Brandon Hamilton

I’m Brandon Hamilton. This is my StFX story.

Being the first generation in my immediate family to attend university proved to be a very exciting and frightening time of my life. Trying to choose an institution was a challenging process. A few of my teachers went to StFX and told me to check it out.

I remember closing the car door after my personalized tour of StFX and telling my mom “this is where I am meant to be.” The friendly student population and sense of community immediately grabbed my attention. Afterward, I could not stop thinking about X.

StFX welcomes you into your new family, the Xaverian family. It provides an amazing education with incomparable leadership opportunities. I would know.

I was a bit shy during my first week. I did not know anyone in my residence or in any of my classes. It wasn’t long before my neighbor (who was in his second year at the time) offered to show me around campus. With that, I immediately began meeting new people in residence and classes. Fast forward a few months, these strangers became my new family, many of whom I will keep in touch with for the rest of my life.

This family encouraged me to get involved, something I had never thought of before. In second year I was hired as the House President of my residence, leading new first-year students who faced similar challenges as I did when I first arrived. I eventually ran for Student Council and was elected to represent the Arts Department in my third year, and went on to be elected as President of the StFX Students’ Union and Students Nova Scotia (an advocacy organization representing Post Secondary Institutions in NS) in my senior year.

StFX University has transformed not only the way I look at the world around me, but also the way I look at myself. I would have never considered myself a “leader” if it were not for the experiences that StFX provided. The tight knit residence, new friendships, and support from professors built a foundation for me to launch myself into new-found independence and engagement. They encouraged me to look at the world through a new lens, rather than accepting the status quo. The professors at StFX know your name and are there to support you when you need assistance. They involve students with their research, and spark passion as they teach.

I would recommend StFX to any student looking for a high quality, well-rounded, education experience. The Xaverian community welcomes you with open arms, provides you with a personalized academic experience, and develops skills and qualities you may not have even known existed. The beautiful campus and town of Antigonish have no shortages of exciting opportunities and the connections you make will last a lifetime.

Not to mention you will be stopped everywhere you travel from fellow Xaverians recognizing the iconic “X-Ring” on your finger.