Celebrations

Sabrina Niu is quick to smile and lend a helping hand. She is warm and exudes a positive, can-do spirit. Just don’t mistake her gentle soul for a lack of drive. From the dorms, where she has made her home for the last four years, to the classroom, where she has impressed her teachers and fellow students alike, Sabrina Niu has made a name for herself with both grace and humility. It’s precisely why she was chosen as this year’s recipient of The Faculty Prize. This award, the highest honor given to a member of the graduating class,  is presented to the student who most exemplifies those characteristics of scholarship, integrity, reliability, leadership, and character we most desire in our students.

In fact, this quiet competitor relishes a challenge. It is what drew her to The Hun School in the first place. “I chose boarding school because I wanted to be more independent and take more responsibility, and it has taught me to take initiative and be more resilient.”

Sabrina is also a creative thinker who does not shy away from difficult conversations. “Some students don’t talk about serious matters or express their personal opinions on societal/political issues. However, I believe it’s only when opinions are spoken out loud that they can be examined, debated, and understood. Discussion is how we undermine prejudice and ignorance.” 

Words—both spoken and written—are especially important to her. “Whether about class materials or just about life in general, I enjoyed the conversations with my teachers the most, as they gave me insights into this world.” Art and photography fed her creative side, while English was her favorite class. “As an international student, I thought I would never end up in an AP English course, but thanks to all of my English teachers’ encouragement and their brilliant ways of teaching, English has become one of my favorite subjects.” 

Seeing those stories come to life inspired Sabrina’s interest in theatre, where she worked in production for the musicals each year. “It’s just fascinating to see small parts of a musical—the acting, singing, dancing, setting, lighting, etc., all come together at the end and make up this complete show.” 

In fact, Sabrina’s passion for storytelling has framed her experience at Hun, both in her NextTerm selection (Storytelling), and in her extracurricular activities as an editor of The Edgerstounian and art editor for The Hun Review. 

She plans to harness that very passion next year when she attends USC’s Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism. 

Despite her great success and bright future, the ever-humble Sabrina is quick to credit her teachers with helping her along the way. “Without Ms. Collingham, I wouldn’t have become the photographer I am today. She constantly encouraged me to challenge myself and made me grow as an artist.” 

While Sabrina hopes to pursue a career in arts administration, it’s clear her story is only just beginning.