FAU is one of the most ethnically and racially diverse universities in the nation and prides itself on being a welcoming place for all students. Our next student, Kennedy, is a junior, multimedia journalism major. We’ll hear how she and other students are working to create a more inclusive FAU. Kennedy, you are on.
– Thanks Alex. Hey everyone. As a second generation owl, FAU has allowed me to learn more about myself and explore different leadership roles through their many clubs and organizations. FAU has over 400 clubs and organizations and if those don’t fit your interests, you can always start your own, which is what I did my freshman year. In March of 2020, I launched the Paradigm Press, FAU’s first black-led student newspaper. Paradigm Press highlights the minority population at FAU, interfacing sound board for students to express their thoughts on campus and world news. We are now a registered 501C3 organization and plan on raising money for incoming journalism students. Paradigm has allowed me to connect with tons of faculty and staff and has opened up many job and internship opportunities. As a journalism major, Paradigm has allowed me to gain real world journalism experience outside of the classroom. When I’m not running the Paradigm Press, I serve as the president of the Black Student Union. BSU focuses on educating the FAU community on black issues that are affecting students at FAU. We also work on networking and connecting students to form a family away from home. FAU also has resources like the office of Black Student Success and Initiatives and the Center for Ideas, which help organizations like the Black Student Union flourish. FAU’s rich diversity ensures that every student can find their niche. I have created life-long friends and connections that will prepare me for life after graduation. Thank you for letting me share my story, Alex. What do we have next?
– Excellent job, Kennedy. You are truly a trailblazer. It’s so important for students to have a voice and talk about their experiences in an authentic way. When it comes to diversity, FAU knows that exposure to differing life experiences and perspectives prepare students for a modern global marketplace. Thanks again.
Let’s hear more about the campus here at DelVal. Sarah is graduating this spring with a degree in counseling psychology and she’s gonna take us through this absolutely beautiful campus here at DelVal. Sarah, please take it away.
Thank you Alex. Hey everybody. I am so excited to show you around our campus here at Delaware Valley University with our small class sizes of a 13 to 1 student to professor ratio, you would never know that our campus sits on over 550 acres of the most picturesque land. If you include our two additional campuses that act as a living laboratory for students here on campus, we actually have over a thousand acres of land to our name.
Before touring this campus, I visited many different universities. This one was by far my favorite. I think that there’s something to be said, about having the small campus size, knowing the people that you walk by on the walkways, rather than just being another number. My favorite spot here at DelVal is Lake Archer. I love to come down and hang out with friends, listen to music or even just sit with my thoughts. I actually have a ton of pictures with that beautiful tree over there. It is the most beautiful scene in the springtime. There’s a gazebo at the lake that is extremely peaceful and has the most wonderful view.
Lake Archer is actually a part of our 40 acre arboretum on campus and houses alive laboratory of plans for our students to study. Our campus arboretum is a part of the Greater Philadelphia Gardens and the American Public Gardens Association. There are a ton of different buildings on campus that range from academics to barns. My favorite building on campus is the life science building which is actually our newest building on campus. It has tons of windows, which make it bright and cheery for those 8:00 AM classes.
As a woman soccer player here at DelVal, nothing beats the sun setting over my own practices or while I’m working the men’s lacrosse practice. Right above our turf field, we has a SEPTA regional railroad stop. This stop can take you to Baltimore, Washington DC, Philadelphia or even New York City. And although I’m not around the farms as much as I would like to be, I still like to walk down there and admire the beautiful animals. A funny story that I like to tell potential students here on campus is about Sparky the squirrel.
A few years ago a squirrel chewed through the power lines on campus and actually got electrocuted, taking out the power, right before a big basketball game here on campus. The class of 2018 got a memorial made for him that says the squirrel that searched for light, even through the darkest of times. This story went viral on Facebook and it went viral on Reddit and you can find Sparky’s Memorial, right outside of our Writing Center on campus. At this campus you can find anything from sports to a train station, to live animals. I bet that you haven’t been to a campus that can say the same. Back to you, Alex.
Poor Sparky. Thank Sarah. This campus is gorgeous. I love how this campus is surrounded by so much nature, yet so close to some big cities. Thanks again, Sarah.
We’re heading over to the greenhouses now to meet Wyatt, a junior majoring in crop science. The greenhouse is just one of the many hands-on learning facilities here at DelVal. Wyatt is gonna tell us how he first heard about DelVal and why it was the best choice for him. Wyatt, it’s all yours.
