Bryant University
Responses from the Student Interview
From a student who identifies as Major: Biology – On the pre-health track
Minor: Entrepreneurship
Student Self Identifies as: White Straight Male
Summary
I’m a member of an outdoors club, I’m a [varsity athlete], I volunteer, and I’m studying for the MCAT.
Background
Gender Identity: Male
Race/Ethnicity: White
Sexual Orientation: Straight
High School Experience: Public high school Northborough, MA with a graduating class of about 350 students. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: No
Major: Biology – On the pre-health track
Minor: Entrepreneurship
Extracurricular Activities: I’m a member of an outdoors club, I’m a [varsity athlete], I volunteer, and I’m studying for the MCAT.
Did any of your extracurricular activities have a particularly big impact on your experience?
Playing a sport takes up a lot of time. Everything else you can kind of fit it.
Academic Experience
Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
Bryant is interesting because it’s more of a business school. I had to minor in something in the business school, and my experience with business classes versus science classes is pretty different from each other. The science classes are relatively individualistic test and quiz-based, with some writing. There are labs, but they’re done in separate classes from the lecture classes. The upper-level business courses are more collaborative and group-oriented, which has its benefits and doubts. They’re certainly different from each other. The science courses for my major require a lot of time studying and doing things individually, and the business courses are more so about working with people. Exams make up the biggest part of the grade. Some teachers weight the exams really heavily. Some other classes have quizzes, and some classes are half tests and half projects.
Is there anything you feel your major’s department does especially well or poorly?
It’ s really easy to get to know the teachers. They all know me and I get along well with all of them. You don’t have to fight with other students to get talking time with a teacher. Especially in the biology department, there are a few teachers trying to grow the department, so they work hard to make sure every student is actually happy. That’s one of the advantages it has over a bigger department with more funding. A downside would be that there are fewer research opportunities in the biology department compared to schools with more researchers and labs. [The average class size is 26 students.]
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
It’s pretty collaborative actually. I’ve had a lot of different opportunities to work with and study with other people at Bryant in the science department, and it’s pretty collaborative. We all understand we’re the minority there and that we’re in it together. I say that is a positive to the small size.
How accessible are your professors?
Most of them are very accessible. Anywhere you go you’ll have teachers that are less inclined to help you. I had one teacher in my freshman year who wasn’t around anywhere near enough. I’ve also had numerous teachers who are constantly there to help you. I have their phone numbers and emails so I can email or call them whenever I need something. For the most part, teachers are very accessible.
Why did you choose your major? Are you happy with your choice?
I’m very happy. Science and math were the only two things I enjoyed studying in high school, so I didn’t know if I wanted to do biology or engineering. I also wanted to play [a sport], which is why I went to Bryant. They don’t have engineering so that basically made the decision for me. I think science is a better direction for me rather than doing the hard math or physics I like the biology side of it better.
How was managing both your sport and coursework?
It’s very challenging. It’s an adjustment period during freshman year. You hear from a lot of athletes that you need time to adjust, it’s a lot of work, or it’s stressful. That’s all true, but at the end of the day, you have to remember that you’re studying something you enjoy and you’re playing a sport you enjoy. It’s going to take a lot of time and it’ll be stressful, but I think it’s worth it. It’s different than high school where you go to school in the morning and then you go to practice, and then you have all night to do what you want because the schoolwork isn’t that hard. In college, you have to spend more time organizing yourself and sometimes transportation is an issue.
Reasons to Attend
1) You’ll find some really close-knit friends, which is an upside of it being cliquey.
2) You’ll feel really connected with the community since you know so many people.
3) The campus is really pretty and the groundcrew does a great job.
Reasons Not to Attend
1) The size. You have to be honest with yourself if you’ll get bored with only [about 3,700] people. If you have a view of college having massive parties, Bryant probably isn’t the place.
Around Campus
Where have you lived on and around campus?
