Alydia Ullman’s years at Oakcrest kindled her passion for the liberal arts.  A graduate of Hillsdale College with a degree in English, Alydia currently works at a communications firm and will travel abroad this fall to begin a master’s degree program in Theology and Arts at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

Reflecting on her Oakcrest education, Alydia concluded that, “To put it bluntly, studying the liberal arts teaches you to care.”  History, literature, logic, math, and the sciences are all a part of a greater story – the story of divine providence working though the world, Alydia said.  “These subjects become avenues of wonder and satisfaction, mystery and understanding, delight and truth.  [They] become proof that the world is worth our care, which transforms how we treat the world and how we carry ourselves.”  

Alydia credits her liberal arts education for providing her “not with a list of facts, but with a framing philosophy of how to seek the substantial, invest in the infinite, and care for the real within this world.” 

Born and raised in Alexandria, Virginia with her two younger siblings, Alydia came to Oakcrest with a strong desire for God, but a weak understanding of the Church and its traditions.  “Oakcrest unveiled the depths and beauties of the Catholic faith to me,” she stated.  The staff, teachers and students provided Alydia with models of what Christ’s relationship with His Church really looks like; that is, as Alydia put it, “an intentional and lasting and dedicated relationship rooted in love.”  Her encounter with God through Oakcrest “slowly transformed my heart,” she said.

As Alydia prepares to move to the United Kingdom for graduate studies, she recognizes that her love for learning began at Oakcrest – particularly, in Dr. Sullivan’s English Literature class.  “I will always remember Dr. Sullivan’s English Literature class my sophomore year.  I sat underneath a poster quoting Keats’ Ode to a Grecian Urn and deeply, deeply wanted the ‘Beauty and Truth’ that Dr. Sullivan kept talking about,” Alydia said.  “I memorized Wordsworth and Blake and got to read Austen, Dickens, and many others.  I still have my poetry book from that class, coverless and battered, and it is – silly though it sounds – a prized possession,” she recalled with fondness. 

Alydia stated that she will always cherish how open and accessible the teachers were to her at Oakcrest.  “I loved getting to school early to talk with Miss Nussio or lingering after theology class to debate with Ms. Salls,” she reminisced.

While at Oakcrest, Alydia served on the Student Council as Class President during her sophomore and senior years, as well as Sister Coordinator.  In addition, she was involved in numerous stage productions as stage manager and set designer.  One of her favorite memories from her Oakcrest days is when her class won the “MockRock” competition during sophomore year. “I was class president and knew that our class could overthrow the reigning seniors,” Alydia said.  “We worked really hard (I was probably too strict), and it was amazing to see how the preparation and dedication alone brought us together as a class.  When they announced the winners in Walsh Hall, our class erupted in deafening cheer.  I’m so fond of that moment – not because of the victory – but because we proved we could collaborate and trust each other, and that knit our class together for the years to come.”

Alydia loves to travel, having studied abroad at the University of Oxford in England during her college years.  “I’m always dreaming of and (haphazardly) planning the next big trip,” she exclaimed. “I solo-backpacked Ireland last summer, and its idyllic landscape combined with their ancient Catholic faith captured my imagination.  Rome during the Jubilee Year is my next dream!”  While reading for a book club, experimenting with new recipes, letter writing, pestering her siblings, and occasional swing dance outings are some of her favorite pastimes, Alydia says that “nothing beats a long hearty chat with a good friend.”

Alydia’s advice to Oakcrest seniors as they prepare to graduate and go out into the world is to seek friendship and ask for help when challenges arise.  “The beautiful thing about the Christian life is that it’s not a solo mission. We were designed for community, accountability, and vulnerability, even though we trick ourselves into thinking those things are weaknesses. Find people you trust who have a strong understanding of God’s grace and let them into your life, however messy.”