Thank you, Alex. And hello everybody, it’s nice to meet you. Now when I first started my college search, I did not even know DelVal was an option. As a high schooler interested in plants and plant sciences, I was only looking at much larger universities. I remember being at an Agricultural Student Organization called FFA and attending more summer conferences at another large university in Pennsylvania. And thinking to myself, “Wow, just look “at this massive wave of students”. And you can not help but feel lost in a sea of students.
So, I needed something different. I wanted to go to a university where I get a lot of hands-on experience and also stand out. So when my dad told me, “Hey, why don’t you check out Delaware Valley University ” for its agronomy program?”. I was like, “Sure, why not?”. And I booked myself a summer tour. The overall atmosphere of the campus made me feel comfortable. Like I could see myself here for four years. Like I could be an individual.
Learning about what DelVal had to offer from its hands-on learning experience to the credited E360 Program, to knowing that I could secure a merit scholarship of up to $25,000, made me feel like the university actually cared about me. It’s affordability let me worry not about my money, but let me focus on my academics and my social life. And ever since I stepped foot on campus, I do not regret any decision at all. Meeting so many new people from a broad range of majors. I feel like I’m able to truly expand my horizons and see what else is out there in the real world.
It is so easy to get involved on campus and become a leader. For me I serve as a resident assistant and as a RAMbassadors, where I get to do individual campus tours to new students and help them see what DelVal has to offer to them. Being a student at DelVal is an experience that gives you all the tools needed to thrive. And I believe if you are looking for a small school with a big experience, Delaware Valley is a perfect option for you. Back to you Alex.
Thanks, Wyatt. Great job. It is easy to see the advantages of a small school where you will not feel just like a number. And it sounds like you found your perfect home right here. Take care Wyatt.
Here’s senior music business major, Tangi, AKA T Star Verse, and Alejandra, a junior majoring in social media and digital strategy to explain how Manifest comes together.
– Thanks Alex. Hey, what’s y’all, it’s your girl Tandrea Hawkins, AKA T Star Verse, and I have the pleasure of experiencing Manifest both as a performer and a song competition winner.
– Alejandra Marroquin, I was the program making for student activities, which helps plan and produce the entire Manifest festival. How did you first learn about Manifest, Tangi?
– I discovered Manifest at freshman orientation. That’s also where I heard about the song competition. And once I arrived on campus as an eager freshmen, I literally started manifesting, no pun intended, that I would one day achieve just that. Fun fact, I was the first freshmen in Manifest history to perform on the main stage. But it didn’t all just happen because I manifested it. I got there by hosting and performing at open mics and student showcases all throughout the year. Those events give students the opportunity to network and showcase their talents to hundreds of students and faculty at a time.
– It would not be Manifest without the incredible performers like you. For me, there were many components that came with program making festival, from choosing the creative team to see how the weather was like the day of the festival. But the most important part of all of this, is that Manifest is entirely student produced. My job on the Manifest team was to figure out how to get students engaged through Manifest week. It can be a challenge to create and produce a student run festival, but I love being able to get my perspective of what Manifest should have. We all worked together to make sure that the chosen Manifest team extends to every facet of the event. This year, I was able to produce Manifests PR boxes, which were sent to students who signed up to the Manifest ambassadors, kinda like influencers. Their job was to promote Manifest and get others excited to participate and attend. Manifest brings out the best in student work. It’s a huge public platform to showcase your self, however you want. You’ll hear so many stories about the way students contribute to Manifest. I know T Star Verse got her moment in the Manifest spotlight.
– And lemme tell you being in that spotlight was everything. By the time I was a senior, I knew I wanted to create the winning Manifest song, and my submission won. The school wanted to use my song “Levitate”, off of my debut album, “Balance”. And since we couldn’t create an in-person concert, I created a virtual concert video featuring some of my other songs as well. The opportunity was huge for me. I was able to have full creative control in the process, but we only have one week to put it all together. So I called on a lot of my friends from Columbia across their music, fashion, dance, and film departments to help me bring my vision to life. That’s why having friends with students across different majors is crucial, you never know when you’ll need them. Our team of staff, students and alumni helped me put together a beautiful masterpiece that will forever stand out in my portfolio. Alejandra, your Manifest work is a beautiful addition to your portfolio too. What’s better than students taken over an arts festival, getting experience while doing it, and making it their own. Thank you for listening. What’s next, Alex?
– I am absolutely speechless. Columbia students sure know how to deliver. I’m manifesting my invitation to the next one so I can see it for myself. That was awesome. Okay, everyone, I wanna thank these students for showing us around and giving the inside scoop on Columbia College, Chicago. This place is amazing. The distinctive urban environment, the unique people and the infinite inspirations waiting around every corner. Columbia students jump at the chance to own their craft, big deeper into their career and pursue their passions, all within a supportive community that gives them the human connections they need to thrive. If you’re looking for a school in a world-class city full of grit, color, and plenty of interesting people, be sure to add Columbia College, Chicago, to your list. That’s it for me. I’ll pass it off to Colombia’s President, Dr. Kwang‑Wu Kim to sign off on this episode. Thanks again, everybody. Take care.
Next up we have Haven and this is gonna be exciting. We’re gonna head out to the Bowers Field and the aviation training center where Haven takes most of her classes. Haven came all the way from Hawaii, to join the professional pilot program. Central’s department of aviation, offers the only professional pilot bachelor’s degree, in the Pacific Northwest. Tell us more about it Haven.
– Thanks for the introduction, Alex. I always knew I wanted to go to college after high school, but it wasn’t until my junior year, when I chose to pursue a career in aviation. Central Washington university, is the only fully accredited public university aviation program in the Pacific Northwest. Which means I can earn all my licenses, and ratings as well as my degree in one place. It’s the best of both worlds. Aviation is one of Central’s most popular programs. People from across the country come to Ellensburg to tour Bowers Field airport, where flight operations take place to see what all the buzz is about. Whether you’re a first year, or fourth year, all aviation students are welcome to make use of the many training tools, including utilizing flight training devices and flying one of our new Piper Archer aircraft in our fleet. On top of that, Central also hosts multiple events with airline companies, and guest speakers in the field throughout the year. This gives students like me a chance to make connections, and gain honest perspectives about the industry. I’m from Hawaii, and I was hesitant about going so far away from home to earn my degree. But I was able to immerse myself into the program right from the beginning, which is a big reason why I chose to stay, and continue in the four year program. And I’m glad that I did. I was flying within my first couple of weeks here at Central and still today entering my senior year friends and family back home are amazed by the amount of hands on opportunities I’ve experienced over the years. Central’s aviation program has prepared me in more ways than I could have hoped. The hands on experiences in the aircraft, the flight simulators, in the classroom with my peers, and the exposure to individuals in the industry have all shaped me into the pilot that I am today. That’s all for me. Thanks Alex.
– Thank you Haven. CWU has a stellar reputation for preparing students for the demands of the aviation industry. I know your time in the program, is gonna prepare you to be an amazing pilot. Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to be on one of your flights someday. All right, keep up the good work Haven.
Up next We’ll meet Nenay, at the Student Union and Recreation Center. Best known as the SURC. This popular hangout is where students eat, shop and work out. You’ll also find the Burg radio station, and a movie theater. A recent grad, Nenay created an awesome student project in this building that people still talk about to this day. Tell us about it Nenay.
– Well, Thank you, Alex. Hello everyone. When I first came to Central in the fall of 2013, I had many of the first year jitters. Moving to college can seem a bit scary. I was trying to make new friends, all while still trying to figure out who I was. I chose to get involved, and found community on campus. I worked for the Asia University America program, leadership and community engagement, and for orientation and transition programs. One role that defined my time as a student, was being the creative director of the CWU flash mob. This project focused on the inclusivity, and diversity that CWU student body is known for, while also showcasing what it means to be a part of the Wildcat family. It was here during these moments where I experienced community I never knew I could taste. The performance helped recognize CWU for its community, and Central received the higher education excellence, and diversity award. CWU has a commitment to increase its diversity on campus, and works constantly to create a culture of inclusion for its students, employees, and community It serves. As I graduated, I felt like I had found myself. But only because of my time here, and the friends I made along the way. Never was there a time, where I felt unwelcome at Central. Constantly throughout my time as a student, And now as a professional staff member, I feel welcomed and at home. You may not know what you want to do, or who you want to be, but CWU will help you cover the possibilities of tomorrow, and turn them into dreams that have yet to be realized. It’s part of what brought me back to work professionally, and welcome new students as they take their first steps into the Wildcat family. Most importantly, I get to tell them that they belong here. Now, back to you, Alex.
– Nenay, you’ve certainly made a mark on the Wildcat community. Thanks for taking the time to share your story about your time here as a student, and what it means to be part of the Wildcat family. It’s an amazing feeling when you know, you found a place where you belong. Keep up the good work.
Okay, everyone. I guarantee you’re gonna love this next story and this next ETSU alumna. We’re heading just off campus to Tannery Knobs Bike Park to meet Kayla Carter. She is not only passionate about her time here at ETSU but also Johnson City and the outdoors. Y’all need to come visit this place real soon. This part of the Appalachian mountains is beautiful. Kayla’s going to tell the story of why this is the best place to go to school. Kayla, please take it away.
