Through the Student Lens – Caris Mann ’25

Caris Mann
Hanover, Massachusetts
Major: English and Secondary Education

Q: What activities are you involved in at Wheaton?

A: This is my third year as a member of the swim team, specializing in the breaststroke and Individual Medley events (swimming all four strokes). I am also Wheaton Athletic Mentor (WAM), where I help mentor first-year student athletes and help them adjust to college. I am also a peer advisor, a writing tutor and until this year, I was an office assistant in Student Financial Services.

I am a May Fellows scholar and an Eliza Wheaton scholar, and I was recently elected to Phi Beta Kappa. As a May Fellows scholar, I connect with other scholars on campus and attend events such as a field trip last year to the New England Aquarium. It’s a great way to bond with other students who are looking to connect with one another intellectually. As an Eliza Wheaton scholar, I took a variety of courses in different academic disciplines such as natural sciences, creative arts and foreign languages, to expand my knowledge and to have a break from my English and education courses. This also allows me to graduate with Latin honors! Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest academic honor society in the country and was founded in 1776. Wheaton has its own chapter and elects 10% of the senior class into the society. Students are selected if they are Eliza Wheaton scholars and show high academic achievement. If elected, students are inducted into the society and become members for life. 

Q: How do you balance academics, athletics and on-campus responsibilities? 

A: Being on the swim team was very helpful for my time management. My day is structured around classes and swim practice so it allows me to find time in between to get homework done or to hangout with my friends. This year for swim, we started having team study halls in the library where we  do our homework together twice a week. It’s a great way for us to have scheduled time to get work done while also spending time with one another and helping each other out. As for on-campus jobs, it’s another way for me to structure my day because I know that I have a time commitment so I try to get work done before my shift. My supervisors are always understanding if I need to take time off for a swim meet or other academic commitment. 

Q: What do you recommend for students looking to get involved on campus?

A: I recommend students attend campus job or club fairs. They are a fantastic way to find things that may interest you. My first year, I attended the job fair on campus and I found out about the office assistant job in Student Financial Services (SFS). I worked there for two years. It was an amazing experience that really allowed me to understand things like the FAFSA, scholarships and financial aid.

Q: How have you benefited from scholarships on campus?

A: I have received scholarships and financial aid to fund my Wheaton education . Wheaton is very generous with their financial aid because they do not want money to be the obstacle to achieving a prestigious liberal arts education. I am also a recipient of one of the scholarships that is provided by the Wheaton donors: the Catherine Conover Endowed Scholarship. I am very grateful to have received this scholarship to pursue my education. 

Q: What’s a defining moment for your Wheaton experience?

A: Being a part of the swim team has been the most rewarding experience for me. I’m so lucky to be a part of this amazing, uplifting, positive and supportive group of people. One of the best moments was my last race at the conference meet, where I achieved a personal goal and finished in the top ten in the 200-yard breaststroke. I walked out on pool deck to “Shipping Up to Boston” and heard myself introduced to the crowd while my teammates cheered for me like crazy. I swam the race, touched the wall for the last time as a Wheaton Lyon, got out of the pool and was soon surrounded by so many people who had cheered me on and supported me throughout my entire career on the team. And yes, there were alot of tears. It was the most perfect ending and was exactly how I wanted to remember my time on the team. This is something that I’ll never forget. 

Caris Mann 2025 swim PFN

Q: Do you have any plans for after graduation?

A: I plan on becoming a middle school English teacher, preferably in Massachusetts. I am currently a substitute teacher for both Hanover and Norton public schools and head counselor at Camp Gordon Clark at the Emilson YMCA in Hanover, which I attended growing up. I started substitute teaching after my first year of college to gain classroom experience and I’ve found that it has paid off during student teaching. It’s hard to find internships specifically for education so our advisors often encourage us to substitute teach or be camp counselors over the summer to gain experience. Professor Scott Gelber is my primary advisor and he encourages us to take these jobs so we have experience by the time we start student teaching our senior year. We are also required to fulfill 25 hours of fieldwork in a diverse setting so if we have difficulty finding jobs to fulfill this requirement, Professor Gelber informs us about opportunities, such as participating in summer school reading programs. 

I will also finish my student-teaching practicum in May at Cyril K. Brennan Middle School in Attleboro. I am teaching 7th and 8th grade English and we are about to finish our literary analysis unit to prepare students for their MCAS exams. I’ve loved my time at Brennan and I was really lucky to be placed there. The students and staff are wonderful, especially my mentor teacher, Sandra McKenzie. She always gives great advice and gets me excited to become a teacher someday.

If I can, I would also like to be a youth swim coach and pass on my love for swimming to the next generation. I grew up swimming competitively for the South Shore YMCA Strypers at the Emilson YMCA in Hanover, Mass., which is why I wanted to join the Wheaton swim team. 

Q: What advice do you have for other students as you get ready to graduate?

A: Since I am coming to the end of my college journey, some advice that I would give is to be present and to try to remember the little things and moments like hanging out in the Dimple, grabbing food at Emerson or even studying for an exam. Those are the things that you will remember the most!

Q: What do you wish parents knew about Wheaton or is there anything else you would like to share?

A: I think that the most important thing that parents should know about Wheaton is that there is something for everybody here. It may be a little nerve-wracking sending your student to college and wondering if they will be able to find something that interests them. Trust me, they will. Whether it’s the course content, on campus jobs, clubs, athletics, internships, there is always something that piques your interest and makes your time at Wheaton memorable.

Tagged