Next, we’re heading to meet Tyler Gleason. Tyler is a junior theater education major here at Fort Lewis College and is going to give you an overview of this college’s location here in Durango, Colorado, which let me tell you is absolutely amazing. It’s an incredible mountain town. You’re gonna wanna watch this. Tyler, you’re on, take it away.
Hello, everyone, bienvenidos. Welcome to Durango, Colorado. We are located in the Southwest part of Colorado, also known as the Four Corners. The Four Corners are where New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado state corners meet. We have a lot to offer here in Durango. We have breathtaking views, restaurants, coffee shops, stores, food trucks and a diverse community that welcomes and accepts us, college students, and encourages us every single day.
One of the most well-known attractions in our town is the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This train brings so many tourists from all over the country to our small little town. The train takes passengers from our town to the neighboring city of Silverton. Durango is a quaint mountain town that was established in 1880 and has evolved since then, from being a gold and silver mining town into now what is known as a college town.
From here in the Animas River Valley to the 14,000 foot San Juan peaks, we have direct access to Colorado’s largest wilderness area. That’s why I like to call Durango a bucket list mountain town. Durango has year round festivals because we like to get outside and have fun. This includes a taste of Durango, a foodie’s dream, Durango PlayFest, the Celtic Festival and Durango Bluegrass Meltdown and Snowdown. Snowdown is our wild and entertaining festival where everyone in the town gets dressed up and competes in crazy competitions.
If you like that small mountain town film, I don’t have a better place for you. Speaking from experience, when your college is located in Durango, Colorado, all your friends and family will want to come visit you. It’s a very special place. All right, that’s enough for me, back to you, Alex.
Tyler, great job. Thank you for that. You’re a hundred percent right. Durango is truly a special place. Thanks again, cheers, Tyler.
Okay, everyone, next, we’re gonna go meet Sadie Wendt. She’s a senior and transfer student and she is incredible. And we couldn’t be more excited to have her talk about academics here at Fort Lewis. Hey Sadie, you’re on, take it away.
Hello, everyone. I am so excited to be here to talk to you all about academics here at Fort Lewis that I have found incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. There are many opportunities within the majors and programs to find your home.
There are over 50 majors to choose from, as well as minors, concentrations and certificates that you can combine to make your own. Fort Lewis offers programs in arts and humanities, science, business and education. For example, I’m a theater performance major here, but I have been involved in the music department and I’ve recently taken an interest in the education classes and programs we have here on campus.
The faculty at Fort Lewis have been incredibly welcoming and personable and I have been able to connect and make relationships with professors. Honestly, that’s something I didn’t have at my last college and something I really appreciate about Fort Lewis. The best part is the small class sizes. You really get to know your professors and your classmates. Fort Lewis’ curriculum is very engaging and I love that we as students get to experience our areas of study hands-on. We’re not just sitting in a lecture listening, we’re going out and doing.
Depending on your major, that could be teaching in a local elementary school or doing your own research in a lab. For me, it’s performing on a stage. Overall, Fort Lewis has been one of the best academic decisions that I’ve made in my life to help prepare me and support me for my future, especially the hands-on learning experience. I hope you’ve learned a little bit about the academics here at Fort Lewis. I’ve had so much fun. Back to you, Alex.
Sadie, thank you, great job. That was awesome to learn more about the academics through your personal perspective and experiences. That was great, thanks again. Bye, Sadie.
All right, everyone. Next, we’re heading to the Olin Quad where students dive deep into the university’s many engineering, and science programs. Here, we have Giulio Cristello waiting for us. A graduate of Florida Tech’s most popular major, aerospace engineering. And a current, system engineering master’s student. He’s going to talk to us about all the amazing hands-on projects Florida Tech students get to take part in. Giulio, You’re on.
Thanks, Alex. I got my start as an aerospace engineering student at Florida Tech. And now, I’m here as an alumnus pursuing my master’s degree in systems engineering. If there’s one thing you need to know about this university, is that Florida Tech, and hands-on experience, go hand in hand. Our engineering program simulates students in all sorts of environments. From the earth with civil engineering, to the with software and computer engineering. From the water with ocean engineering, to air and space with aerospace engineering. Even the human body gets worked on by biomedical engineers. We build cars, robots, rockets, aircraft, and even 3D printed body parts. And since most of the programs extend up to doctoral levels, we have access to faculty, and graduate students who are working on some really cutting edge projects.
If you choose to be an engineer like me, you start in your major of choice from day one. This means you get to put project experience on your resume, as a freshman. And that’s just the beginning. Every semester you’ll find yourself in a lab course where you learn how to put into practice the concepts you learned in class. Then of course, come senior design. Every engineering major is required to complete a senior design capstone project. Senior design is where you get to put to the test everything you’ve learned over the years. And most of this happens at the L3Harris Student Design Center.
My senior design, was called the Mars Aerial Survey System, and it was a pneumatic drone launcher for rollers on the surface of Mars. The idea behind the project is that, in the Martian atmosphere, drones would use most of their energy just in the takeoff section of their flight. So my team and I thought, instead of making the drone take off, why don’t we launch it using a piston? My teammates and I spent months coding, soldering, assembling, and testing at our bench. The hours spent learning how to manufacture parts at the machine shop, and learning how to make 3D models using CAD software, were some of the most challenging, but also most rewarding hours of my life as an undergraduate at Florida Tech.
This project, alongside all the other senior design teams during the annual Northrop Grumman Engineering and Science Student Design Showcase, was incredible. It allowed us to make incredible connections with lead engineers at Kennedy Space Center, and even Professor Andrew Aldrin, the son of famous moonwalker, Buzz Aldrin, who runs the Aldrin Space Institute at Florida Tech. As a result, almost everyone on the team graduated with a signed job contract in their hands. The presentations, the team dinners, and the tests I’ve conducted with my friends, are memories I will treasure forever.
When I first started college, I would not have imagined I would have learned so much. I receive a lot of positive feedback from recruiters because of Florida Tech. I’m not only learning those engineering and communication skills that make us stand out, but also how to enjoy my work, while working towards my dreams. Back to you, Alex.
Giulio, thank you. Great job. What you’re all getting to work on in the world of engineering, is awesome. Thanks again. Cheers, Giulio.
Next, we’re going over to the Panther Aquatic Center here on campus. Here, we’re going to meet Gennaro Zappariello, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, and also a star on Florida Tech’s rowing team. Gennaro is going to walk us through athletics here at Florida tech, and explain what panther pride is all about. Gennaro, you’re on, take it away.
Thanks, Alex. I’m here to talk about Panther Pride, and athletics. You know, it wasn’t too long ago where I was a high school athlete, thinking about taking my last strokes as an athlete. A quick email I sent to Coach Granger over the summer, rekindled my passion and love for rowing, and pushed me to pursue competing at a higher level.
This story is not uncommon at Florida Tech. A lot of our student athletes here are walk-ons to novices, and everybody’s experience is valued. Participating in collegian sports has allowed me to meet people from all over the world. I have teammates from Lithuania, Greece, and even some from right here in Melbourne. We’re a diverse group here who come together collectively to represent the Panthers. So what’s being an athlete at Florida Tech all about? As a mechanical engineering student, I’ve mastered the balancing act of a rigorous course load, and being a collegian athlete. It’s not easy, but without self-discipline, success is impossible.
For me, and a large group of students here on campus, our days begin before 6:00 a.m. It’s a great opportunity to get practice in before class, and it allows us to catch every sunrise here on the Space Coast. After practice, it’s typically a protein shake, or six eggs, Rocky style, and then it’s off to a full day’s worth of classes. I get asked a lot, “Gennaro, when do you have time to study, “or do some homework?” And I always respond with, “Your teammates are there for you, not just in competition, “they’re there for you in the classroom as well.” This is why the athletic experience at Florida Tech is like no other.
We get to excel as NCAA Division II athletes, and as students. And while I’m a little bit partial to rowing, I can confidently say among our 19 varsity sports, the other students can attest to this as well. While we’re putting in work at practice to make those three pointers, home runs, and goals, come game time, we’re also putting in the work in the classroom for when it’s game times in our career. At Florida Tech, I like to say, “You’re not an athletic student, “you’re rather a student athlete.” That’s all for me, Alex. I got to get back to practice, back to you.
Gennaro, that was great. Awesome job. Thank you for bringing us into the world of Florida Tech’s student athletes. It’s super impressive how you and your fellow panthers, balance competitive sports with extreme academics. Thanks again, that was great. Cheers, Gennaro.
Next, we’re heading over to meet Ethan Vlchek, a six foot, four, 295 pound offensive lineman and captain of the football team, who’s gonna tell us what Fort Lewis Athletics is all about. Ethan, you’re on.