– Thanks Alex. Hey, y’all. I’m really proud of my education from ETSU and I like to visit campus from time to time so that I can reconnect with all the awesome memories I made there. Fun fact, it’s where I met the love of my life. Now we are working on building a home and a farm right here in Johnson City. I graduated from ETSU in 2011 and now I serve as the region’s outdoor development manager. It’s a very rewarding job because I get to give back to the beautiful Southern Appalachian landscape and community that I’ve lived in my whole life. Here the people are as sweet as their tea. Oh, and traffic, it’s hardly an issue. In the spring I’m ready to hop on my paddleboard and check out our pristine mountain lakes. In the summer my hiking boots and mountain bike never get a break. In the fall, that’s my favorite weather for camping and I really love watching the leaves change colors. As for winter snowboarding and skiing at Sugar and Beech Mountain is where it’s at. We know how to work hard around here but we also know how to balance it out by kicking back and having fun. It seems I’m always being invited to try some new place to eat or have drinks with friends. And every weekend there’s a free event or festival to go to. I really enjoyed Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion because they bring in world renowned country music artists. We’re home to the International Storytelling Center, The Birthplace of Country Music, Bristol Motor Speedway and we have more than 200 miles of the Appalachian trail. My husband and I really love the fact that we can hop in the car and take a scenic drive and be an Asheville, Knoxville or Roanoke for a day trip. Really though, we don’t need to go far. There are several historic mountain towns around here to explore. We’re always looking for something new to learn about Northeast Tennessee, because even us locals haven’t discovered at all. And another helpful hint, make sure you check out all the farmer’s markets in the area because they are a taste of what makes each town unique. My favorite downtown is Johnson City which is where I work now. And I’ve really enjoyed watching Johnson City grow since I graduated and it just keeps getting better and better. Fly fisher’s know us for our trophy trout section on the Watauga. Adrenaline junkies know us for our world-class whitewater on the Nolichucky. And the world knows us for as Southern hospitality. I hope that you’ll come to learn these things about us and more. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to my story. And now I sincerely hope that you’ll consider making Northeast Tennessee and East Tennessee State University, a part of yours. All right, back to you, Alex.
– Kayla, that was amazing. And so is that view. Johnson City is awesome. I love it. What a special place to go to college. Thank you for giving us a sneak peek into all the area has to offer in terms of the outdoor activities, festivals and more. Cheers Kayla.
Here at DelVal, all students get hands-on experience in their field of study in year one. Let’s go meet Jamie. She’s a junior majoring in agricultural education and she’s gonna tell us about DelVal’s, award-winning experiential learning program called E360. This is not just another internship program. There’s a lot more to it, Jamie.
Thanks Alex. Hey everyone. What if I told you that 100% of students at DelVal have gained real-world experience in their career field before graduation? Yep, that’s right. This is achieved through our experiential education, also known as our E360 Program. This innovative program integrates classroom knowledge with real-world experience individualized to your major. Between internships, study abroad programs, student research, community service and so much more. E360 allows you to choose an exciting and educational experience perfect for you.
As an education major my E360 requirements, are fulfilled through my student teaching semester in my senior year and through various hours of field experience during my time as student here. Our Center for Student Professional Development, also known as our CSPD, has an accessible website that allowed me to explore internships and secure three jobs during my time as a student here. And through the CSPD website, I could contact and apply directly to the employers.
I had the opportunity to intern at a nursery and a wildflower preserve, building my knowledge in horticulture and growing my portfolio for when I enter the classroom one day. I even traveled to South Africa to immerse myself in their culture and learn more about their Agricultural Industry. Our E360 Program was named the 2019 Outstanding Experiential Education Program by the National Society for Experiential Education. And data collected by the class of 2019, we had a 94% graduate success rate. 79% of these students secured a job upon graduation. And 15% of these students went on to continue their education. This high success rate is a result of our impactful E360 Program.
Although I would love to tell you more about the benefits of our experiential learning program for students, there’s so much more to love about DelVal and I wouldn’t want you to miss out. Let’s throw it back to Alex to learn more about what this amazing university has to offer. Back to you, Alex.
Great description, Jamie. No wonder DelVal grads are so successful at getting jobs or going on to graduate school. Thank you for sharing your story. That was fantastic. Cheers Jamie.
Now, let’s head over and meet Anthony. He’s been passionate about animals since he was a kid. When he heard about DelVal’s hands-on philosophy and the great success rate of DelVal’s grad succeeding in veterinarian school, he knew this was the place for him. Anthony, you’re on.
