Josephine

There's definitely the stereotype of "Villanova-nova"; but I can tell you that there can be nothing further from the truth. One can find much ethnic diversity, from the clubs to the events that are held at Villanova. For instance, the Asian Students' Association holds an Asian expo each year, which showcases different Asian cultures and their attributes. There's also the South Asian Multicultural Organized Students Association which holds Khazana each year; this showcases the different types of dances from South Asia.

The best thing about this school is the community it creates among its students. From the very start of freshmen year, there's the freshmen orientation that is designed to get freshmen comfortable within the college campus. There are also many events that bring together the Villanovan community, such as the Day of Service or Special Olympics. These two events not only bring together students, alumni, and families of students/alumni, but we also have the opportunity to give back to the community.

The professors at Villanova University are glad to help you whenever you need it; all professors have office hours outside of class and this gives the students an opportunity to schedule an appointment and talk about any problems they may have with their school work. There are also research opportunities, where you can work alongside professors on projects during the semester or over the summer. For instance, in the psychology department here at Villanova, there are many research labs pertaining to cognitive science or developmental psychology in infants.

Though most of the students here at Villanova are from Pennsylvania or New Jersey, there are plenty of students that are from different states and from different countries. For instance, during my time here at Villanova, I have met people from California, Hawaii, Indonesia, Beijing, and Vietnam. Because of the community that Villanova creates among its students, you have the opportunity to meet others from different ethnic backgrounds.

The most popular organizations/clubs would be CAT (Campus Activities Team) or Inter-Hall council. Many people get involved with these clubs because you get the opportunity to create events for other students. For instance, CAT organizes movie weekends ever week, where they would bring in a movie that is out of theaters but not on DVD yet. Inter-hall council is also a great way to get involved with the people in your dorm; for example, people that are part of Inter-hall council can host a barbecue party in the fall for the people in their dorm. I am involved with Rays of Sunshine, which is a great opportunity to give back to your community; Rays of Sunshine sends students to inner-city Philadelphia schools/day-care centers to tutor their students.

The best place to get work done is either on the third/fourth floor of Falvey library or in Bartley hall, the business school, if you are the type of person that prefers a quiet environment; one could also work in Tolentine hall or in Mendel Science center. Another good place to get work done is in Connelly Center if you are the type of person that prefers to have some background noise.