Okay. Everyone. We’re headed to the Diversity and Equity Center where we’ll meet Jaeda, a senior, pursuing a degree in Business with a specialization in Leadership and Management. She’s the first in her family to go to college, and is taking full advantage of this opportunity. Jaeda will share how she’s utilizing the skills she’s learned in her program while still a student, and making a huge impact across campus. Here’s Jaeda.
– Thanks Alex. When searching colleges, Central stuck out to me because it’s not too far, and it’s not too close from home. I love small classes, and intimate learning environments. I’m a first generation student, so I wasn’t sure what steps to take to apply, or if I could even afford a college. I came here more so on faith, and a desire to start a new legacy from your family. Central is committed to creating quality learning experiences that take you beyond the classroom. For me, that means I didn’t just learn about Business, Leadership and Management. I lived it. Central’s Diversity and Equity Center, has opened so many doors for me. Through my work with the DEC I’ve gained, acknowledged, and hands on experience about how to create an entire program from the ground up, including marketing, and building relationships. The program launch I’m most proud of is Thrive, which empowers and supports women of color. Students in this program find people who can relate to them, fight for them and celebrate them. We’re trying to build a new legacy for women of color on this campus. This experience has been incredibly validating, and empowering. I’ve learned to love myself, to use my voice, and express my needs unapologetically. I’m thankful for my DEC supervisors, that helped me prioritize my vision, gave me the confidence to carry out my work, and sparked incredible opportunities that I didn’t know were possible. They’ve helped me prepare for what’s next in my life, and I plan to use training, to promote community wellness initiatives, and make improvements to public health spaces. I’m really looking forward to starting my career, and I’m so grateful that Central has helped me get to this point. That’s my story. What’s next, Alex?
– Thank you, Jaeda. What an inspiration. Your commitment to creating a community on CWU’s campus, where all people are connected, respected, and valued is commendable. The world definitely needs more people like you Jaeda. Thanks for sharing your story. I can’t wait to see what’s next for you. Take care.
Okay, now let’s head over to a really special part of campus. Sarah Hamilton is getting her master’s in public health with a concentration in community health and she is the perfect person to tell us about the absolutely incredible health sciences here at ETSU. Sarah, please take it away.
– Hey Alex. Hi everyone. Thanks for having me. For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to work in the medical field and ETSU is an incredible destination for students to pursue careers in healthcare professions. Now I’m working on my master’s in public health and I’ll begin my time at ETSU’s Quillen College of Medicine this coming summer. We have so many other programs available. There are rehabilitative sciences, the Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy and we also have the largest college of nursing in the state. Students from these different areas have amazing opportunities for learning together which prepares you for an actual patient care setting where doctors, nurses, pharmacists and more all work together. My most inspirational experience at ETSU was during my time with the Language and Culture Resource Center. I worked in this office as one of my scholarships for four years. I had the opportunity to practice being a Spanish interpreter. Part of this experience was spent volunteering with the remote access medical clinic. The first time that I volunteered there I had no idea what to expect. My morning started at 4 a.m. and I was partnered with a mother and son about an hour later. Now this family had just moved to the US , they spoke maybe 10 words of English and her son desperately needed his tooth pulled. And having my background working with ETSU and having that study abroad experience provided me the skillset to convey his needs to the healthcare providers. And it was one of those harmonious moments where both of my passions for Spanish and for medical care really overlaps. I am so glad I decided to come to ETSU. It really allowed me to discover my passion for traveling, for interpreting, and of course pursuing a career in medicine. So thank you for letting me share my story, Alex. Back to you.
– Sarah, thank you. That was fantastic. Hearing your story, how you always wanted to work in the medical field and how the education and experiences here are setting you up for your dream job is inspiring. Thank you for sharing that with us all. Thanks again. Cheers, Sarah.
Okay, everyone let’s head over to Ball Hall and meet Caitlin. She’s a senior getting her bachelor of fine arts here at ETSU And she’s gonna talk to us about the incredible art programs here at the university along with a cool story of a local mural project She was commissioned to design and paint right here in Johnson City. Okay Caitlin, it’s all yours.
– Hi everyone. When I was in high school, I always knew I wanted to go to college, but not sure where to go. Once I visited ETSU, I knew this was the place for me. From the beautiful campus to the sense of home in a small town. I knew I wanted to enroll in an art program that supported me in a various mediums such as painting, drawing, or even graphic design.
The ETSU art department provided me with the freedom and flexibility to explore a wide variety of art. This helped me choose my various passions within their art program. I chose ETSU because I did not want to just color inside the lines. I wanted to be able to paint, draw, illustrate and create my own. During my junior year, I fell in love with graphic design. Not only was I passionate about this, but my interest grew as I took more and more classes.
