Every family yearns to hear six reassuring words from their student after their first year of college. “I couldn’t see myself anywhere else.” Luckily, that’s a pretty common statement from students who attend the University of Miami.
I could tell you I decided to attend UM because I love our campus, but that’s not true. Okay…I do love our campus, but my actual deciding factor was the opportunities I would have access to. Opportunity drives success, and there are few schools that offer the career potential that the University of Miami offers. I have made countless trips to the Toppel Career Center to streamline my internship search and discover job opportunities not only in Miami, but back in my hometown as well. Toppel staff takes the time to understand each student’s interests and is willing to host a conversation with you in order to help you find your future career avenues.
These opportunities aren’t limited to the career center though, as every professor has made a mark in his or her field as well. All UM professors are happy to create a connection with their students, or even be used as a reference! For example, it’s no secret the music business is a hard business to enter. This became a far less daunting challenge after just taking one class with Frost School of Music Professor Guillermo Page. He has helped me reach out to several contacts, and creating this relationship has been instrumental in me finding my niche within the music business world. Between UM’s Toppel Career Center and its network of successful professors, the choice was clear.
Reflecting on why he decided to attend UM, sophomore Tyler Stimmel remembers, “I wanted to come here because I knew four years in Miami would breed valuable connections.”
Junior, Elizabeth Cronin, can’t see herself anywhere else: “I’m big on creating relationships with my professors and peers. The University of Miami was the perfect size to get to know my professors, as well as run into friends and classmates all of the time.”
When I asked sophomore Aliza Dodge how she decided on UM, she thought for a second before telling me, “I can’t choose just one reason.”
Whether it’s opportunities, location, the reputation of UM’s programs and faculty, or, of course, our distinct campus, there are plenty of reasons to decide that the University of Miami is the place for you. When looking back on my decision to become a ’Cane, I can truly say that I can’t see myself anywhere else.
