Quinnipiac University

Responses from the Student Interview

From a student  who identifies as Major: Elementary Education 4+1 program. I finish my five-year program in 2021.
Minor: Psychology
Student Self Identifies as: Caucasian Heterosexual Female

Summary

I’m in Greek life and take part in some of the big volunteering events, like QTHON.

Background

Gender Identity: Female
Race/Ethnicity: Caucasian
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual

High School Experience: Public school in New Jersey with a graduating class of about 350 students. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: Yes
Major: Elementary Education 4+1 program. I finish my five-year program in 2021.
Minor: Psychology

Extracurricular Activities: I’m in Greek life and take part in some of the big volunteering events, like QTHON.
Did any of your extracurricular activities have a particularly big impact on your experience?
Definitely QTHON. It’s a really powerful experience because you get to meet and see all the children you’re helping and raising money for. It’s a dance marathon that helps raise money for the Connecticut Children’s Hospital.

Academic Experience

Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
For Psychology I have exams. For Education, it’s more project and essay-based. I have reading for both.
Is there anything you feel your major’s department does especially well or poorly?
I really like the five-year program I’m in because I’ll graduate with my master’s in only five years while at other schools it usually takes six. They make students feel really comfortable with how they’re doing their field study and make sure everyone has all the requirements and can help you in any way they can.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
There are a lot of study rooms in the on-campus housing which creates a really good learning environment. I usually find myself studying in those spaces with other people, so I think it’s collaborative.
How accessible are your professors?
Very accessible. Most of them you can email and they’ll respond in a few hours and they always have office hours where you can go in and talk to them.
What has been your favorite class you’ve taken for your major?
Elementary Art. It was just really interesting to see all that goes into how teaching students art isn’t just coloring, there is a lot behind them to teach them lessons beyond the little crafts.
How was transitioning academically as a first-generation college student? Were there any resources in place that helped you adapt?
We have the Learning Commons which is in the library and you can go get tutored for any subject you need. That helped me a lot freshman year when I was struggling to get the grade that I wanted to get.
Why did you pick your major? Are you happy with your choice?
I’ve always loved kids and knew that I wanted to work with kids whether it be in the medical field or the education field. After thinking about it, the medical field was going to be too much schooling for me so I went with Education. I’m very happy with my choice.

Reasons to Attend

1) It’s definitely a great community and you’re going to feel very welcomed. It’s a welcoming place and is a lot of fun.
2) It’s not just schoolwork all the time. There are a lot of fun opportunities here.

Reasons Not to Attend

1) Housing is not always the best.
2) If you’re not looking for a school where you’re going to see people you know every day.

Around Campus

Where have you lived on campus?
Freshman: The Commons with three other roommates.
Sophomore: Sahlin with five other roommates.
Junior: Crescent on York Hill Campus with five other roommates.
What is your favorite living situation?
Probably Crescent because it’s roomier and it’s separated from the main campus so it’s less hectic and quieter.
How was transitioning from your hometown in New Jersey to Hamden, CT in terms of location?
It was a little bit of culture shock. The town of Hamden is a bit more run-down than what I’m used to, but the campus makes up for it because it’s very nice and welcoming. The town of Hamden is quieter and there’s not much to do around campus, but New Haven is close which is nice. I don’t think Hamden is the best college town.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
Yes, it’s very safe. It’s been ranked the safest college in the country before. There are blue lights around campus and public safety checks the entrances to campus, so you can’t just walk on campus.

Social Opportunities

What kind of nightlife or weekend activities do you like to participate in?
I like to go to the local bars and go into New Haven to go to the clubs. I tend to go out Thursday through Saturday. The nightlife depends on if you’re 21 or not. The younger people will go into New Haven because some places are 18+. For the most part, if you’re 21 you usually stay closer to campus on Friday nights and then go to New Haven on Thursday and Saturday nights.
What is the impact of Greek life on nightlife?
It’s not as big as it is at other schools. There are not many Greek life parties. Most of the parties are socials that are specifically between two organizations and are not open to everyone. [About 25% of students are involved in Greek life.]
What’s an alternative to going to a party or a bar that you like for a night out?
I usually go into New Haven to get dinner. Or, there’s a movie theater that’s a town over that has cheap deals for students.
How happy are you with the weekend options at Quinnipiac? Is there anything you would change if you could?
I’m pretty happy with them. There are a lot of options. I think the biggest benefit is we have New Haven close by where there are so many clubs you can go to.

Campus Culture

How did you meet your closest friends?
My sorority and then also through mutual friends.
How would you describe the social scene?
It’s pretty big. There are some people that don’t go participate in the social scene has much, but there is a large portion of people who like to be outgoing and social.
How did being a first-generation college student impact your social transition?
It was a little nerve-racking just because my Mom and Dad didn’t understand the whole college thing, so it made me a little more reserved at first because they didn’t tell me to go do this or that because they hadn’t had that experience. But, after meeting a lot of people here and warming up, I felt like I was at home after a month.
To what extent do people of different races and sexual orientations mix on campus?
Pretty often. It’s common to see diverse groups of friends around campus.
How would you describe the student body?
Everyone here is very friendly. People smile, wave, and say hello. It’s never a place where people are mean or cold.
To what extent do people in Greek life and not in Greek life mix socially?
Pretty often. A lot of my friends and roommates are not in Greek life.
Do you think people are generally happy with their choice of Quinnipiac by senior year? Do you think people love Quinnipiac?
Yeah, I would say that. Everyone who I’ve met who is older than me says they’ve had a great time. A bunch of seniors from my fraternity last year were really sad to leave.
How do you like the size of Quinnipiac? How has it influenced your social experience? [There are about 7,300 undergraduate students.]
I really like it because I think it’s not too small but not too big. It’s definitely helped my learning because I have classes with 20-30 people rather than big lectures. Every single professor knows me and knows something about me, which has helped me build a better understanding for my classes and get the help I need in school. It’s also helped me get to know people in my major because I’m in the same classes as them and you sit and talk with each other. [The average class size is 20 students.]

Careers

What have you used the career office for? How helpful were they?
I have a job on campus and I used them for that.
Have you learned any computer programs through your coursework that will be helpful to you professionally?
I’ve used a statistics software called SPSS in my psych-stats class. If I were to go into psychology, it would help me.

Financial Aid

Have you used financial aid? If so, how accommodating were they to your needs?
They’re very good. They are very understanding and helpful with every question you have.