Student Profile: Roberta Burns ’17

Roberta Burns (left) will graduate in 2017 with a double major in Business Communications and Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. She is a member of the Churchill Institute Honors Program and Kappa Kappa Gamma where she serves as the chapter’s Panhellenic delegate. Roberta is also active in Student Foundation, Student Ambassadors, and is a resident advisor.

What do you think makes Westminster different from other colleges?

I think the small classes really separate Westminster from other colleges. All my professors know my name after the first few classes and always ask me how I am doing when they see me on campus. Even professors from three semesters ago still want to check in on me.

What are professors like in the classroom?

They are extremely understanding of the ways that different students learn. Professors here are dedicated not only to teaching us course material, but also to shaping us into better leaders. When I get out of a class at Westminster, I can do more than just sit down and regurgitate memorized material, I can apply the information I learned to real-life situations.

What aspects of your academic experience did you appreciate most your freshman year?

I appreciated the diverse atmosphere of each of my classes. At no other college would I learn how weird my Chinese classmate thought Americans were for washing undergarments with the rest of their clothes. I never would have learned Nepal has a month off of school for two fifteen day festivals. By having classmates from all over the country and world, I am becoming a global learner and leader every time I step into a classroom.

How have the smaller classes enabled you to actively engage in class and with your professors?

The small class sizes allow you to know your professors and for them to know you. I love being able to see my professors around campus and for them to know my name, as well as ask me about an activity that I participate in. By working closely with professors, students really know what it is like to be in a specific field. The small classes really have taught me to speak up and ask questions. I feel much more comfortable speaking up in a small class where I know the other students, rather than in an overfilled lecture hall.