What’s up, everyone. I’m here to tell you all about Fort Lewis Athletics and what we’re all about here. Now, what I’m about to say, a lot of other athletes have said before, but here it is a fact. Every single athlete here that plays at Fort Lewis College knows that there’s something special going on here. From the beautiful scenery at practice to the preparation before game day, to every single person in those stands watching us compete day in and day out and I can guarantee you, there is nothing better than when it’s crunch time and it’s all on the line.
Fourth and one on the goal, tied matching volleyball on the last set and those cyclists and runners going through the end, there is no better feeling than putting the team on our back and coming in clutch. For those of you that are curious about all the little details, Fort Lewis College is a Division II school in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference or the RMAC for short. We play teams all over the Midwest, Adams State university, Chadron State, Colorado School of Mines and New Mexico Highlands just to name a few. The only team that operates a little bit outside the RMAC is our cycling team. They compete in the USA Division I program and they have a ton of championships to boot ’cause we’re that good.
Now, in the day to day, I’ma be real with you. It gets pretty tough being a student athlete here. The way it was put to me was growing up, you now have two jobs. You are a full-time student and a full-time athlete and you gotta find a way to make it work. And they weren’t kidding about that either. So, a lot of these people come in thinking they’re gonna be great and amazing. And then, they get hit by a truck the first time that they go through with it. But if you’re like me, it’s a blessing in disguise. A lot of us figure out who we are as a person, what we wanna do and what we can figure out in the classroom as well.
Now, when I first came home from my first semester of being a football player, my folks didn’t even recognize me. When I left, I’d struggled with my weight, my time management and I could barely communicate in severe fashion to anybody. But then when I came back, I figured it all out. I dropped 20 pounds, I was able to manage my time properly and I was able to say what I really thought to my parents. It was kinda funny ’cause they looked at me and they just went, “Where’s Ethan and what did you do with him?” I know what some of you guys are thinking, this is great and all, but I’m not a student athlete. This next little bit is just for you.
There are tons of things that you can do to help support your student athletes, such as going to the games, get fired up for those rallies. Every single athlete loves having you. We all want you to be there every single time we compete. And I’m gonna be honest, in the stands, it is an absolute blast. Every chance I get, I go to a basketball game, a volleyball game or another type of athletic event and it is no doubt some of the most fun I’ve had in college. There’s always gonna be something to do from an athletic standpoint so you can always support your Skyhawks. And that’s Fort Lewis Athletics in a nutshell. Go Skyhawks, talons up. Back to you, Alex.
Ethan, your energy and excitement for athletics at the Fort here is contagious. Great job. I wanna go back to college and play sports right here. That was awesome, thanks again.
All right everyone, now we’re gonna go head over and see where Panthers live, and meet Delaney. She lives and works on campus while studying neuroscience based life coaching. Delaney can’t wait to tell you about all the opportunities to get involved at FIU. You’ll need some coffee or cafecito as they call it around here to keep up with her and her fellow Panthers. Take it away Delaney.
Thanks Alex, and hey everybody, my name is Delaney Dockstader. I’m gonna do the best I can to give you a true look inside the FIU culture. Here we’re all about diversity, hence our name Florida International University. Our campuses have students and professors from all over the world. Just imagine where you can learn outside of the classroom, just by getting involved on campus. That’s why it’s so important to get yourself out there and get going on professional relationships and start finding your lifelong friends, because those are gonna be the people that suit you best for your future. Your drive to connect with people on top of your academic devotion, will set you up for the greatest thing success can bring. So I encourage you, but really I challenge you to get the heck out there, go to the pool, go play some volleyball with your friends, ask professors to have lunch with you, and don’t ever forget about having fun. Head over to the recreation center because when you do visit, you’re gonna see why it’s everyone’s favorite place on campus. We have all sorts of activities from Kendo, to badminton, fencing, to archery, to special Olympics practices, we have it all go get in on that. Now lemme tell you a little bit about what I do every morning. Do my federal work study job, I’m an assistant athletic trainer. And when I first started I’d stay hours after work every day getting the therapies down. The why, the when, the how, the who should and shouldn’t receive the treatment. Fast forward a couple of months and here I am administering all sorts of therapies from cryotherapy to cupping, to electrical stimulation, to compression units on a daily basis. These are the types of experiences you gain here from FIU. And trust me strive for those internships in research labs, because our school is classified as R1 by Carnegie, which means it has some of the highest research activity in community engagement in the country. Right now I’m applying for my second round to the neurocircuitry in cognition lab here on campus. And I am so excited to connect with the researchers, and stay tuned because big things are happening and I can’t wait to see you here doing your thing too. So peace out, go Panthers and back to you Alex.
