Campus Life Through Student Activities and Belonging with Allana

Transcript

Let’s jump into campus life with Allana, a first year Pilot who immediately discovered that small class sizes plus a huge array of clubs and activities equals a sense of community. With 10 residence halls, housing nearly 2,500 students on campus, you’ll always see a familiar face walking the quad or studying in the library. Allana, let’s hear it.

– Thanks Alex. Since I was little, I loved performing and socializing, so I wanted a college where I could form close connections and explore all aspects of my creativity. The University of Portland was the perfect place for me. I’m in my first year on the Bluff and it’s been so easy to connect to the UP community. The first week of school I attended the activities fair and discovered more than 100 clubs to participate in. I joined SLUG, the Student Led Unity Garden where we grow produce for the community and I became an event coordinator for the Black Student Union. This is my favorite club because it’s where I feel most understood and can be around people that have similar experiences. I also joined student government as a class senator. You can get as involved as you want when you come here, there’s a place for everyone. Being in the honors program really helped me feel at home too. As a member, I’m a part of a tight knit group of students of all majors who take core classes together, collaborate on research projects, and get advice and support from faculty mentors. In fact, faculty support is one of UP’s biggest strengths. All classes are taught by faculty, not grad students, and with a nine to one student faculty ratio, the professors really get to know who you are and are always ready to help. Whether it’s understanding the material or mapping out your post grad plans, UP offers so many ways to try new things and meet new people, and the community I’ve found has been incredibly welcoming. I can’t wait to see how my next three years unfold. No matter what you wanna do, it’s all here for you at UP. I’m so proud to be a Pilot, take it away, Alex.

– You’re right, Allana, it is all here for you. And if you love being near the water, you can walk to UP’s River Campus, which includes a state-of-the-art environmental lab, where students explore the ever-changing river. There’s a private dock for the women’s rowing team and what a scenic spot for intramural sports. Cheers, Allana.