Hello!

My name is Elizabeth O’Reilly, but I much prefer Liz. I’m from Walden, New York which is just an eighty minute train ride from NYC, or as everyone from my hometown calls it “The City.” Since moving into WNE I’ve realized that I do have an accent, especially when I enjoy my “cawfee.” I have to admit that Western New England was not my first choice until after I went to visit my original first choice school. I originally planned on spending my undergraduate college career at UMASS Amherst, until I realized I’d be one of 26,000 students. WNE is small and my high school was larger but it had a small town feel just like WNE, which is what I love so much about this campus.
Being a freshman again is unnerving, especially when I’m showering next to complete strangers, but it is also exciting and allows for a fresh start. During my freshman year I plan to surround myself with an excellent support group of friends who are on the same level as me when it comes to my decisions about not doing drugs or studying. I am a journalism major, so I would like to explore what jobs are out in the “real” world that would allow me to do what I love, writing and expressing my thoughts and experiences with others. I am excited to be stressed this year over classes, to meet new people I would have never met if I didn’t choose WNE, and to really explore who I am and how Western New England can help me grow.

Transition Game

Hello from Western New England University! My name is Jason Titelbaum and I am a Sophomore Sport Management major here at WNE. The Class of 2015 moved in just over a week ago and everyone has made it through the first week of classes. This year, along with blogging for Admissions, I have the honor of being a Peer Advisor. What is a Peer Advisor you may ask? Well, a Peer Advisor (PA) is a Sophomore, Junior, or a Senior student that volunteers to help the new students on campus have a smooth transition into school and also provide academic support. I have a total of 21 advisees that I work with and hopefully I will be able to set them up for success here at Western New England. It has been over just a week, and I already know each of their names, and they know many more people than just their roommates. WNE is a place where everyone can put a face to a name, be it a PA, an athletic coach, an Admissions Counselor, or even a professor. Stay tuned for more information about what is going on at Western New England University!

Come back, there will be more to come.

You’ve got a friend in me,

-Jason :)

Hello Fellow WNE Readers!

My name is Danielle Johnson, mostly known as Dani, and I’m an incoming freshman. I’m here to tell you all about my life…or the end of it at least. No, I’m not “departing the earth,” I mean the end of my life as an 18-year-old high school student in the little town of Wallingford. Never heard of Wallingford? Neither have most people. It is in the southern region of Connecticut, about 15 minutes away from New Haven. Wallingford is one of those towns where the only good thing to do is to go see a movie or go out and have a bonfire with some deer. While both can be entertaining, I’m looking forward to going out and having many new experiences at Western New England and around Massachusetts.

This summer I will be making the trek to Long Boat Key and Orlando, Florida. This is sort of a graduation present from my family. I’m very excited because Long Boat Key has a ton of wildlife including dolphins and manatees. So hopefully they’ll smile for my camera! The other exciting part of this vacation is celebrating my graduation with Mickey Mouse. I have a little graduation cap with Mickey ears that I bought when I went with my friends in April. In the summer, I also intend to meet up with some of my new friends from WNE. Hope to bring great stories back for you guys!

-Dani

Going Back to Cali

As the semester ends and I start to look back at this year as a whole, I can see how much I have grown as a person. This was my first time being away from home, and I feel like I have accomplished a lot. No one was telling me to get up every day for class or telling me to study. I am my own person and I found myself making very responsible decisions. I became dedicated to my studies, but still had fun at the same time. I finally feel comfortable at a place that was once foreign to me. I know that I made the right choice by coming to Western New England. I am learning things that I can use in my everyday life both in and out of the classroom. I have been networking with people who can help prepare me for my future endeavors.

One of my favorite parts of this past school year was working with the WNE Men’s Ice Hockey team. I truly enjoyed assisting the coaching staff and look forward to working with them next year. Hockey is my favorite sport so it has been relatively easy to make friends through the team. I know next year I will explore new options and meet new people that will help me in the future. This year I even had two interviews with the Boston Bruins for marketing and community relations internships. Even interviewing for these internships was great experience that will only better prepare me for future internship or job opportunities.

At the same time, I am glad the semester has come to an end. It has been a long year and it will be nice to see my family again, who I haven’t seen since January. Also, it will be good to get a break from homework and tests so I can finally relax. Next year I look forward to hockey season (for those of you reading this as an incoming freshman, be sure to check out our games!) I look forward to becoming more involved with the sport management cub by helping out with Midnight Madness and other great events. I look forward to taking courses within my major and learning more about the sports industry. I hope I have helped some people make a decision to come to Western New England, it is a great school and I am going to miss it this summer.

Until next year
The Kid from Cali.

Jay.Thall

Is this the End?

Wow. A whole year of college is almost done. Finals start in a week, classes are finishing up, and the weather is getting so much nicer! Students are outside doing homework and enjoying the weather. What have I been up to? Well, I have been working with the Athletic Department here on campus and have been announcing some of the games that are being hosted here at WNE. Lacrosse, (Men’s and Women’s), Baseball, and Softball are all in the conference playoffs and are ready to make a deep run in the playoffs. Hopefully I will be the voice behind their home field advantage!
My classes are starting to wind down. Presentations and group projects are a major part of my curriculum here, and the due dates are quickly approaching. It is sad to know that in a week, I will be going home for the summer and will not be around all the friends I have made here at Western New England in just one short year. However, this has only made me that much more excited for next year! I can’t wait to see what it has to bring!
I hope you enjoyed following my journey during my first year at Western New England College, soon to be Western New England University!

See you next year,
-Jason

I Had My First Official Spring Break...and Now I'm Back

One of the benefits of college life is the experience of being on spring break. You may hear people talk about vacations they are going on, places they plan to see, or family they spend time with. These ten days are crucial for recouping and getting ready for the last 6 weeks of your first year, or any year for that matter. There are many trips offered through the WNEC Alternative Spring Break program where you can go away (far or near), gain experience, and have fun all while helping others. These students donate their precious ten days to a cause which can be extremely rewarding. Many of my friends participated this year and went to places such as Washington D.C., New York City, and even Alabama assisting people in need. Western New England College allows their students to take advantage of these great opportunities.

Even though I wasn’t able to participate in alternative spring break, as a member of the softball team I did get to visit Orlando, FL for our spring training. Going to Florida was an excellent chance to bond as a team and start our season against some of the nation’s best competition. We played 10 intense games while we were there and still had plenty of time to relax by the pool, catch some sun and even visit Disney World! My parents even came down for the week so I had some family time too! My spring break was awesome and even though it is harder to concentrate on school as the weather gets nicer, I feel refreshed to finish out the year on a strong note!

Maria

March Recap

We have been back at school for two weeks after our spring break, and it was a great week off. I spent the first weekend down on Cape Cod with my cousin, and the rest of my time at my aunt’s house. I only did three things over break: Interview with the Boston Bruins for an internship, celebrated my 21st birthday, and watched almost every single March Madness basketball game. The interview was a great experience; just to say interviewed with the Boston Bruins is pretty cool. Although I didn’t get the Foundation internship I applied for, I still have another interview with the Bruins next Friday for their marketing and promotions internship. Wish me luck!

I hope that everyone watched at least some of the March Madness games over break; they were exciting to say the least. In my opinion, this March Madness tournament has been the most exciting in tournament history. It had the most upsets, and no number one or two seeds made it to the final four. The championship game is between number eight seed Butler and number three seed UCONN tonight and I can’t wait to watch. Overall it was a very relaxing week, and I am looking forward to the return of warm weather soon.

-The Kid from Cali.
Jay.Thall