Having just celebrated Thanksgiving, what better time is there to reflect on what I’m thankful for? I’ve been at Nazareth College for over three years now, which means there’s plenty of aspects of my life that I can thank Naz for providing me. This might sound a little cheesy, but Naz is my happy place. Here’s why.
Life throws a lot at you sometimes, and for me, sitting in classes is the time when I can debrief – I forget about any obligations outside of the classroom and completely immerse myself in my education. I’ve been lucky because I genuinely enjoy all of my classes this semester and I think this is primarily because of the fact that I love my major, communication and media. This is my second semester as a comm major and, after a long search of majors, I can confidently say that this major is the right fit for me! There are many careers in the field of communication that Naz has allowed me to explore, and the further I continue my studies, the more fields I am able to learn about. I am currently enrolled in five classes relating to this field – comm research methods, media studies, public relations writing, principles of marketing, and writing for digital media. As communication can be a broad major, I’m thankful that Naz provides numerous classes that focus on the strands of this field, such as english, writing, editing, marketing, public relations, social media, and digital design, to name a few.
Alongside classes comes professors. My professors are a considerable part of why I’m thankful for Naz. I was introduced to one my professors, Dr. Carolyn Lagoe, while trying to decide if communication and media could be the right major for me. Dr. Lagoe pointed me in the right direction by informing me on what communication and media actually is and what my responsibilities would entail as a comm student at Naz. In addition, she connected me with a current comm major so that I could have a student’s perspective as well. Since Dr. Lagoe is an Assistant Professor and the Director of the Communication and Media Program, I have been lucky enough to have her as my advisor and have taken five courses with her thus far. Another professor that has influenced my experience as a comm major is Professor Leah Stacy, Assistant Professor in Professional Practice in English and Communication. I am currently enrolled in two of Professor Stacy’s classes, and, over the course of one semester so far, I have learned so much from her classes in terms of not only content but my personal standing in this field and my personal brand. Both of these professors have taught me a tremendous amount about the field of communication. What I’m most thankful for is how they’ve both guided me as a student and pushed me to work towards and past my goals in my educational career.
Being a college student at Naz isn’t solely about attending classes and getting the work done needed for those classes, but also about pulling your weight outside of classes. Naz has presented countless opportunities to expand my education through outlets such as on-campus and off-campus events and potential job opportunities. My professors never fail to inform students about the many networking events that Naz helps assemble. Some of the events include panel discussions where students are given the chance to listen to career professionals’ experiences and ask questions pertaining to a discussion topic, speaker events, and networking events where students can build their connections with individuals off-campus. I’m endlessly grateful for the opportunities Naz provides to students to help introduce them to the professional world of their potential careers.
Last but not least, I’m thankful for the community and atmosphere of Naz. When I transferred to this school I was nervous about fitting in. I felt anxiety around going to a new school where I didn’t know anyone and barely knew my way around. A prominent reason I fell in love with Naz was my first impression of the community here and how it differed from my previous college. From speaking to individuals who work for Naz over the phone and via email to engaging with students and faculty in person, I knew it wouldn’t be as difficult as I had thought to feel comfortable here. Right off the bat my professors made me feel like a valuable student and my peers were never quick to judge me. Naz has been a home-away-from-home for me. It’s been an environment of learning, release, and great experiences!
I could go on for a long time about why I’m thankful for Nazareth College. The classes, faculty, immense opportunities, and community are merely a few reasons as to why my college is one element of my life that I’m thankful for. In a little over a year I’ll have a diploma in hand to physically represent my appreciation for Naz and all that it helped me accomplish!