Dinah Sbelgio Kinard

Dinah Sbelgio Kinard works with students from Northern California, Southern California (Los Angeles area) and New Mexico. Here she shares her thoughts on Austin, Texas, and gives advice to students applying to St. Edward's University.

What’s your favorite restaurant near campus?

I love good food, and there are literally dozens of places within a few minutes’ walk or drive from campus that are among the best places to eat in the country. I think my absolute favorite, though, is the long-time Austin standby, Magnolia Café. It is open 24 hours a day and offers a diverse menu of dishes that are made with fresh ingredients and also satisfy food cravings or the need for comfort food. Magnolia Café is like most Austin restaurants that cater to vegetarians — there are many options and you aren’t relegated to just choose a veggie burger or salad.

What’s your favorite part of an application to read? 

I like to read the responses to the question “How did you become familiar with St. Edward’s University, and why are you applying?” I love to learn why a student is drawn to us and what their journey to get to this point of the application process has been like for them. The responses to that question also help me discern which students may be the best fit for the university.

What advice would you offer to potential applicants or to high school underclassmen?

If you are seriously considering applying to a particular college, visit in person to make sure that your prior knowledge and assumptions are valid and to get a sense of the university that is impossible to convey through websites or brochures. It is better to invest as much time as you can during the “front end” of your college search — narrowing down your college list to those campuses that you really can see yourself at and feel right to you — rather than applying to a dozen or more places and then having to hurriedly make an enrollment decision in the spring. I encourage everyone considering applying to St. Edward’s to come visit the hilltop in person, either for an event or an individual visit. We would love to meet you and help you understand if St. Edward’s is a good fit for you.

Contact

Email Dinah Kinard or call 512-448-8505.

Dinah Sbelgio Kinard