As a freshman I was intimidated by the idea of digital artwork but with the help of my professors I grew the knowledge to choose this path. One of the biggest questions as a student in college, especially in art student, is how I transitioned from the classroom to my career field. My professors gave me the knowledge and support to branch out as a senior from the classroom to the real world. Because of this, I was confident in creating my very own mural for my community.
At ETSU my professors provided me with a foundation for working with future potential clients after I graduate. Although my main interest in coming to ATSU was for the amazing art program, I also fell in love with the Johnson City community and area. Johnson City has such a supportive art community that its recent mission was to promote public art throughout the town. A contest was promoted for local artists to send in ideas and designs that would be made into a mural to represent what this beautiful town has to offer.
Using the skills I had learned as a student I curated an original design that incorporated every aspect of this community That meant so much to me. After I entered the contest, I was happily surprised to find out that my design have been chosen to be on display at the mall of Johnson City. The mural includes a wide range of images depicting all of my favorite spots in town including Founders’ Park, downtown JC and my favorite the Carillon Bell Tower at ETSU.
As a high school student I left my hometown knowing I was leaving for college but what I didn’t know is that I was about to immerse myself in such a great community. Well, that’s my story. Back to you, Alex.
Caitlin, thank you for taking us through your experiences as an art student here at ETSU. Your story about how you evolved as an artist and the opportunities that have risen from your education here is phenomenal. A big congrats to all your wonderful accomplishments. Thanks again, Caitlin.
Okay, everyone. Now we’re heading down to the 50 yard line at ETSU’s football stadium to hand it off to Quay Holmes. Quay is a running back on the football team. He’s a two time all American, two time all conference and he holds the record at ETSU for the most yards in a game at 255. That is awesome. And he’s gonna talk to you all about athletics here at ETSU. Quay, you’re on.
-Thanks, Alex. Family is the first word that comes to mind when I think of ETSU athletics. We all go through many of the things in our daily schedules from early morning workouts, practices, film meetings, and staying up late to get our schoolwork done. But the support that we get from each other and in this community give us the extra boost that we need.
The resources we have here are endless. We have academic staff who helps keep us on track with our schoolwork. They provide us with tutors in any subject and they all have our best interest in mind. We have an indoor facility which includes a hundred yards worth of turf, an indoor track, two whole weight rooms and even some tennis court. My personal experiences have been amazing in my four years here. I received a ton of support from fans in the stands to students on campus, from my athletic director, Scott Carter, to our president Dr. Brian Noland.
But as for me, one of my favorite things to do is support my fellow student athletes. I’ve gotten to witness amazing basketball players help lead our team to a 2019 Southern Conference championship. Our girl’s basketball team has girls who topped the Conference in three pointers made. Our volleyball team does an amazing job year in and year out. Our softball team has beaten big time opponents like Tennessee and our track team runs circles around their competition.
As for me, one of the memories that I have that embodies what ETSU is is when we played against Furmin in 2018. We were coming off of our first road conference win against VMI so we came into this game with plenty of confidence. Unfortunately, we fell behind quickly and we fell behind fast. We were down 27 to six in the third quarter but we never gave up. We had support for each other and we had the support from the fans in the stands. Ultimately we won that game 29 to 27, and it posted one of the biggest comebacks in ETSU history. These are just some of the many memories that some of the teams that we have here at ETSU.
In my four years I’ve created so many bonds and friendships that I know will last a lifetime and that’s what ETSU is all about. If people asked me would I do it all over again my answer would always be the same and that’s absolutely. The days I learned from here and the knowledge that I’ve gained I can never trade it and get it from anywhere else. I hope you guys can see why I chose to come to ETSU and I hope you guys would choose to come here to. Godspeed and go Bucs. Back to you, Alex.
Quay, that was great. Awesome job. Thanks for sharing with us your experiences as an athlete right here at ETSU. Congrats on all your accomplishments and keep up those running yards. We’ll definitely be seeing more of this guy in the near future. Cheers Quay.
Next, we’ll hear from a recent FAU graduate. Felipe graduated with a degree in business and had a job waiting for him, thanks to the help of the FAU career center. FAU prides itself on it’s impressive student success rates and is a top degree producer for underrepresented minorities. At FAU, these students outperform the university-wide graduation rate. Felipe, you are on.
