St. Thomas prides itself on expectations of excellence in all areas, but most importantly academics. Small classes and professors who genuinely care about their students are huge factors in the success of St. Thomas students. I have taken 12 courses thus far, and I have only had one class that had more than 20 students. Each of my professors knew my name and that I preferred to be called Jessi instead of Jessica. They knew my work and were almost always available to meet with me if I needed to help with an assignment or needed advice about other classes. My favorite class so far has been my Public Communication course. It is a class of 10 people, including myself, and we have been learning about all forms of public communication from giving speeches to recording public service announcements in a studio. The thing I love about this class is that we don't just talk about theories and techniques, but we are able to actually practice them by giving speeches and record ourselves in our Tech Studio. This class challenged me by forcing me to confront my fear of public speaking and gave me the opportunity to learn skills I may not have had the opportunity to learn otherwise, such as how to edit an audio recording or run a camera in a TV studio. The class I enjoyed the least was my math class during my freshmen year. My professor was wonderful and I did well in the class, but math is not my forte. I am an English major and Communication/Journalism minor, and that is partially because I find math and anything involving math very boring. One thing that I really enjoy about the students of St. Thomas is their desire to really learn what the professors are teaching. Through the level of participation in class and the conversations students have with each other outside of class, it's obvious that the students here are taking in what they have learned and are applying it to both how they view the world and how they behave in society. St. Thomas students love to get involved in a variety of organizations on campus that are geared towards making our community better, and this is often spurred by the knowledge they obtain from their classes and peers. I have found that the goal of St. Thomas is not just to teach its students the theories and facts written down in books, but how to apply what they know in order to be a good citizen and a good worker. St. Thomas is trying to create competitive students who are motivated towards being the best in their fields. The goal is to teach students what they need to know to do their job, but also to be good citizens looking to contribute to and improve society. For example, (as I mentioned before) I am an English major and a Communication/Journalism minor, and in my classes, I don't simply learn how to write and analyze text-- I have learned the power of communication and literature. We have discussed in several classes how we have the power to communicate messages to others, therefore we have the opportunity and responsibility to communicate message that will benefit society, rather than harm it. The English and Communication/Journalism departments, like many of the departments at St. Thomas, are very good at helping students to figure out what career path best suits each individual student. The academic requirements for graduation allow each student to expand his or her horizon, and doesn't force one to need to know immediately what major or career they want to persue. St. Thomas requires students to take introductory courses in all basic fields such as Math, History, English, and etc. However, St. Thomas also requires students to study foreign language, Philosophy, Theology, and Music. This is to allow students to be well-rounded and give them a chance to discover new interests. St. Thomas understands that the key to a student's success is their desire and interest to learn, and I believe that the format of the university's academic system helps to foster that interest and desire in all of its students.