New Students Tour Campus and Academic Programs on Accepted Student Day

On Saturday Westfield State hosted its first Accepted Student Day which allows newly enrolled and accepted students to explore campus, academic programs, and meet faculty and staff. The day began with a warm welcome from Michael Mazeika, Director of Admissions, Dr. Michael Freeman, Chief of Staff, and Daphne Veitch, a senior majoring in history and secondary education.

Following introductions, the new students separated by major and attended short presentations given by faculty outlining course work, departmental expectations, and academic opportunities. Later in the day, students connected with Financial Aid, Athletics, and staff from the Learning Disabilities Program offered by the Banacos Academic Center in addition to the L.E.A.D Scholars Program, the Honors Program, and Career Center.

Students experienced one-on-one meetings with Financial Aid staff along with tours of the campus and residence halls. The day wrapped up with lunch at the Dining Commons.

“Our first Accepted Student Day was full of energy and excitement brought by our athletics teams who greeted guests as they parked their cars, the cheerleading team who cheered on the accepted students as they entered Parenzo Hall, our student leaders and tour guides, the dedicated faculty who shared their expertise in their respective majors, and the staff who made sure all of their questions were answered,” Emily Gibbings, the Associate Director of Admissions said. “As a result of this team effort, we received a record number of enrollment deposits at the event. The momentum is building at Westfield State, and we look forward to our next Accepted Student Day events on March 22  and April 5.”

Jessica Holden, Associate Professor and the Executive Director of Nursing, echoed Gibbings’ sentiment and commented on the new students’ engagement with the nursing major. “We had about 30 students in attendance with their families to investigate the nursing program,” she said. “Three of our alumni were on hand to present information about their experience with the program, and four of our current students were present to take folks through the simulation space. The prospective students enjoyed interacting with current and former students, especially hearing about the exciting things our alumni have been up to since graduating from the University.”

New and accepted students can register for additional Accepted Student Days on March 22 and April 5.