– Hey everyone. Applying to college, I was not sure what I wanted to study. I remember stressing over picking a school that not only made me happy, but also supported my visions and goals. FAU’s investment in volume diversity was a strong factor in my decision. I’ve lived in five other countries and if there’s one thing I love, it’s being surrounded by different types of people. Being exposed to different perspectives and ideas really shaped my college experience for the better. As a business major with big dreams, I sought out advising and mentorship to help guide me towards my goals. At FAU, every student has their own success network, a group of academic, career, and financial aid advisors dedicated to making sure you have the best outcome. This supportive approach has helped students like me graduate on time and be ready for the job market. I picked classes focused on my professional goals, perfected my resume, and attended multiple career fairs, to make sure I knew about all the opportunities out there in the real world. Thanks to this, I was able to graduate with a full-time job waiting for me. To further expose myself to people and opportunities, I decided to join clubs that fit my values and aspirations. As part of the American Marketing Association, I learned so much so quickly. I attended national conferences and participated in case competitions. This club allowed me to realize that I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Everyone at FAU is focused on students like me reaching their full potential, so if I can leave you with some words of advice, it would be to get to know your faculty, meet with your advisors, visit the FAU career center, join clubs, and most importantly, maximize your social and academic resources. Back to you, Alex.
– Excellent job, Felipe. Congratulations on your degree and the success you’re enjoying as a recent college grad. The advice you give of getting to know your professors and utilizing the FAU success network is spot on for students just starting their journey at FAU. Thanks again.
Let’s learn more about academics here at DelVal. Please meet Kai. Kai a freshmen studying biology and he’s gonna tell us what it’s like to be a student at DelVal and the many academic choices they have here. Kai, the floor is all yours.
Thank you, Alex. Hi everyone. Delaware Valley is definitely unlike any university I noticed when pick any place to settle for the next four years of my life. With many different opportunities offered to students, both athletically and academically. I feel DelVal is was a great place to choose if you want to be challenged in both of those categories. All my life my mother pushed me academically and my father pushed me athletically.
Growing up I learned what a student athlete truly was, because of my eyes are book connected to my parents’ teachings. In high school I adapted to having small class sizes and teachers getting to know me as a person, more than just a student. Well here at DelVal, that’s what you are to professors. Not just a student, but a person. With small class sizes and a student to faculty ratio of 13 to 1, small class size can really help a student thrive. This allows students to gain more individual hope and gain knowledge in there field of study.
For me, I always struggle with lecture-based learning, because I have a hard time keeping still and focusing during class. DelVal offers, hands-on learning, which is embedded in every curriculum. So, students like me can get a better understanding and learn what is taught. As a student at this school, you will never just be in a lecture hall, but actually out in the field in what you choose to study. For me as a bio major, I take two labs a week, one in chem and one bio, where I get hands on experience, learning techniques practiced in class. This allows my mind to understand concepts I struggle with in class and gives me a visual understanding of materials I learned.
One question I was asking myself when thinking about college is, “What am I going to be “or what will my career path be?” Well DelVal actually helped me answer that question before choosing biology as my major with over 25 undergraduate degrees ranging from sciences to business or humanities, liberal arts, there’s definitely a degree for everyone. Another unique aspect of university offers students is the ability to create, your own customizable degree programs. Delaware Valley University, pushes it’s students towards academic success, while also offering resources to help each student reach their own individual goal. These resources range from guided tutoring sessions, to E360, to study abroad programs and the list goes on and on.
If you’re a student that wishes to be challenged academically and have the ability to play sports then DelVal is a college for you. I’m Kai, a bio major and a football player. And I may see you around. Back to you Alex.
Thanks, Kai. The small classes and faculty advising, sound like a great learning environment. And it sounds like there are lots of ways to follow your passion here at DelVal. Great job. Thank you for talking to us today. Cheers.
Now it’s time to meet Christine. Christine is a junior majoring in conservation and wildlife management. Her passion however is soccer. Christine is gonna tell us about the athletics here at DelVal. Christine, please take it away.
Hey everybody, I have the privilege of being, Delaware Valley University’s Women’s Soccer Team captain. Here at DelVal, we have 24 intercollegiate men’s, women’s and coed athletic teams. We even have women’s wrestling. DelVal competes within the NCAA Division Three Middle Atlantic Conference, or MAC as we call it. What’s even cooler is DelVal is one of the 443 schools that participates in D three athletics, which is a largest division. Our football team has won not one, not two, but seven MAC Championships in the past 15 years, amongst other championship wins of course.
A quick flashback to my freshman year. I was so flattered to be recognized as honorable mention for the women’s soccer MAC All Conference Team. That year MAC DelVal women’s soccer’s eighth season in a row of at least one player, making an All Conference Team appearance. What I love most about playing soccer at DelVal is the priority of academics over athletics. Because after all advancing your education is what we’re here for. When I was a senior in high school, I had no idea if I wanted to play a sport, but I knew I wanted my education to be a priority. And I quickly realized DelVal was a perfect fit for me.
