The “AND” University

Transcript

While some students come to college raring to go with a list of clubs to join and activities to partake in, others take a little time to figure out what they wanna do and even who they want to be. Meet, Josh, an IWU student who discovered that one of the best parts of Illinois Wesleyan community, is the way it meets you exactly where you are. Josh, please take it away.

– Thanks, Alex. Hi, everyone. I’m a junior studying computer science and history with a minor in Greek Norman studies. Yeah, I know, I’m nuts, and look, I’m gonna be honest with you here. Wesleyan wasn’t my first choice, but it was the right choice. How do I know? Because Wesleyan gave me a place that I could call home, that welcomed me for who I am and what I do. You’ll often hear people say that, “In order to get something out of college, you have to put everything in,” and there’s some truth to that. But the thing is, I started university at the height of the pandemic. When I got here, I didn’t have a whole lot to give. I had no on-campus involvement, and yet I still called this place home, because even though I wasn’t on a sports team or in an organization or in Greek life, my professors, my advisors, and most vitally my peers, made me feel welcomed here, even when I had so little to give, even when I didn’t join every club, and be part of every organization. Wesleyan is the and university because every time I thought it had given me all that any college could offer, I rounded a corner and found something new. And nationally ranked eSports program, advisors that are the most supportive people, I’ve ever worked with, professors who are excited to see new ideas and attitudes, peers that are willing to get to know me for who I am. Now, a lot has changed in my life since I first got here. I’ve gotten more involved, and I’ve worked hard to make use of the incredible resources available here, but even when I didn’t, I still felt welcome. The and university had more to offer than I could have ever imagined. Think about that for a second. Most of you probably have clubs and activities you wanna be a part of. You have goals, drive, ambition. When I got to IWU, I had none of those things, and I still felt welcome here. If this place is home to me when I wasn’t fully on-campus with three jobs and no discernible free time, imagine what it could be for you. Back to you, Alex.

– Josh, I absolutely love your story, and I’m so pleased that you found your home at IWU. As you can see, Illinois Wesleyan helps to take away the fear and confusion of who will you be and turn it into a bright future through countless opportunities and a supportive environment. Thanks again for sharing, Josh