Wow, this is definitely a vibrant university for a vibrant city. Thank you Delaney, it’s great to see you bring that energy to the research lab, take care.
Okay, we have one final stop on our tour, the world time performing arts center, we’re theater majors present for full-scale productions per season, and we’re music majors participate in more than 150 performances during the concert season. Shadya is there and she will tell us more about the FIU artsy. She said theater major on the performance track, and now she’s gonna take it away.
Thanks Alex, and hello everyone. I’m a Miami girl born and raised, so FIU was always a school I heard great things about. What I didn’t know until I got here though, were how many opportunities there for actors. It’s extremely important to be exposed to all aspects of theater both on and off stage. We’re offered courses where we get hands on experience, building set pieces, props, costumes, designing lights and sound, and so much more. Our BFA designers have the chance to do internships over the summer in different states with different theaters where they can expand their network and build their portfolio. My favorite part of the year was being able to participate in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. There are my cast and I got to perform in front of hundreds of theater people, do workshops and make amazing connections. There’s also every couple of years, our London study abroad, where you get to travel and immerse yourself in Shakespeare. If you’d rather stay close to home, we do about four productions a year with countless experiences in between. I graduated with five productions under my belt. Right across from theater is the concert hall where I’m standing. The school of music performs here and practices in dedicated music rooms in the back. There are masterclasses throughout the year that are taught from international musicians and scholars. Then there are concerts where you get to show what you’ve learned. If an instrument isn’t calling to you, but sharing music still is, there’s a music business certification. Here you learn how to succeed in the music industry from a business production aspect of it. There’s even a full on recording studio where you get to put your knowledge to the test. If the performing arts aren’t really your scene, there’s a Ratcliffe Art and Design Incubator. There the faculty can teach you about art and history, 3D design and 3D printing, developing alternate solutions to social and commercial challenges, small business coaching, and so much more. There’s onsite studios and mentors there to help guide you throughout the way. FIU doesn’t just want you to succeed they want you to thrive and enjoy the journey along the way, and I know I have. Thanks for joining me, and now it’s back to you Alex.
Great job Shadya, lovers of the arts certainly have plenty to do and learn at FIU. Thank you for sharing your story that was awesome, take care.
Next, we’re gonna head over to the simulation teaching and research center at the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences and meet Carlos. He’s a recent grad and critical care nurse who is on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, from flight paramedic to real triumphs nursing grad, Carlos never strayed from his mission, saving lives. Let’s learn more about his story, Carlos.
Thanks Alex, hi everyone and welcome to FIU. Coming to this university has always been a dream ever since I was in high school. And lemme tell you a story how everything started. I grew up with my uncle he was a surgeon, and I remember how much I loved listening to his stories about his work at the hospital. It was at that moment when I knew that medicine and caring for people was the path to follow. I work two jobs while attending to nursing school. One as a flight paramedic, the other for the emergency medical system. When I graduated from nursing school, my dream became a reality. I was accepted to the FIU online program. FIU nursing doctoral program is one of the top 40 in the United States according to the US News and World Report and now we here. In our 20,000 square foot Simulation Teaching and Research Center known as STAR center, it feels like you’re walking into a fully operational clinic and hospital. From a prescribing station, to a 15 bed critical care unit, from primary care clinic offices, to operating room equipped with surgical instrument, the STAR Center gives student a real world, acute and primary health care experience without having to leave the hospital. From the first day I stepped into an operating room, I knew the anesthesia was the path to follow. FIU has one of the top five anesthesia program in the State of Florida. Becoming a nurse anesthetist would be the peak in my academic acumen. I graduated with honors and I was nominated as a realtime student. All my accomplishment were possible because of the incredible staff and nursing professor that were there for me since day one. Today I work as a critical care nurse. Now more than ever, I know that becoming a nurse was the best choice I ever made. Thanks to FIU for helping me become a better professional, and for this opportunity to show my appreciation in such an amazing show like The College Tour. Now back to you Alex, I’m going back to save life and help all those in need.
Awesome, Panther’s got grit does it get any cooler than flight paramedic? I thank you Carlos for your hard work, we are grateful to have nurses like you on the front lines, take care.
Now let’s meet Rahul, a native of India, he is an alumnus who just graduated with a degree in computer science and minors in mathematics and physics. Like many FIU students, Rahul had the opportunity to conduct undergraduate research. He focused on AI and he’s gonna tell us more about his work as well as all the extracurricular activities he enjoyed as a student. Take it away or Rahul.