Listen, college is not easy. It’s a new world. And thankfully for you, I’ve been in your shoes before as a high schooler, trying to figure out which path to pursue. I know what it’s like to feel intimidated, scared and overwhelmed. But the beautiful thing about athletics is you have a family to lean on when you arrive at school.
Through DelVal athletics, I found a group of friends who pushed me to be my best by studying together, getting good grades and being a strong support system on and off the soccer field throughout my entire college experience. There’s also teamwork between teams. In addition to being a soccer captain, I’m also a representative on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee or SAAC as we call it. SAAC is a community of DelVal’s athletic teams, where we lean on one another, celebrate each other’s victories and support one another through events like D Three Week. This is where we get the entire campus involved in fun activities to cheer on our teams. This year, we got the community involved in a clothing drive, interactive fundraisers and competitive athletic events for prizes.
My college experience has been tremendously improved by my teammates and coaches support, accountability and competitiveness along the way, which are qualities you can be sure to find at each at each of DelVal’s athletic teams. Over to you, Alex.
Great job, Christine. I love hearing about comradery and support between athletic teams on campus. You sure found the right fit too. That was fantastic. Thanks Christine.
Now, it’s time to meet a future cattle rancher, Darian. Darian will be graduating soon with a degree in agribusiness. He came to DelVal knowing exactly what he wanted and boy, did he find it here? Darian.
Hey, y’all, I’m an agriculture business major looking to get into the Cattle Industry. Working my way up to becoming a cattle rancher. I first heard of DelVal through one of the football coaches on the football team who asked if I was interested in coming for a visit. One of the first questions I asked was, do y’all have any Ag majors here on campus? He said, that’s what Delaware Valley is known for, is their great Ag program.
After doing my own research, I learned that Delaware Valley was founded at the National Farm school in 1896. We’re celebrating our hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary this year. It has gone from an all male school to a very diverse campus with people from all over the country. Delaware Valley has given me a chance to find out who I want to be and has opened my mind up to seeking new opportunities. One of the requirements here on campus is the E360 Program. This is where students must apply for an internship. Since I’m trying to get into cattle ranching, I chose an internship in Florida at Deseret Ranch. This happens to be one of the largest cattle operations in America with 300000 acres, 40000 head of cattle.
As an African-American male in the Ag Industry, there’s not too many of us on the Northeastern side of the country. This is a great opportunity for me to experience. While I was in Florida, I met another black cowboy. This was the first time of my life that I worked with somebody who looked like me and shared the same dream. If I had never done the E360 Program, I would have never gotten to experience this.
Delaware Valley has an abundance of clubs and organizations that you can join. This is a great way to meet new people that share similar interests as you. I’m a part of AGR, which is the Ag fraternity here on campus. And I’m a part of MANRRS, which is a minority club of students, that are in science or Ag Department. These organizations have given me a lot of opportunity to better myself as a person. I was very fortunate to get an interview with the Pennsylvania secretary of agriculture. We got to talk about MANRRS and why it’s important that there’s diversity in agriculture. This is a great way for me to speak about my passion for the industry and spark others who were interested in agriculture.
I hold the recruitment chair for AGR, which has taught me how to be more responsible and how to become a better leader. Another great way to get involved on campus is Activities Day, also known as A Day. A Day is a big event we host here at DelVal that is open to the public. A Day host of livestock show, which is open to all students, who get the experience showing a livestock animal. I got the opportunity to show a beef steer, which was a really cool experience. Well, yo, I’m glad I got to share my experience here at DelVal and I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for letting me share my story. What’s next, Alex?
Great job, Darian. We have a feeling you’re on the path to being a successful cattle rancher. An A Day sounds like an amazing event. I understand that thousands of people from the community come to campus for this entirely student run event. It’s incredible. Thanks to that Darian.
– Hello everyone, and welcome to Columbia College, Chicago. Founded in 1890, this is a private nonprofit college situated right next to Lake Michigan and Grant Park. This school offers a one of a kind curriculum that blends fine performing and media arts communications, liberal arts, and sciences, business, and technology. The community here celebrates all ways of being and deeply values the intersecting differences amongst students, faculty, and staff. Students here see the world through a creative lens. They’re working in their chosen industries before graduation, and they’ve paid pathways for careers that might not yet exist. Columbia train students for what employers expect, but also prepares them to adapt to the unexpected. So get ready, you’ll be hearing from some outstanding Columbia students about how they got here and what it’s like pursuing a career in the creative industries. Once again, welcome to Columbia College, Chicago, this is the college tour. Creativity is Columbia’s heartbeat. It drives the academic experience. Columbia knows creativity is a facet of being a learner and a citizen. Plus it’s a sought after professional skill that gives students a competitive edge in the job market. We’re kicking things off with Jory. He’s a sophomore, acting major, who’s gonna tell us more about the value of creativity. It’s all you Jory.
