My senior year of high school I feared that transitioning to college would be incredibly difficult. I grew up in a small town, where help from my teachers was always within reach and I honestly was a big fish in a little pond. I came to Nazareth because the small community feeling that I had back home was so present the minute I stepped on campus. The small class sizes at Naz would keep me from getting lost like in those movies with giant college lecture halls and I was actually introduced to professors that wanted student involvement. From my first class at Naz all the way to my 3rd year currently, I’ve always felt that my participation is valued.
The academic support is overflowing. I’ve taken advantage of our writing center in the basement of the library to help me with some of my English papers and it was such a nice resource to have. Everyone in the center is so nice and it was not an intimidating atmosphere at all. I felt very comfortable receiving critique from them and they also had great general academic advice as well.
We also have a math center which I wish I had used more because numbers are not my forte. I don’t typically frequent Peckham even though it’s a beautiful building to do work in, and the math center is right upstairs. I’ve only heard great things about the resources they provide for students that ask for help.
I have however met with my career coach in the Center for Life’s Work, and appreciate the effort they put into helping me make connections for my future career. I regularly get emails about opportunities like internships or jobs fairs to learn more
about what I want to do. My career coach even reaches out to see if I just want to catch up! Having a career coach is a great resource if you’re ready to venture on your path toward what you want to do after college. And if you’re not so sure what you want to do, that’s where the Academic Advisement Center comes in. In the basement of Smyth, you can meet with anyone from Academic Advisement to help you declare/determine or change your major. They can help you with things like paperwork or even discussion of some areas of interest that you might want to explore. I vividly remember my first trip down to Academic Advisement to determine if I wanted to pick up another major. I was worried I wouldn’t graduate on time and that some of the courses wouldn’t be beneficial to me. I got all the answers I needed from talking to one of the academic advisors and declared my double major that day. She said that if I was really worried about time management and handling all of my work I could visit the Center for Student Success. 
The Center for Student Success has tutoring, learning labs, and academic success coaching to just help make your adventure through college easier, less stressful and even more fun. Isn’t it amazing how all of these resources connect to each other! I feel really valued at Nazareth that there are so many different materials to support my success. And that’s just when it comes to academics!
One thing I was excited about before I came to college was the opportunity to travel and learn at the same time. I couldn’t wait to meet with a study abroad expert at the Center for International Education. I was already thinking about it the fall of my freshman year! Unfortunately COVID halted the process for me but when I revisited the idea this year, everyone was so helpful to make accommodations and show me my new options. Despite being bummed that I couldn’t study abroad, there were so many events and opportunities on campus. The @NazarethStudents instagram page is always posting about activities and resources on campus everyday. There’s an endless amount of clubs, support groups and athletic events that there is never a dull moment on campus. When I lived on campus I always found ways to have fun when I wasn’t doing my work.
While it is definitely easy to find ways to have fun on campus, there are also plenty of resources to help you do your best with your school work. Sometimes it’s hard to find time or motivation to prioritize yourself and your well being. Naz has social support and academic tools but most importantly they have wellness programs and resources. Our Health and Wellness Center is not only for when you’re sick. They have readily available therapists and counselors, support groups and wellness events. My favorite is Wags and Wellness, where our campus service dogs Rosie and Orion are out and about for hugs and kisses!
With all of these resources at Naz, trust me there are even more. I’ve really felt welcomed and honestly loved. Each tool, group, and resource center has made me feel not only valued as a student but as an individual.
