Freshman Elizabeth Glancey poses in front of the St. Norbert College entrance
Together with the onset of the 2025-2026 school year on Monday, Aug. 25, the class of 2029 was officially knighted into the St. Norbert College community. After concerns were raised over budget cuts and removed majors, St. Norbert College still managed to preserve its appeal – and earn admiration – in the eyes of prospective students.
Freshman Keana McAfee, for one, was captivated by St. Norbert’s campus. “I thought the campus was absolutely beautiful. The first time I saw it, I just happened to be in the area, so I decided to drive by. I had already been accepted through a direct admissions process, so I figured, why not? I was passing the arch and I thought, ‘I can’t believe this place wants me to come learn at their institution.’ It’s honestly breathtaking.”
What impressed McAfee, aside from the atmosphere of the campus, were the class sizes: “I liked the small student-to-professor ratio, since I usually learn best when I can ask questions more easily and get more in-depth answers.” Along with its status as a private, Catholic liberal arts college, class sizes are partly what distinguish St. Norbert from other higher education options – a trait that doesn’t go unnoticed by high school seniors.
Transitioning into campus life was no trouble for some newcomers. When asked about her first week experience, McAfee responded, “The first week was amazing! Everything was exactly how I thought it would be and I never felt blindsided or unprepared. My classes were easy to find, especially because of my FYE mentor taking the time to show me where they all were the weekend before.”
Not every freshman’s experience on campus was the same. “My first impressions of campus were kind of bad, actually. I came on a really gloomy and cold day,” notes freshman Elizabeth Glancey. Though less “breathtaking” than McAfee’s campus impression, Glancey had other reasons for considering St. Norbert: good word of mouth. “I knew that I could get a really good education from SNC from the alumni that I knew, and my friends who currently go or went at the time of enrollment.”
Amberly Gutierrez Lara did not know what to expect upon entering college. “My first impression of the campus was that it was intimidating. With the little knowledge I had as a first-generation college student, I had no clue what to expect aside from the knowledge that college is considerably harder than high school,” she explained. “I had imagined that I would be taking around five classes daily with occasional night classes and that work would be considerably more strenuous than what I've seen so far.” Considering that St. Norbert students take an average of four classes per semester sprawled throughout the week, Gutierrez Lara’s concerns were swiftly resolved.
St. Norbert prides itself on the college’s idea of “communio”: a fostered sense of connection and community. Gutierrez Lara experienced this firsthand during her first week. “I frankly believed that the college scene might have felt professional and cold and I was surprised by how people acted.” Gutierrez Lara described how she was invited to a lunch table when she had “resigned [herself] to sitting at a separate table” to “avoid feeling awkward or out of place compared to [other students].” “Their explanation of not wanting to leave me out was strange to me at the time, but I now know that people are inclined to form community at St. Norbert.”
A whole school year of learning, working, socializing, dorm living, and commuting stands ahead of these freshmen. Only time will tell whether every freshman successfully settles into their new life on campus, but it appears the future of St. Norbert College is far from lost.