Hi everyone, I still remember my first year at FIU coming from the other side of the world, my transitioning to the US was made smooth with the friends I made while living on campus at Panther hall. To pay it forward I became a resident assistant at Parkview Hall, which was the defining part of my FIU experience. As an RA, I assisted first year honors students to navigate FIU and develop meaningful friendships. One of the best parts about living on campus is that you can be involved right outside your room. I organized the first annual involvement fair for honors students living on campus. And in my junior year, I became the homecoming prince and attended several parades around Miami, representing FIU and meeting the local community. FIU is an emerging preeminent research university, which means it has a huge focus on academic research. As an undergraduate student, I had the chance to work on cutting edge artificial intelligence research at the cognac lab at Dr. Mark Finlayson. The faculty and staff at FIU are committed to the success of their students. My academic advisor gives me a chance to help my peers, by tutoring computer science courses through the academic success initiative. What started as a part-time tutoring job became an opportunity to gain leadership skills. But only did I lead a team of 20 tutors, the ability to have so many fellow students was immensely rewarding. FIU puts an equal emphasis on student involvement, which I saw early on at tabling events in the Graham center. My involvement with various student organizations shaped the way I perceived college. To pursue my passion for music, I joined university of the singers and perform at concerts at the school of music in downtown Miami. This was a dream come true, as I never thought I would be able to do all that while studying computer science. The college of engineering and computing is as real as it gets, put hands on activities like building race cars with Panther Motorsports, and participating in Shell Hacks, Florida’s largest hackathon, student organizations like Upsilon Pi Epsilon and driving the Miami tech movement. I benefited greatly from the practical learning programs, exploitive they recruited an app for the local community and CS4s where we taught elementary school students how to code. One of the best things about FIU is that you can get a world-class education at the same time as having fun. Today I’m a data scientist at Dell technologies, and this wouldn’t have been possible without the amazing experience I had during my time at FIU. That’s my story, what’s next Alex?
Great job Rahul, you really kept busy as an undergrad from working in AI, in the lab, to homecoming prince, I can’t think of a better college experience, and congrats on your new job at Dell we can’t wait to see what you accomplish, take care.
Next let’s go talk to Brian, who is an active duty military officer studying law. The military holds a special place on FIUs campus. The office of Veteran and Military Affairs is headquartered in the oldest and most cherished building on campus. A former airport tower where the university got its start, when it was founded on an abandoned airfield. Nearby is the Felsberg Veterans Plaza which pays tribute to FIU veterans. It is named after FIU alumnus Paul Michael Felsberg, who died in 2004 while serving with the US Marine Corps in Iraq. Brian, you’re on.
Thanks Alex, hi everyone, my name’s Brian Hernandez and I’m a third year evening law student here at FIU college of law and I’m also an active duty military officer. After serving over 20 years in the army I decided to finally pursue my lifetime goal of going to law school. I knew it’d be challenging being an evening student while balancing being a soldier, a father and a husband. Over the past three years I’ve had the opportunity to meet a great group of fellow law students, with similar situations like mine all juggling a thousand things just so they can pursue their dream of being a lawyer. And thanks to the great support here at FIU law, and each other, we can make those dreams a reality. Now lemme tell you a couple of great things about FIU law. First it South Florida’s only public law school and it’s in the top 50 public law schools in the entire country. This is because of its outstanding faculty, its rigorous academic program and its dedication to make sure that students are prepared to pass the bar exam and graduation. One way that FIU prepares its students to become lawyers is through its various experienced learning programs such as our immigration clinic and our community law clinic. These clinics provide students the opportunity to get hands on experience working with attorneys with real clients on real world legal issues. Additionally, the school has a community law clinic which provides general legal assistance and teaches students how to be able to advocate on behalf of clients in areas that have limited means to be able to get the right legal assistance. But one reason why I’m proud to be part of FIU is how supportive the university, the faculty, and the students are for those of us in uniform, our veterans coming out of uniform, and students plan to join our military. FIU has a robust reserve officer training program, which prepares students for service in the armed forces and also following graduation. And for our veterans, FIU is absolutely the right place. The school has an incredible veterans and military affairs office, which helps veterans transition from military life to life as a college student. Throughout my military career I’ve had the honor to lead thousands of men and women in both peacetime and combat. And there is no better feeling than being part of a great team. That’s what you feel here at FIU, back to you Alex.
Great work being done at the immigration and community lawyering clinics Brian, thank you for sharing your experience and thank you for your service, take care.