Freshman: Hall 15, which is now known as Barrington Hall, with three suitemates
Sophomore & Junior: Hall 2 with six people
Senior: Townhouse on campus with six people
How was transitioning from your hometown to Smithfield, Rhode Island?
For me, it was no different. My hometown and Smithfield are shockingly similar.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
It’s a very safe campus. Smithfield, Rhode Island has a very safe feel to it. It has a rural feel because it’s away from things. The school itself is separated from everything. It’s basically on a hill with no trees around it so it’s its own area inside Smithfield.
Social Opportunities
What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
A lot of the time it’s partying. Since it’s a small school, a lot of people do similar things each night. Tuesday and Wednesday night people go to a bar right outside of campus that’s walking distance away. Thursday people go to another place in Smithfield and it’s a big party night. Depending on the time of year, Friday and Saturday are either townhouse and dorm parties, or there are day parties when the weather gets nice.
What is the impact of Greek life on the weekend options at Bryant University?
I personally don’t interact with them very much. I don’t have anything wrong with them, I just don’t know or hang out with many of them. It’s not like how I hear it is with Greek life at bigger schools where it’s more popular. They almost just do their own thing. I do more things with athletes.
How happy are you with the weekend options at Bryant? Is there anything you would change about them if you could?
If we had more people, the weekends would be a little more fun. Sometimes it feels like the same thing over and over again. There are tons of things to do in Providence, as long as you’re willing to spend money going to a bar somewhere. The options are there, it’s just about finding a group of people you like hanging out with the most.
Campus Culture
How did you meet your closest friends?
I met them through being on [my sports] team. I lived with them and our schedules pretty much lined up, so we did everything together. I know some students join Greek because they want to have that [bond] with other guys, but for me and a lot of other athletes, we spend all out time with our teammates so they become your best friends.
How would you describe the overall social scene at Bryant?
It’s kind of cliquey. Athletes stick with athletes and Greek life stays with Greek life. Within that, certain teams like certain teams better, and I’m sure certain fraternities like certain fraternities better. It’s not like people are mean to each other, but you can see how groups of people stay together.
To what extent do people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
We had an issue with race last year. A bunch of people were out partying and something happened, but for the most part, I don’t think it’s a big issue at Bryant. People of different races and sexual orientations mix in with everyone just fine, but wherever you go there is always some tension with something. Within teams, it’s common to see diverse groups of friends. [The undergraduate population is about 7% Hispanic, 4% Black, 75% White, and 1% Asian.]
How do you like the size of Bryant in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How has it impacted your experience? [There are about 3,700 students at Bryant.]
I wish it were bigger because you see the same people every day, and I like meeting new people. I didn’t know how much of an impact it would have when I first went there. There are always times where there’s that one person you don’t want to talk to. When it’s a small school, you’ll end up seeing them a lot of the times and it can be awkward.
To what extent do people in Greek life and not in Greek life mix socially?
From my view, it seems like there are two groups, the athletes and Greek life. Everyone else who’s not a member of those two groups mixes in with them however they choose. It seems to me that there’s a clear between athlete and Greek life parties.
Do people generally seem happy with their choice of Bryant by senior year? Do people leave loving Bryant?
Yes. Everyone’s attitude with the Coronavirus has been how they’re heartbroken that they won’t be able to go back or that they’re missing a semester.
Careers
Has the alumni network helped you find internships or jobs?
No. That’s one of the downsides to having a small biology program.
What have you used the career office for? How helpful have they been?
There’s the Amica Center, but for biology, they have no idea what they’re doing. That’s where the teachers come in. Some of the teachers do have connections and know-how to help, and they’re more than willing to do it. [See Bryant Archway article, “Did You Forget Us, Amica?”]
Have you learned any computer programs or computer languages that will be helpful professionally?
I’ve learned Excel through my physics class. I’ve also used a couple of statistical analysis programs, but not a lot.