Curiosity spreads, conversations flowed and futures took shape as SUNY Brockport welcomed prospective students for Accepted Student Day, offering a glimpse into life as a Golden Eagle.
The event started out in the Special Events and Recreation Center, known as the SERC, on Saturday, March 28. Prospective students and their families could learn about academic majors, how to access their schedules and Brockport student emails and ways to get involved with the campus; attendees could take tours of the campus spaces as well as listen to speeches from advisors. Prospective students and their families could also go to the Seymour College Union for information about Residential Life and tours of the dormitories.
Helping to welcome families, Admissions Ambassador Sophia Scorcia shared her perspective on what it means to be a part of the Golden Eagle community.
“We want to just make sure that everyone who comes [to Accepted Student Day] to be able to really feel themselves living here and we like to make sure that everyone feels welcomed,” Scorcia said. “Honestly, I just love the community here; I love my friends and just everyone that I have interacted with here has been amazing.”
SUNY Brockport, as Scorcia explains, wants to ensure that its students feel like they have a place wherever it may be on campus, highlighting that wherever students end up there is a place for them. Scorcia says Accepted Students Day is the place where students can figure that out.
“This is kind of your main hub to really learn about all of the information that we can give you,” Scorcia said. “I mean we have our website, but it’s nice to have a physical analog of how we can help with anything.”
When reflecting on the challenge that first-year students have when adjusting to college life, Scorcia shares a piece of advice that often goes unspoken.
“One thing that I wish I knew, I mean I know it sounds a little cliché, but it also isn’t. If you ever find yourself needing help, just ask for it. Don’t push it aside and don’t procrastinate it,” Scorcia said. “You can do this but you’re going to have to push yourself forward.”
For many prospective students, the Accepted Student Day is more than a tour; it is a defining moment in the college decision process. At SUNY Brockport, an event like this relies heavily on community. For prospective student Shane Moran, SUNY Brockport is about imagining what it means to start over somewhere new.
“I like Brockport because I wanted to go a little far away from home, but not too far. So, it’s a great balance for me,” Moran said. “I am from the Queens area, so it is a little different up here.”
When students decide to attend a college that is distant from their home, it fosters a sense of independence and a new perspective on life. In doing so, this new separation offers upcoming college students a stronger connection to campus life.
For prospective students like Moran, it is important to notice and find the balance between being far from home when attending college. While it creates new perspectives, there is a cultural difference and adjustment that needs to be made. Beyond location, Moran takes note of what SUNY Brockport has to offer not only academically, but also financially.
“Yeah, a really big thing for me actually was the tuition and they give really good scholarships, Moran said. “I want to do political science, and their program seems great and really interesting.”
First-year students who live on campus are offered many opportunities for scholarships. Annually SUNY Brockport awards over $6 million in scholarships. With these scholarships there is a GPA minimum of 3.25 and requires a full-time status but are renewable.
SUNY Brockport uses Accepted Student Day as an opportunity to see what SUNY Brockport is all about. Undergraduate Admissions Advisor Jill Walton explains that this day is a defining factor for prospective students.
“[Accepted Student Day] is just about showing these students what Brockport actually has to offer,” Walton said. “Honestly, it just helps people make a decision about college.”
As Walton explains, being here and experiencing both the college environment and the Brockport community firsthand plays a bigger role in the college decision, as it helps the families weigh their options.
“I hope people see that we do have a lot more to offer than what they see on the pamphlets,” Walton said. “Brockport has a lot more to offer than, you know, just oh we’re a school with majors. No, we have resources for students to support them throughout their four years.”
There are numerous ways to get involved with campus life, but there are also ways to get academic support and other forms of support that you need. Hazen Center for Integrated Care offers counseling, health support and personal support. Walton highlights that SUNY Brockport has ways to help every student in the ways they need. Walton explains that these systems are in place to help students both inside and outside of the classroom for their entire college journey.
“We all come out for this, so this school is not just me, it’s not just about any of us as individuals, but it is a collection of us,” Walton said.
SUNY Brockport is not just a place of individuality, but rather it is a place where we all come together. Walton explains that Accepted Student Day is an event that showcases that every student, advisor and faculty member each have a place and a way to contribute to the interconnectedness of the SUNY Brockport community.
When Accepted Student Day ended, prospective students and their families left with more than just information and tours – they left with a clearer sense of what SUNY Brockport has to offer.
