Student Life

“As a non-traditional student, I was a little worried about how I would fit in at RIT.  Those worries were quickly washed away and I was welcomed as a student.  As a military veteran, my professors and classmates have valued my previous life experience when sharing it with classes.  During my freshman year, I joined the Criminal Justice Association.  The CJSA has been a great way to meet fellow CJ students and the faculty.  I have attended several field trips with CJSA to the Attica, Auburn, and Albion State Prisons; the Monroe County Crime Lab; and the Public Safety Training Facility.  The Criminal Justice department also does a great job of bringing experts from the field to speak as guest lecturers. There are so many different career paths available to CJ majors and the field experience program at RIT is exceptional because it allows students to tailor their experience to the career aspirations. During my junior year I was able to complete an internship with the U.S. Marshals Service, and I will be completing my next internship with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives."

Campus Involvement:  Criminal Justice Student Association and RIT Veterans Club

“Being an international student and having travelled and lived in different countries before attending RIT has made me really passionate about International and Global Studies.  All of the professors that I have taken classes with have diverse professional experiences, so there is a big pool of knowledge and resources to choose from for your field specialization and capstone seminar.  I was not originally a double major, but the College of Liberal Arts offers a lot of flexibility so students are not limited to just one major and I was able to easily add a second major.”

Campus Involvement:  RIT Bhangra, Global Union, Pacha Trends, and the National Society of Leadership and Success.

“When I started at RIT I was actually a chemical engineering major. Unfortunately, I found that that really wasn’t my calling. I was lucky enough to be taking classes in economics for my then-minor and found that the department was extremely welcoming and supporting. In particular, I was taking Healthcare Economics with Professor and the class showed me the range of possibilities available in studying economics, something I hadn’t fully realized before. One day after class I spoke with Professor Espinosa about my interest in the major, and he encouraged me to keep considering the program. After talking with other professors from the department I came to the conclusion that not only was this a field I was interested in pursuing but it was also a department that would provide me with the tools I needed to have a successful and fulfilling college experience. Since then I have continued to have success in the department - the small size ensures that I am always able to work closely with professors, and the emphasis on research means that I am constantly in a climate that encourages me to be proactive in my studies. The difference between this program and my original program, where I felt perpetually lost and overwhelmed, is tremendous. I really hope to be able to make sure that other students entering RIT economics have the same welcoming experience I did."

Campus Involvement: AICHE ChemE Car member and Library employee.

“I came to RIT, undeclared, and unsure of what I wanted to do with my future. Being a part of the Liberal Arts Exploration program is a one-of- a-kind experience I won’t ever forget. I got to sample all sorts of classes in COLA until I found a major that fit my interests. I took classes in Museum Studies, Public Policy, and Psychology. It took me a year and a half until I settled on Psychology as my major. The faculty were so supportive in my search of a desired major to pursue. The program was helpful in finding what I wanted to do with my future in terms of career. I wouldn’t trade the lessons I learned in this program for anything in the world. I highly recommend this program to those who don’t know what they want to study in COLA!” 

Campus Involvement: RIT GLBTQIA+ Alliance Public Relations officer (2015-2016) and member, Psychology Club, and Computational Sensing research assistant with Research Experiences for Undergraduates at RIT.

“The Political Science Department is an absolutely awesome place to be! Not only is it full of great students and professors, but it is also full of countless opportunities for personal growth. The Political Science Book Club is one of the favorite activities amongst students, as well my personal favorite (yes, we are geeks). Headed by Professor Fornieri, the book club allows students to explore a wide variety of books while relating them to the pressing questions of our time. The theme of the most recent book club was freedom, tyranny and friendship, in where books such as the Fellowship of the Ring and Fahrenheit 451 where explored. Guest speakers are also brought in, adding an extra layer of the depth to an already outstanding experience. Now I would be amiss to not mention that we are provided with free pizza at each meeting, something that every college student can truly appreciate. Overall the experience has allowed me to not only further connect with the faculty of the Political Science Department, but also expand my mind; all while discussing books and eating pizza!”

Campus Involvement: 2016 Alexander Hamilton Institute Carl Menges Colloquium at Turning Stone, Political Science Book Club, and Political Science Student Research Consortium.