Finance and Economics Majors
"IUP and Eberly College of Business and IT provide students a premiere educational experience, despite it being a "state school." I have found that the professors truly do care about your education and actually want to get to know you. Outside of the classroom, IUP offers many opportunities to get involved, meet, and serve others. In addition, both IUP and Eberly present students with many chances to gain valuable real-world experience that will provide immeasurable benefits in the future."
I am from Pulaski, PA and first considered IUP after receiving a mailing from the Robert E. Cook Honors College. I visited IUP in June 2008. I received a full tour of campus and sat in on a class in Eberly. From the start of the visit, I could tell that IUP was going to be the right place for me. I subsequently applied and was accepted into the Honors College. I also received an invitation to apply to Eberly's Business Honors Program, to which I was also accepted. I thought then, and still do, that IUP was the right place because of its balance of world-class academics and affordability. Sure, it might have the stigma of being a "state school," but now I believe that phrase simply means that you can receive the same education as more prestigious institutions, but without the price tag.
Since matriculating at IUP, I have had the opportunity to experience more than I ever thought possible. Through the Business Honors Program, I have been able to learn from some of Eberly's best professors as well as travel. I have been able to go to Washington, D.C. and New York City because of opportunities provided through the Business Honors Program. I have also been able to hold leadership roles and have real world business experience. I am currently a Junior Cohort Representative in the Business Honors Program, which has given me the opportunity to work alongside staff and faculty on an important project. Along with the other cohort representative, I have worked extensively with Dr. Dot Gracey and Dr. William McPherson on creating a reader program for Eberly (to replace the Common Freshman Reader after its demise).
I have also been fortunate to have internship experience from contacts I have gained while at IUP. This past summer, I had the privilege of having an internship in Stamford, CT, where I worked under an alumnus of the Honors College. Currently, I work for Stewart Capital as a research intern, a position I learn about from a friend in the Honors College.
My first experiences in my college career were with the Robert E. Cook Honors College. By centering Honors Core Units on a central question, considered through the lenses of many subjects, the Honors College has helped me to refine my ability to understand the various viewpoints in an argument as well as defend my own position. I brought this skill to my classes in Eberly and I believe that is what helped me to learn as much as possible in my classes. Outside of classes, I volunteer whenever I can for the Honors College in Whitmyre. I believe that as many people as possible should be able to experience this program and to that end, I have been an Orientation Leader for incoming freshmen, guided tours of Whitmyre, and sat on panels to discuss college life during their Open Houses. Since I have learned valuable skills from the Honors College, I feel that it is my responsibility to give back. Yet, perhaps the greatest thing I gained from the Honors College are the friendships that will last a lifetime.