Goucher College

Responses from the Student Interview

From a student  who identifies as Major: History
Minor: None
Student Self Identifies as: White Straight Male

Summary

I’m part of Model United Nations, Hillel, Student Government, and the Ultimate Frisbee Club.

Background

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

High School Experience: Public school in Northern New Jersey with a graduating class of about 200 students. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: No
Major: History
Minor: None

Extracurricular Activities: I’m part of Model United Nations, Hillel, Student Government, and the Ultimate Frisbee Club.
Did any of your extracurricular activities have a particularly big impact on your experience?
Model United Nations and Hillel especially have. For Model United Nations, we traveled a lot for conferences and the club really started emerging since I came to college. I’ve been part of that growth process, so I’ve spent a lot of time and had a lot of fun with it. I’m also very involved in planning events for Hillel, and just meeting and getting to know the larger Jewish community has been great.

Academic Experience

Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
There are lots of readings and papers. I’ve very rarely had an exam. The major graded assignments are essays.
Is there anything you feel your major’s department does especially well or poorly?
In terms of lectures and class discussions, they do exceptionally well. There are some fantastic lecturers and some good professors who’re skilled at facilitating discussions routinely. For poorly, there’s not the greatest variety in terms of History faculty. You have a lot of options, but not an unlimited amount of options in terms of more specialized History classes. There will be very unique and general courses, but you won’t necessarily have a lot of very specific courses.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
Goucher is a lot more on the collaborative than the competitive spectrum. There’s a big emphasis on group projects and it’s more individualized. People aren’t always competing for the dean’s list, it’s a lot more personal.
Do you feel that people are open to multiple schools of thought in the classroom?
Yes and no. People are very opinionated, so some people are very open, and some people aren’t very open. It depends on the friend group and, without getting into stereotypes, people are more open to newer ideas. There are instances where people aren’t always open. There are almost two competing cultures of people who’re not very open to new ideas, then there’s another culture of people who’re less loud but do exist, of people who’re challenging those notions.
How accessible are your professors?
They are very accessible. I’ve never had a problem scheduling appointments for extra help. They have always been very willing to offer any extra help if you’re struggling or have a question.
Why did you pick your major? Are you happy with your choice?
I chose History because it’s a lot more analytical compared to political science. It’s a lot more about the details, nuances, and complexities without trying to overgeneralize them into some grand theory of how the world works. I really appreciated that and do like my choice. I like details and arguments and discussions, but I don’t like them when they’re overgeneralizations of larger topics. I like getting into the details.

Reasons to Attend

1) The campus community is really strong. People are nice and generally open-minded in terms of learning about other people. It’s easy to make friends.
2) The professors are awesome. They value you as an individual and they value the place of a classroom.
3) The campus is nice in all seasons. It’s very wooded and the buildings have good aesthetics. There are also campus trails that are a few miles long.

Reasons Not to Attend

1) If you’re interested in very large parties, those don’t really exist.
2) If you’re not super okay with [co-ed bathrooms] or interacting with people of nuanced gender identities, then Goucher wouldn’t be the best place for you.
3) The campus community is small, so if you want to hide in a crowd and wonder anonymously for a day that’s basically impossible.

Around Campus

Where have you lived on campus?
Freshman: Pagliaro Selz Hall with one roommate
Sophomore: Trustees Hall in a single working as a resident assistant
Junior: Jeffery Hall in a single working as a resident assistant
How was transitioning from your hometown in New Jersey to Towson, MD?
It wasn’t too big of a deal. It’s a similar culture and it didn’t feel any different. It’s suburban, and I have a car so it makes leaving campus easy. There’s a diner across the campus where students are always going at any hour of the night. There’s also a big mall in both places.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
I’ve never experienced or heard of any serious safety concerns.

Social Opportunities

What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
Especially this semester, the Model UN conferences take up four days, Thursday through Sunday. There’s a Hillel retreat this weekend, and there are similar retreats for other clubs which are more common than you’d think. In terms of more routine stuff, there aren’t huge parties, and people go off-campus to the local bars, clubs, and restaurants. I like going bowling, ice skating, or out to bars on a Friday or Saturday night. Some sports teams have parties on campus, but there’s not much on campus generally.
What have been some of your favorite times at Goucher?
I love the Model UN conferences. We just came back from the Harvard National Model UN conference. We did really well as a team and everyone had a great time.
How happy are you with the weekend options at Goucher? Is there anything you would change about them if you could?
Overall, I’m content. I’m an RA so I have rounded on a few weekends so I’m working on those weekends. I’m pretty okay with the social scene overall. I can imagine some people who’re less so, and if anything were to change, I might add more student-run events. The Office of Student Engagement hosts stuff, but maybe having more student-run events like bar nights or movie showings.

Campus Culture

How did you meet your closest friends?
I met my closest friends randomly at a first-year welcoming party during the week-long introduction to Goucher. I’ve met friends through Model UN, from being an RA, and in Hillel.
How would you describe the overall social scene at Goucher?
It’s pretty relaxed and low-key. You’re not going to find massive fraternity parties, but if you want to have fun with your friends that’s very common. The social scene exists, you just have to know what that looks like and it’s a lot more like a small get together than a massive party.
To what extent do you think people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
There’s a Black Student Union that does their stuff independently of other things, but people are always hanging out together. In terms of non-official club events, I’d say it’s very common for people of different races, backgrounds, genders, or sexual identities to be in one big friend group. [The undergraduate population is about 56% White, 16% Black, 10% Hispanic, and 4% Asian.]
How do you like the size of Goucher in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How has it impacted your experience? [There are about 1,480 undergraduates.]
I like the size. Sometimes I wish it were a little bigger, but I’m very content. I really like how it has impacted my experience. Seeing the same people at Ultimate Frisbee practice go to class with me and get lunch, which allows you to build those strong connections. Everyone is kind of involved in the same things so it’s a stronger community and everyone knows each other so you’re constantly building new connections with the same people. [The average class size is 17 students.]
How would you describe the student body?
People at Goucher are pretty liberal in a lot of respects. People are politically active and progressive. Some people are louder than others, and this year specifically you see a lot of it. Classes will get heated and people are comfortable having casual conversations about politics and social issues. People are very aware of larger things going on in the nation and the world.
Do you think people are generally happy with their choice of Goucher by senior year? Do you think people leave loving Goucher?
Yeah, I think so. It takes a little bit of adjusting and you hear people that have a rougher time adjusting. Once they come and adjust in the community, they really fall in love with it. By senior year, almost everyone I know has really committed to Goucher.

Careers

What have you used the career office for? How helpful have they been?
They’ve been mediocre. They’ve gone through administrative changes. They helped me out in a one-on-one process, but they have not held my hand throughout a job application process. They kind of tell you how to do it, then send you on your way to do it.
Have you learned any computer languages or software that will be helpful to you professionally?
I learned how to use Excel in my data analytics class.
What has your school done to prepare you for the real world?
The jobs I’ve had at Goucher have been good at knowing when we’re just students and when we can grow and give us a little kick to move forward. I have a lot of responsibilities in my RA job, and they know when I’m a little bit too far over my head with the workload, and when I’m slacking and need a little push to go forward.

Financial Aid

Have you used financial aid? If so, how easy is the office to work with?
I have used financial aid and they’re very easy to work with. I’ve never had any serious problems with financial aid.