Stevens Institute of Technology

Responses from the Student Interview

From a student  who identifies as Major: Computer Science
Minor: None
Student Self Identifies as: White Gay Male

Summary

I’m in the Stevens Torch Alliance Club, and I go to meetings for an Asian cultural club.

Background

Gender Identity: Male
Race/Ethnicity: White
Sexual Orientation: Gay

Doing a five-year program with a co-op.
High School Experience: Public high school in Hunterdon County, New Jersey with 400 students in the graduating class. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: No
Major: Computer Science
Minor: None

Extracurricular Activities: I’m in the Stevens Torch Alliance Club, and I go to meetings for an Asian cultural club.
Did any of your extracurricular activities have a particularly big impact on your experience?
They’re really nice to go to throughout the week. It’s nice because I don’t feel required to go to them, but it’s nice to have them because I’ll go to them with my friends if we’re free.

Academic Experience

Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
It’s mostly project-based stuff. Last semester for the introductory computer science class we usually had one homework assignment due at the end of the week and we had one lab that was coding related.
Is there anything you feel your major’s department does especially well or poorly?
I think the communication with professors has been pretty good so far. They email us back pretty fast.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
I’d say it’s collaborative. I made friends in the classes, and we’d work on projects together. Even outside of Computer Science, like in Math and English, everyone works together.
How accessible are your professors?
They’re very accessible. I didn’t go to professor office hours much, I went to the TAs more. I’d go to them because they’re closer in age to me and I feel like they might have had the same problems as me when they were in the class.
Why did you pick your major? Are you happy with your choice?
I took AP computer science in high school and really liked it.
How was transitioning academically as a freshman? Are there systems in place that help you transition?
It wasn’t that bad for me. Most of the stuff I was doing in the introductory classes I had learned in high school. The language we were taught this semester you needed a background in computer science to really understand it. The professor taught as if everyone had that background, but one of my friends did not so she struggled a little more than I did.

Reasons to Attend

1) The job percentage out of college is pretty nice. [96% of graduates have a job within 6-months of graduating.]
2) The co-ops are good for a career afterward.
3) Being close to New York City is a big part of why I went here.
4) The campus itself is tiny and easy to get around.
5) The dorms are pretty nice. I love living in Jonas.

Reasons Not to Attend

1) We don’t have big sports like football, but going to the volleyball games are fun.
2) If you don’t like city life.

Around Campus

Where have you lived on and around campus?
Freshman: Jonas Hall with one roommate
How was transitioning from your hometown to Hoboken, Jew Jersey?
It was a big change, but I love being so close to [New York City].
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
I feel very safe, especially being near one of the biggest cities in the world. You always see police around the campus and I’ve never noticed anything that I felt endangered about.

Social Opportunities

What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
On a Friday night, we might go out for dinner and then go to the city to walk around and find something to do. I’m a Pinnacle [Scholar], so every other weekend there’s a free concert I get to go to. There might be musicals or concerts on Broadway, or you can go to a fraternity party. I usually [do stuff in New York] on Friday and Saturday, and maybe a Thursday. When I go to New York I never really have a plan to do something. Last time I went to Bryant Park and ice skated, then found a restaurant around to eat at. It’s so accessible to Hoboken because the train is easy to use. It’s pretty cheap too. I’ll also go to museums on the weekends.
What are your favorite events or activities?
I enjoyed orientation week. The Christmas lighting was pretty fun because they give out free stuff. There are open mics every few Fridays which are fun to go to because there are lots of talented people on this campus.
How happy are you with the weekend options? Is there anything you would change if you could?
I’m pretty content. I feel that even if I didn’t want to go out and stay in for a night, I can do that. There’s no stigma about staying inside.
If at all, how has identifying as LGBT influenced your nightlife experience? Are there any LGBT nightlife options that you like to go to?
I feel like it hasn’t impacted me negatively or positively in any way. There’s the Torch Alliance, which is such a good outlet for it. There’s a group chat and something is always happening on a Wednesday night. I’m indifferent about it I’d say.

Campus Culture

How did you meet your closest friends?
Through pre-orientation. You get there a few days earlier and there are a lot fewer people on campus. It’s less intimidating talking to people. I actually had a few friends on Snapchat beforehand through the Facebook group of our class. I met them in real life and from then on we bonded.
How would you describe the overall social scene at Stevens?
Everyone always jokes about the 70:30 ratio of guys to girls, but it’s pretty accepting. You get to see everyone here. There are the nerds, the athletes, and the more outgoing people. There’s a little bit of everyone.
How has the 70:30 ratio impacted your experience?
Personally, I make friends with girls easier, but I haven’t really noticed anything. I’m not trying to date girls so that hasn’t really affected mem[laughs]. I’d say I have an equal number of girl friends to guy friends. [29% of undergraduates are women.]
To what extent do you think people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
It’s not too segregated, but you always see the people of the same race sticking together. Everyone does talk to each other, though. I think sexual orientations mix pretty well. [The undergraduate population is 61% White, 17% Asian, 2% Black, and 12% Hispanic.]
To what extent do people in Greek life and not in Greek life mix socially?
I think it mixes pretty well. The fraternities are pretty open for the most part.
How would you describe the student body?
It’s more introverted. There are a few people who are super outgoing, but once you find your group of people you’re more outgoing. I was pretty quiet the first semester here because I was a little nervous, but now I say hi to people on campus all the time.
How would you describe the LGBTQ community on campus? How strong is it?
It’s pretty strong. Compared to where I live at home, it’s completely going from 0 to 100. Where I’m from, not many people are gay. At Stevens, it’s awesome because we’re right next to New York City and it’s such an accepting area. The campus meshes pretty well and Stevens is pretty accepting of LGBTQ people.
How do you like the size of Stevens in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How was transitioning to a school with [about 3,700 students?]
I really like the size of it, I think it’s perfect for me. I can walk around campus and go to the dining hall and bump into people I know.
Do you ever feel like you’re more of a resident of the New Jersey/New York area than you are a student at Stevens?
Yeah, I could say that. I go to class, but you’re more so interacting with Hoboken and New York City more than I’m at school. It’s a better feeling than being locked at school.
How has the urban environment impacted your experience?
I love being in the area, it’s so cool to me that I go to school across the river from New York City. Not even just New York, Hoboken is awesome and always lively.

Careers

Have you learned any computer programs or computer languages that will be helpful professionally?
We learned Python, HTML, JavaScript, and CSS.

Financial Aid

Have you used financial aid? If so, how accommodating was the office to your needs?
I have. Right before I came, there was an issue with my scholarship. I called the office and the day after it got fixed. It was really simple.