From Cows to Redhawks: Please Visit your College!

Visiting colleges that you've applied to is of the utmost importance. One of our Admissions counselors, Heather, loves to tell this story to show how important it really is:

A girl had called her wanting to transfer to La Roche because the college she was attending was vastly different from what she had expected. "How different?" you might ask. Well, this girl awoke to cows outside of her dorm room window. It might sound crazy, but the girl didn't realize that her college campus was surrounded by farmland. She hadn't visited her college, and consequently ended up at a school in the middle-of-nowhere.

Moral of the story: visit the schools you're interested in before making a decision!

One of the easiest ways to get a feel for La Roche is to visit us on one of our Open House days. We provide a tour, lunch, and the opportunity to meet with faculty members and professors. There are also tables set up for various departments and organizations on campus including Residence Life and our Red and White Society - a student ambassador program.

Two of our student ambassadors, Alexis and Courtney.

This year we tried to make Open House a little more fun by having a seemingly impromptu dance party with the audience before tours began. Here's the video of the Redhawks and ambassadors shaking it down the aisle. Before you press play, I'm in the lower right hand side for the start screen. But at 00.24 I make an entrance with my best buds Zach and Boniface!

One of our Admissions counselors, Greg, and our Redhawk before Open House started.

Open House was really a great time, but if you missed it La Roche makes it really easy to visit our campus otherwise. You can schedule personal visits which include a sit-down session with an Admissions counselor, as well as a personalized tour with one of our Redhawk Recruiters. If you're interested in a particular sport, then you can meet with the coach and sometimes members of the team. The same goes for sitting in on a class. Most professors are very accommodating and would love to have you visit for the day.

UL: Last year's Redhawk Recruiter officers; UR: Courtney and me; LL: Carley and me; LR: Dr. O'Grady all dressed up for Open House!  

Overall, I can't stress enough the importance of visiting colleges that you've applied to or you are interested in. The visit can make or break a decision!

Best of luck in your college search!

Kim

p.s. Our Spring Open House is Saturday, April 25th in case you want to see us then!

Top Spots on Our Campus, Especially for Freshmen

         

          Freshman year is a whirlwind of new friendships, schedules, jobs, and lifestyles. This can be overwhelming, exciting, stressful, but overall fun. Here is my list of the top places that would be especially beneficial for a freshman.

Residence Halls

          Bold Hall is one of the most welcoming places on campus with its great sense of community, but let me clarify my title. I don’t mean your own room, but the dorm rooms of other students. I have great memories of freshman year where students would leave their doors open as an invitation for people to stroll in and introduce themselves. This openness allows resident students to get to know their neighbors without any embarrassment or awkwardness. With just a teensy bit of courage, you can easily meet and know your entire floor. 

          If you make friends with upperclassmen, then you can see the lower campus dorm rooms for housing options after freshman year. You can have up to 5 other roommates living in a apartment-style dorm room. 

Students in a Mahler dorm room.

St. Francis Peace Garden

          I recommend this garden, especially when the weather is nice. This area gives students a place to be out in the sunshine, all while providing a great study or hangout spot. This nook is just a beautiful place to spend your time. Sometimes a breath of fresh air is all you need to relax. 

St. Francis Peace Garden.

A view of the garden from inside the Father Peter Horton lounge.

Magdalan Chapel

          The chapel is a wonderful place for those who need a quiet spot for themselves. Sometimes life is stressful, chaotic, and confusing – especially freshman year. This sacred space gives you an opportunity to reflect, relax, and rewind.  All are welcome to use this area, no matter their religious background. Also, La Roche offers Catholic mass several times a week for those who might be interested in worship. 

          Hopefully this gives a glimpse of La Roche's campus and how some spots are especially beneficial. Look out for a blog post with a fall campus photo shoot to show off how beautiful it is in these autumn months. 

Best, 

Kim

Introduction

Hello one and all!

My name is Kim and I'm a junior at La Roche College. This blog is going to be a picture-based journal of my experiences at college. Feel free to comment and ask questions!

The following list gives you a quick look into my life.

I am a:

• Communication, Media, and Technology Major with a dual minor in Marketing and Professional Writing
• Redhawk Recruiter Officer (I give tours on campus)
• Makeup enthusiast 
• Certified level 1 archery instructor
• Novice filmmaker (I've learned so much from the student led film group, Redhawk Productions)
• Camp counselor 
• Public Relations Officer for One Youth (a student-led nonprofit organization that focuses on youth leadership and empowerment) 
• Swim instructor and lifeguard 
• Happy person :)

Trash pickup for Redhawk Production's community service!

Two of my favorite work-study coworkers, Rita and Abby, taking pictures at the Admissions office. 

Picture of a September sunset taken through Mahler's emergency door.

I hope this gives you a quick picture of who I am and what I do. This year, I plan on sharing my experiences on campus to illustrate what it really means to be a La Roche student. I look forward to posting about all of the fun that happens here! 

Best, 

Kim