Advice for New Students from Westmo Faculty and Staff

As Westminster welcomes a new class of freshman Blue Jays, Westminster faculty and staff share advice on how to make the most of your college experience. A couple of them were kind enough to share photos with us from their own college days! #westmomovein

“Remember the values and morals your family taught you.  Be yourself. Be courageous. Make lifelong relationships and enjoy every moment of College life.” –Sarah Munns, Director of Alumni Engagement

“Time management — create yourself a weekly schedule. You must begin to get in a rhythm now that you don’t have your mom or dad yelling at you to get out of bed. Creating a weekly schedule will keep you on track and you won’t fall behind in your classes early in the semester. Write down when you’re going to have classes, practice, study and do homework, and sleep.” –Ben Murphy, Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach

“1. That question you want to ask and comment you want to make in class is NOT stupid; other people are thinking the same thing, so ask away!

2. The professors always know when you didn’t read; just do the readings instead of hating life and trying to be invisible during class.

3. Netflix and your social life aren’t going anywhere; go study!” –Chelsea Tuthill, Academic Library Fellow, Class of 2012

“Two things. First, try not to be nervous about talking to a professor or mentor or tutor, especially if you are having trouble in a class.  Second, simply do the reading on a regular basis, and take notes while doing so.” –Wayne Zade, Professor Emeritus of English

“Talk to your professors as much as you can, whether it is to ask questions, seek advice, or just to talk. Don’t worry about not having anything to say or saying the wrong thing, just say it!” –Dr. Thomas Irelan, Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology

“Allow neither academic nor social demands to lead you into abusing your body. Aim to end every academic year a little healthier and a little stronger than you start it. A robust body and healthy habits will shine through your life long after you’ve forgotten if you got a B+ or C- in that class or who had the most fun that night.” –Dr. Selcen Phelps, Associate Professor of Business and Interdisciplinary Studies

“If I could travel back in time, the advice I would give my younger self on my first day of college would be to realize that colleges have a lot of resources to help support students. It is the wise student who takes advantage of these resources early! The library and the professional librarians could have been a HUGE help me but I didn’t take the first step and ask for help until after two years of trying to do everything on my own. Now, that I am a professional librarian and Director of the Library I LOVE to help students realize the treasure trove of quality resources that the library has to offer.”  –Angela Grogan, Director of Library Services

“Don’t fall in love. I did, and my grades suffered.” –Dr. Bill Carner, Professor of Business

“Stay open to a major until you find your passion, AND get involved in your college organizations, Greek life, campus clubs, and work opportunities. When I got hired as a teacher, one comment my principal made was that I had a broad range of experiences and because of my evident work ethic, that’s what landed me the interview!” –Dr. Barri Bumgarner, Assistant Professor of Education

“In your hands, your future lies!” –Dr. Ron Frederick, Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry