Muhlenberg College
Responses from the Student Interview
From a student who identifies as Major: Media & Communication
Minor: Spanish
Student Self Identifies as: Latin & Caucasian Straight Female
Summary
I’m part of the WMUH radio station, I work with the broadcasting channel, Voices of Strength, I’m in Greek life, I’m an orientation leader, and a body-positive group to promote healthy eating habits on campus.
Background
Gender Identity: Female
Race/Ethnicity: Latin & Caucasian
Sexual Orientation: Straight
High School Experience: Public high school outside of Short Hills, NJ with a graduating class of about 250 students. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: No
Major: Media & Communication
Minor: Spanish
Extracurricular Activities: I’m part of the WMUH radio station, I work with the broadcasting channel, Voices of Strength, I’m in Greek life, I’m an orientation leader, and a body-positive group to promote healthy eating habits on campus.
Have any of your extracurricular activities had a particularly big impact on your experience?
Every single one has been impactful on my college experience and has made it incredible. It all culminates into what I’m passionate about. [As an orientation leader], you’re mentoring your orientation group and taking them around campus. You’re showing them their first experience at college in terms of getting them adjusted, and that’s a pretty big thing. You get to know them and show them how awesome this place is.
Academic Experience
Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
I have lots of essays and readings, with occasional tests here and there. The final essays make up the bulk of the grade usually.
Is there anything you feel your major’s department does especially well or poorly?
I think the Media & Communication department is excellent in teaching media literacy and introduces you to more specifics of what happens in the media industry. They do a fantastic job connecting students with alumni and networking. Most of the professors are extremely helpful. With Spanish, I think there needs to be better placement systems making sure people are taking the right levels because I feel like a lot of students are dissuaded from majoring or minoring in a language because of their lack of understanding of the basics. Coming to college, you’re thrown into everything and it can be overwhelming which can be discouraging to students.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
The teachers want to educate you in a peer setting. They want peer comfort while still maintaining their authority as a professor. They’re involved and I love small classroom settings. I’m someone who needs to be involved to really understand things, and Muhlenberg is all about that. The small classroom sizes are extremely imperative the way I learn and it’s one of the reasons I came here. Your professors may know you on a personal level and that’s so nice. [About 50% of classes have between 10-19 students.]
How accessible are your professors?
Most of the time they’re very accessible. You can email them to make an appointment or meet with them during office hours. A professor I had last semester took me to an art class at Muhlenberg and we talked about the concepts we discussed in class. It was nice to take that outside of the class and get to know her as a person. The relationships and bonds that are formed with professors here are awesome.
What has been your favorite part of Muhlenberg academically?
The liberal arts education is incredible. I love it and think everyone should go to a liberal arts school. I came in as a freshman as a Chemistry major on the pre-med track, and I was taking a Spanish class at the time and that turned into me making it a minor. I love how since it’s a small school environment you can involve yourself with anything and immediately get involved because there’s not so much competition. What I love about the liberal arts education is that you can do science, dance, and language all at the same time, while doing extracurricular activities. Those opportunities to broaden and round my college experience were so beneficial for me figuring out what I want to do.
Why did you choose your major? Are you happy with your choice?
I’m so happy. The radio station and the broadcasting channel is what made me choose it. Music has always been part of my life and I was thinking I’d do medicine, but now I want something to do with music on the side. Little did I know, every time I made my radio show I just wanted to spend all of my time doing that instead of my chemistry homework. I enjoy chemistry but doing sciences made me anxious all the time and the only escape I had from it was the radio station and broadcast channel. I realized I was wasting my time studying something I didn’t want to study. I chose a Spanish minor because I’ve always wanted to be fluent in Spanish. My mom is from Argentina so speaking fluent Spanish is a huge dream of mine.
Reasons to Attend
1) The amazing relationships with professors, especially if they’re involved and want to help you.
2) The liberal arts education. You get such as well-rounded education and you get to experience everything.
