Discover How Learning and Doing Come Together

Some people think research isn't exciting, but if you choose the right topic, it can be fascinating. Here's the issue I decided to tackle. If a pregnant woman is an alcoholic, she risks giving her baby Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which causes growth retardation, mental disorders and heart malformations. If a woman takes drugs during pregnancy, her baby is likely to be premature and have a low birth weight, birth defects, AIDS, SIDS and learning disabilities. Yet many pregnant addicts do not seek treatment. Why?

This is the basis for my master's thesis at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. While attending graduate school, I've also been working as a research assistant for a professor of gerontology, or the study of aging. My master's degree will be in health education and as soon as my thesis is done, I'll have my degree in my hand.

Part of the reason I've really enjoyed graduate school is that Guilford prepared me so well for it. Almost every Guilford class I took was writing intensive. So when I was faced with a 15- or 20-page paper at UNCC, it wasn't something new to me at all. I was already experienced at citing sources using the proper APA format, while many of my friends from bigger schools were stressed out because they had no clue.

Scholarships and Financial Aid -- there when you need them: Guilford is one of only 25 colleges that are members of the Bonner Scholarship program. In exchange for 150 hours of community service, 80 students receive financial assistance every year, as Nina Brow did. Other forms of financial aid include the Guilford Opportunity Alternative Loan (GOAL) and a Guilford grant that matches the North Carolina Legislative Tuition Grant. (NCLTG). Approximately 90% of Guilford students receive some type of financial aid.

Working on my thesis has been a little rough, though. I had to try hard to understand my subjects and put myself in their shoes. To accomplish this, I utilized practices that I learned at Guilford. They don 't just acknowledge issues like homelessness or discrimination there; they try to understand why they happen. I personally went to several campus forums on racism, which gave me a much greater understanding of the whole issue.

In many ways, I'm glad I chose a smaller school for undergrad before I came to UNCC. I come from a tiny town in Vermont, and I was looking for a college that was small and low key, without any Greek life. I just felt like that might be overwhelming to me.

Guilford was really welcoming — after I applied, at least 3 or 4 people called me to say "hi" and find out if I had any questions or problems. It made me feel a lot more comfortable with my choice, and that's important when you're far from home.

In grad school, I've had all different kinds of teachers. But my professors from Guilford still stand out in my mind. For example, Pat Callair, Karen Tinsley and Claire Morse didn't just sit and lecture at you. They made it interesting — they'd get everyone involved in discussions and do activities in class. They'd also take extra time with you if you needed it, even if it was hours and hours.

Now that I'm almost done with school, I've come to the realization that college isn't just about academics — it's about community, diversity, teaching quality and making friends. That's why you need to really enjoy it and take in as much as you can. Once you're out of there, everything changes, including you.