Students That Can: Catching up with former STC intern, Anisten

In early 2025, Anisten, then a high school student from Pittsburgh, published a project with Schools That Can: Visions of Tomorrow captured students answering the question "how do you feel about the future as a young individual?" Over the course of her communications internship with Schools That Can, Anisten worked to center the lived experiences and perspectives of other students as they thought aloud about all their futures could hold.

"One thing that I want people to take away from this project is that while many youth feel optimistic and excited about the future, there’s still a common thread of nervousness and uncertainty," Anisten wrote in the project's introduction. "To support young people and their futures, I think it is important that adults provide them with opportunities and guidance."

Visions of Tomorrow captured student reflections on everything from feeling nervous about entering college, eagerly looking forward to future career paths, or deciding what goals to work toward, to thoughts on students' dreams, like pursuing the medical field, supporting their families, or starting their own businesses. Featuring students from both Pittsburgh and New York, the project was a powerful snapshot of how it feels to be a young person planning for the future.

Schools That Can caught up with Anisten, who is now a college student, about the transition from high school to college, the career readiness tip that's been most helpful so far, and how she feels about her own future plans.

What have you been up to since your STC internship? 

Things have been going great since my STC internship! I’m currently attending Chatham University, where I’m majoring in Public Policy and minoring in Political Science. On campus, I’ve gotten really involved. I serve as the Vice President for the Class of 2029 in Student Government and as the Secretary for my residence hall. I’m also a member of Chatham’s Feminist Coalition, Film Club, Honors Club, and Civic Engagement Club. It’s been such an exciting experience and I have met so many new people!

What's been the most exciting part of the transition from high school to college so far? 

The most exciting part of transitioning from high school to college has definitely been the independence. I love being able to set my own schedule and make choices for myself. Plus, I’ll admit one of my favorite parts is the freedom to grab Dunkin whenever I feel like it!

As you've taken this next step, what's the career readiness tip that's been most helpful to you so far? What advice would you give a high school student?

One of the most helpful career readiness tips I’ve learned is the importance of strong communication skills. I first started to understand this during my STC internship and have continued to see how essential it is in every part of life. Communication truly makes the world go round. My advice to high school students would be to focus on developing those skills early, because being able to clearly express yourself and listen to others will benefit you in any career!

During your STC internship, you created an amazing project that pulled in so many different student perspectives. Why is it important that we listen to young people as they build their futures? How do you feel about your future?

I think it’s important to listen to young people because they ARE the future! We’re the next generation of leaders  and when our voices are heard and supported, everyone benefits. Young people bring new ideas and a unique understanding of the challenges our world faces. As for my own future, I’ll admit it’s something I think about a lot, and it can definitely feel intimidating at times. I often worry over the fact that I never know what's next.  But although this feeling can be scary, it also brings me so much excitement. Nobody knows what’s next and I think that's what helps us grow. I’ve already learned so much at just 18 and I look forward to continuing that journey. I’m eager to keep learning new things inside the classroom and out and I hope I can make a difference one day!