During high school, I struggled academically as a student. I just couldn’t invest myself in paying attention to a total of six classes a day, and could not find interest or passion in any of the subjects in front of me.
Science was too difficult, math was complicated, history was boring, English was tedious, religion was repetitive, and language tough to comprehend. The track I was placed in made it difficult to get help from teachers who generally disregarded the idea of working together with students to succeed.
As it would for most people, my lack of success as a student in high school had a large impact on my self-esteem, and it was difficult for me to to find any confidence academically. However, that all changed once I came to Cabrini.
Cabrini connected me with professors who genuinely looked out for my best interests and wanted me to succeed in every way possible. I was amazed by the extra help I was offered and the various facets that the school offered to put me on a path I never thought I would be on.
I pictured my first advising meeting being very routine and mundane, where I’d be talking to a person who seems like they’re trying to get to know me with small talk and general knowledge. My experience with my advisor, Jerry Zurek, was quite the opposite.
He was very engaged in meeting with me and learning everything about him. I told him my interests, aspirations, skills, and work ethics. He was very genuine and honest, and showed me that he cared less about filling a quota and more about connecting with me strongly.
Classes are great because, while universities like Temple and Penn State have big lecture hall style classes of 200 or more students, Cabrini hosts only 14 to 21 students per class. This small class size allows you to connect more with your fellow students and even your professors.
Have a question or concern you don’t want to ask in the middle of the classroom? Simple; professors consistently have posted office hours when you’re able to regularly meet with them.
Even if a professor is an adjunct, someone who only comes to Cabrini to teach a specific class, you are still able to meet with them an hour before class or after class. It’s very easy to connect with your professor in any way necessary that fits your own preferences.
So it’s safe to say Cabrini has really put me on the right track with my academics. It wasn’t because I simply decided to crack down harder and study, but that I was able to get the extra help I needed and know that my professors believed in my chances of success.
It really goes a long way when not only the student, but also the teacher puts their 100% into a class. I find the best teachers are the ones who are passionate about the subject and love what they're teaching. Any teacher who is just simply there for their day job is certainly not going to help me succeed in the least bit.
That’s why Cabrini has helped me so much academically. I’m working with professors who love every second of what they’re doing, and put the students’ education level before their paychecks. It’s something that has benefited me wonderfully throughout the past two years, and something that will continue to for the remainder of my college career.