Alyssa Bileschi '19, who's majoring in communication and media with a minor in digital marketing and design (now digital media and design), says two professors in her major have become mentors. "Dr. Carolyn Lagoe is my advisor and Professor Leah Stacy is my internship supervisor. It would be an understatement to say these two individuals have solely been professors to me. They've taught me pretty much everything I know about how to be a professional in my field while giving me life advice whenever I need it. Whether it's stopping by Dr. Lagoe's office for a quick chat about college/life balance or picking Professor Stacy's brain about the multitude of strands in the field of communication, they're always quick to make sure I'm happy with whatever I'm doing and getting the most out of it as a student. The professors in the communication department here are one of the strongest reasons I've loved my time at Naz so much."

Alex Corvi '19, a business management major who plays hockey, came to Nazareth to be both a student and an athlete: "It's a strong academic school. I felt it was a place where I'd be provided opportunities to enhance my skills moving forward into a professional work setting and to pursue an athletic career.

Duncan Eigg '20 was drawn to the opportunity to get accepted as a high school senior to Nazareth and to either the Syracuse University College of Law or University at Buffalo School of Law. "What inspired me to choose Naz over any other school is the 3+3 program. It cuts down on the years you have to spend in school. People here who are in charge of the program are super nice and helpful. The advisors will help through every step of the way, and you just learn a lot about law. Of course, the small campus is also a big factor because the professors don't just see you as a number; the school is so small they can actually get to know you, rather than you being 1 in 150."

Erin Schantz '21 admits she didn't expect to stay local for college, but the strong physical therapy program attracted her. Working as a resident assistant — which provides a no-cost single room and a half-price meal plan — made it a good fit financially.

Alyssa Gould '20 transferred to Nazareth from a SUNY school "because the nursing program is really good." (Nazareth's May 2018 nursing graduates had a 100% pass rate on their first try at the national licensing exam.) She is double majoring in nursing and public health and loves the collaborative spirit: "In every class, even people from different majors try to work together to achieve the same goals." She's doing clinical experiences at several local hospitals. "Those are really cool because the nurses all help you out on the floor and you get to see what it's actually like to be a nurse and it's not just a classroom simulation or not just what you're learning on paper. It's the actual real-life experience."

Sara Cinelli '22, a music therapy major, says her favorite things about life at Nazareth include a regularly offered fun activity with groceries as prizes. "I love how we have an array of activities. We have grocery bingo; that's always fun. There's theater trivia. There's something for everyone, so everyone feels involved." That ties into something else that stands out to her about the campus: "The community and how welcoming they are. It's a nice small campus and it feels like home." She made friends in her dorm and also is part of the music therapy student club.

Likewise, Mahoney says, "I was drawn to this school because of the inclusion and sense of community." The architecture was also a big draw: "The buildings are beyond beautiful. I was astounded by all the stone, the vines crawling up the sides of the buildings, the arching doorways, and heavy castle-like doors. I felt like I was in a storybook. I loved the almost fairytale feeling of walking around campus. Our campus tour guide was super helpful with informing us about all the services offered on campus. There are so many different resources for student success. And as a junior I have pretty much taken advantage of almost all of them!"

Marcel Martinez '22 was struck by an interactive workshop on hair that explored microaggressions and unconscious bias. "This particular event made me feel proud to be a student at Naz because I felt like we were having something inclusive and talked about something I was interested in, as well as something I cared to be a part of. When we abide by what a community is and we listen to one another, we gain empathy for each other. Without empathy the world does not move."

Sarah Stolberg '23, a math major with adolescence education, adds, "I love how you have the ability to pursue all of your passions. I'm part of the volleyball team, the jazz band, and the adventure club because I love the outdoors." She especially loves her jazz group because participating is not a requirement like in high school. "The people that are there genuinely want to be there, and they're all so incredibly talented. You're just surrounded by incredible musicians and it's just so fun to me. I absolutely love it." She chose Nazareth because of the "overall welcoming atmosphere. All of the other colleges I visited weren't really friendly. But here, every person you pass looks up and says hi or holds the door open."

Lassana Diaby '21 agrees. "I like that everyone here on campus is pretty friendly and people are not afraid to approach you and say what's up and hi. As a community, we're able to help each other grow and build connections that will last a lifetime."

Celine Kristoff '20, a psychology major with minors in social welfare and analytics, says her favorite things have been multiple experiences in the wider community. "One of the things I've been involved in since day one is Partners for Learning — an awesome program that lets Naz students go out in the community and work with middle school and elementary school students. I've also done a lot with the Psychology Department which has a lot of opportunities, like going to the Eastern Psychological Association (EPA) conference in New York City." Meanwhile, she has interned at Mt. Hope Family Center, "which is awesome because I get to do research with children and families from the Rochester area. I found out about this experience through my professors and through the Center for Life's Work."

Those career-building experiences happen overseas as well. Mackenzie Reed '20 — a communication and media major with minors in business management and the entertainment and recording industry — did a multimedia journalism summer internship in Bologna, Italy, with two other Nazareth students and a Nazareth professor who taught one of their courses there. "It was my first time being abroad and I was there for a month. I did multimedia work there and it was such a great experience. I learned a lot about the craft of video editing and social media."