– Thank you, Alex. What’s up, everyone. Growing up with the educators as parents, college was never a choice, but a requirement. When I started my senior year, I felt like I was ready to take the next step toward college, but I didn’t really feel like any school fit me and all of my passions. But one day a Columbia representative came and spoke to my senior class about this gem in Downtown Chicago. Columbia offered me everything I needed for my growth, not only as an artist, but as a person as well. I love creativity at Columbia. To me, creativity is more than just having a good idea, it’s the way you lead your life. Whether it’s the clothes you wear, the way you style your hair or your overall demeanor, it is your guide. Most schools and arts programs do value creativity, but they value their own style of creativity. However, Columbia allows you to spread your wings and fly. Here I’m an acting major, but I also have some interest in music business. Columbia made sure there was extra space in my schedule to take some of those extra interests as electives. That’s what I love about Columbia. This school is always on your side ready to make it work for you as best as they can. And outside of Columbia, creativity is essential to my existence. As an African-American man, there’s day-to-day pressures in my life, creativity is often the only place where I can release and express myself freely without being judged. It’s these little things that helped me break through barriers and live authentically. This past school year was challenging for all of us. And I struggled with my own lack of inspiration in my acting. Usually when I have these dry spouts, I turn to music or classic films, but this time I wanted to push myself a little bit further. So I sat down in my dorm and I taught myself how to DJ. DJing is the perfect creative outlet, because it allows me to still take some time off while keeping my brain inspired. College is more than about just learning or developing a job skill, it’s about learning life. Since moving away, I’m learned and discover things about myself that I never knew before. I’ve taken time to examine what I want and who I want to be. And now, I get to design my life however I want to. It’s like being thrown in the ocean and told to swim, but luckily I have my Columbia life that’s there encouraging me to keep paddling. Back to you, Alex.
– Jory, thanks for that. It’s truly remarkable to hear the ways Columbia encourages students like you to pursue your passions. Clearly you’ve got great things waiting for you. Thanks again. Chicago is part of Columbia’s name for a reason. From the south new campus, students can access museums, theaters, music venues, galleries, and connect to internships and other professional opportunities.
Everyone learns differently. That’s why from your first day on campus, there’s a team of academic advisors, tutors, career advisors, and counselors available to ensure your academic and personal experience at Columbia stays positive. Junior creative writing major, Daniel is gonna tell us about how working with Columbia support offices has set him up for success.
– Hi everyone. When I was a freshman in high school, my brother was a senior looking at colleges. I remember sitting next to him in an informational meeting of Columbia College, Chicago. And when it was over, I looked at him and said, “I don’t know where you’re going to school, “but I’m going to Columbia.” We both ended up here. And for me, Columbia was the only college I applied to. But back in high school, I was constantly on edge. My family wasn’t aware of my school’s fundamentalist Christian history until it was too late. I was constantly having to advocate for myself. I was the queer Jewish student on campus. On top of all of this during my senior year, I was diagnosed with dyspraxia, a learning disability that governance executive skills. I was given a 504 plan, which ensures a person with a disability identified under the law receives accommodations for better academic success. I still had to implement every accommodation myself, all while educating others around me about my identities. I struggled super hard to get my high school rates to a passable place, all while juggling choir practice, serving as president of three different student organizations and performing in countless musicals. None of this was easy with the added stresses of homophobia, ableism, and antisemitism. Everything changed when I got to Columbia and my first meeting with Jean Kelly, Director of Services for Students with Disabilities, she told me we would use my accommodations in my 504 plan to create new accommodations, such as having a note taker or extended time on tests. I laughed in her face. This was so different to anything I’d ever experienced. Columbia College Chicago was my light at the end of the tunnel. Once I finally got to Chicago, I went from having a 2.0 GPA to being on the Dean’s list, both semesters of my first year. Now I’m a junior currently serving on the board of the Columbia College Chicago, Audio Drama Club, and the school has been the perfect place for me. Back in high school, no one wanted to see me succeed, but here everyone supports me. So if you’re creative, maybe a little different and marks the beat of your own drum, Columbia is the perfect place for you too. Thanks for listening. Back to you, Alex.
– Thanks Daniel.