STUDENT STORY

“I received a scholarship to come to Grand Valley State University, which was a big deal for me. The scholarship got me really excited to visit campus. When I visited, I learned how kind everyone was, and that’s when I fell in love with GVSU.

GVSU has so many scholarships you can apply for. I didn’t learn until my second year how important it is to take advantage of them. I also take out loans through FAFSA, but even though I’ll have to pay those off later in life, I’ll definitely be paying less than I would be at other schools without my scholarships.

When I first came to college, I didn’t have a lot of friends. Some of my professors helped me break out of my shell. Since then, GVSU has helped me blossom into the person I am today, and it’s given me the skills I need to better communicate with people.

I try to stay involved on campus where I can. Campus jobs are great at working around students’ schedules, because they know we have classes and other commitments. I am the student photography assistant for University Communications. On top of that, I’ve climbed our campus’ rock-climbing wall as part of the club Rock Wall. I also used to take prospective students on tours of the university.

GVSU has also given me opportunities to build connections with influential people. Just being able to work in photography has helped me gain experience I can use later on in my career. I’ve networked with board members from different photography organizations, and I feel prepared for the future.

A lot of people go into college without a great idea of what they’re getting into. But once you’re here, and you’ve had the time to learn what your school is all about, it gets a lot less intimidating.”

(Rachael, Advertising, Grand Valley State University)