What’s up guys. I know what you’re thinking. What’s this good story? Well, truth is I don’t got much of one. I was born and raised in a small town of Lititz, Pennsylvania and I lived the very average life. It wasn’t until I turned on the TV and switched over to Animal Planet and saw this extremely passionate man doing what he loved. And this man was Steve Irwin. His passion for animals was truly inspirational and I caught his passion like someone would catch the common cold. So, when I was looking for colleges, I needed one that would help me become the best version of myself and help my dreams become a reality. And let me tell you, DelVal was that school.
During my freshman year, I was super eager to take advantage of all the clubs and organizations on campus. And it was kind of easy considering that there are over 70 plus options to choose from. So, I decided to join the Pre-Vet Club and the Student Government Board, were I would become heavily involved over the next two years with the Pre-Vet Club, we are constantly inviting guest speakers, such as vet schools and alumni to talk about internships and opportunities. With the Pre-Vet Club, we are super hands-on and we teach a lot of valuable skills such as dissections and blood drawing. Also, the Pre-Vet Club has a lot of connections all across the world. For example, next summer I will be traveling to Australia and working with the local wildlife and veterinarians there.
Fast forward another year to my senior year. And I’ll be working in Indonesia as a research assistant with aquatic wildlife, which is something that I wanna specialize in as a vet. But the Pre-Vet Club also helps a lot of my classes on campus. For example, in my intro to animal science class, we had to and draw blood on mice. But luckily I had some friends in the Pre-Vet Club that could help me out with that. And during my freshman year, I was already working with animals, which is something extremely unique to DelVal.
With the Student Government Board, I am the treasurer and I’m also the class president of 2023. And my favorite part about Student Government Board is the yearly trip that we take to the National Students Government Board Association. Last year, we went to New Orleans and let me tell you it was an absolute blast. And I took away a lot of valuable experiences that will help me with all my executive positions on campus. Not only that, but I also attended LeaderShape last year and out of everything on campus that I’ve done, LeaderShape has been by far the most impactful. When I came back from LeaderShape, I learned a lot about my leadership style, how to inspire others to be leaders and how to push myself to become the best version of myself.
And then when we all came back to campus, we had 50 new and experienced leaders to help run all of our clubs and organizations. This is how DelVal creates a culture of leaders. As you can see I love DelVal and I know you’ll flip for it too. Back to you, Alex.
I love your story Anthony, you can see how the hands-on opportunities you are getting here at DelVal are preparing you to follow your passion for working with animals. And it is incredible to see how many cool and interesting fields of study there are here. See you later, Anthony.
It’s heartening to hear that Columbia meet students where they are. creating an individualized experience to make sure everyone can participate in their education. Now that’s a beautiful thing. Columbia is proud to call Chicago home, but some students have west coast aspirations. For them Columbia offers semester in LA, where students are immersed in the entertainment industry with classes on a studio lot in the heart of Hollywood. Here to tell us more is Alexis. A 2019 graduate who spent a semester in the LA program. Take it away, Alexis.
– Hey everyone. I graduated from Columbia’s film program in 2019. I chose Columbia because I wanted a world-class media education that would help me get my foot in the door. The environment at Columbia really puts you in a place to succeed, and it gives you the tools to help you fuel your own natural creativity. This semester in LA program was really the tipping point for me in choosing to go here. They said you to Los Angeles for a semester, and you’re taught coursework by the industry’s top leaders and creators as well as interning for some of the best companies in the world. Once you graduate, you’re ready to go out in the workplace and already have valuable connections and networking in Hollywood. During my time in the semester in LA program, I was interning and studying full-time while working a part-time job. It was incredibly challenging, but also really rewarding. I was able to take everything that I learned in the classroom and take it directly to the workplace. It was really hard, not gonna lie, but I was surrounded by other Columbia students while I was there. We were resources for each other and giving tips and tricks on different PA jobs, Hollywood networking events, film screenings, and just surviving life in Los Angeles. Now I work as an Executive Assistant at Snapchat on the Creative Strategy team. Our team partners with world-class advertisers on bringing new and relevant content to the platform. I really love that it’s exciting, fast paced and constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with augmented reality. Columbia helped me get there by pushing me outside of my element, as well as giving me opportunities to network, pitch, and work with some top talent as well as mentoring me and giving me career advice in which direction I wanna go. Alex, back to you.
– Wow, Alexis. I know there are great things ahead for you and other Columbia alumni in California and across the country. It sounds like you snapped up the opportunity to build your career in Los Angeles, and that is amazing. Take care. At Columbia diversity and inclusion, aren’t just about numbers. Columbia is doing the work to take institutional action that acknowledges our nation’s history