer science and finance, he will work for PwC as an audit associate and plans to take the CPA examination.
When I drove by Harkins Hall for the first time four years ago, the opportunities ahead of me seemed vast. Providence College was a place where I knew I would grow both personally and professionally through various activities, challenges, and endeavors. Despite this anticipation, I never could have foreseen how far I would truly go. If someone had told me four years ago that I would graduate from Providence College as a club president, that I would achieve the 150 academic credits required for my CPA exam as an undergrad, and that I would hold a perfect 4.0 GPA and be recognized as valedictorian, I would have reacted with shock and amazement. Today, these accomplishes do seem amazing to me, but I am in no way shocked at what I have achieved.
Through my accomplishments I have begun to understand the importance of setting and pursuing seemingly unreachable goals. After some time at PC and receiving my first few sets of As, I stopped attributing my success to luck and began instead to trust in my abilities. I followed the steps I know are necessary to get to where I want to be without limiting myself with doubt or fear.
I urge the Class of 2022 to reach higher, dream bigger, and accomplish the most. With this life vision we will be a class that utilizes our excellent education to make changes in this world.
To the individuals and groups that devoted so much time in supporting my growth, I cannot express enough how appreciative I am. Without the nudge to step out of my comfort zone or the conversations that helped me I envision how I could shape my future, I might have never attempted the many things I have always been capable of.
Thank you to the accounting department and business school for providing me with the tools necessary to reach ambitious goals. My teachers, mentors, and advisers have been an important resource the past four years. Thank you to the lifelong friends I have met along the way. From the moment I first walked through McDermott 400a to when I walk out of Bored of Education, my senior house, for the last time, I have developed relationships and formed memories I will cherish forever.
Finally, thank you to my family who have made countless sacrifices. I had constant love and support from my family and a safety net that I always knew I could fall back on. When I needed to write my resume or send my first email to a professor, for me, the obvious person to go to was my dad. If I got a stain on my new khakis or was in desperate need for some way to get a suit for an interview the next day, my mom would drop everything and take me out to lunch with magic stain remover and half my closet in her car.
Thank you, Class of 2022 and Providence College, for the past four years. I look forward to seeing what we accomplish in the coming years!