3) The food is incredible. I never feel stranded in terms of finding a good meal.
Reasons Not to Attend
1) If you like big campuses with sports, tailgates, and a heavy Greek life scene.
2) If somebody preferred an urban environment.
Around Campus
Where have you lived on and around campus?
Freshman: Walz Hall with one roommate
Sophomore: East hall in a single
How was transitioning from your hometown to Allentown, Pennsylvania in terms of location?
It was a little bit of a change. A lot of it was similar because I’m from a very suburban town that is small. I hardly go into Allentown unless I have a plan to go out to dinner, which isn’t the usual plan. I normally eat at the dining hall because the food is incredible. I’m from a very stable and financially affluent suburban community, so living in a city area is a bit of a shift. Overall, I appreciate the culture in Allentown. My hometown isn’t diverse at all, so coming here is awesome because I was able to meet more people that come from my Latinx background. [About 50% of the population of Allentown, PA is Hispanic.]
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
I’ve always felt safe at Muhlenberg. The school is generally really good about being informative. As soon as there’s a message or a tip sent to campus safety, they’ll inform the entire community with a text and a follow-up email to ensure everyone’s safety. Campus safety is usually around, we have the blue light system, and the campus is small. I’ve left my computer in one of the buildings for three hours, and it was still there when I came back. I feel very safe at this school.
Social Opportunities
What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
I’ll be with my sorority or hanging out with friends going to parties at an off-campus house.
What is the impact of Greek life on the weekend options?
It’s awesome and I love it, but it doesn’t make or break your social life. I can have a social life outside and inside of the sorority. It is very helpful because I know for a fact that I have something to do on the weekends because I’m in a Greek organization. [About 4% of men join fraternities and 11% of females join sororities.]
How did the nightlife differ before and after you joined Greek life?
It’s very hard to find parties to go to as a freshman. When joining Greek life, it becomes very easy and you’re more involved.
How happy are you with the weekend options at Muhlenberg? Is there anything you would change about them if you could?
I love the weekend options, I just wish I could go to an 18+ club-like setting. I wish they had options for people who aren’t of age to join that nightlife setting. Sometimes you just don’t want to go to the same sports party every weekend.
Campus Culture
How did you meet your closest friends?
Through some of my classes, and also through orientation. The orientation at Muhlenberg is unbelievable.
How would you describe the overall social scene at Muhlenberg?
It’s a little like middle school and high school. There is a lot of division between sports teams, science students, and Greek life. All of that is pretty divided, but everyone is friends with everyone. Although there are those divides, it’s possible to have friends all over.
To what extent do people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
Not as much as I’d hope. In terms of racial and ethnic background, there’s definitely some intermingling. I have lots of friends that are African-American, Italian, or Syrian. [The undergraduate population is about 72% White, 8% Hispanic, 4% Black, and 3% Asian.]
How would you describe the Hispanic community on campus? How strong is it?
It’s super awesome and very strong. For me, it’s a little difficult because I’m not 100% Latin so I feel a little out of the loop in terms of my identity. I have that connection to my identity, but I feel that sometimes that’s not Latin enough.
How do you like the size of Muhlenberg in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How has it impacted your experience? [There are about 2,300 students at Muhlenberg.]
I love it. It gets a little bit annoying because I was in a relationship, but we broke up and I see him everywhere.
How would you describe the student body?
Everyone is super helpful and really nice. Everyone has their flaws, but in general, everyone is ready to help someone. I never thought that I’d be able to have a group of friends that would drop whatever they’re doing to help me if I was in a situation. I never had that security in high school.
Careers
What have you used the career office for? How helpful are they?
I go all the time for developing my resume, drafting emails, and help and with networking questions. The alumni and networking at Muhlenberg are so strong.
Have you learned any computer programs or computer languages that will be helpful professionally?
Through working with the radio station, I’ve learned different software. I’ve learned Spinitron and PlayIt Live.