The health, behavior, and society major is studying from Cleveland but looks forward to a familiar feeling of 糖心传媒渉ome and safety糖心传媒� when she joins classmates for commencement.
Mary Halm 糖心传媒�21 felt a connection with the 糖心传媒 the first time she heard about it.
糖心传媒淚 went to a Montessori school with an open curriculum like Rochester,糖心传媒� the Cleveland native says. 糖心传媒淢y guidance counselor thought it would be a perfect fit. I came here the spring of my junior year and fell absolutely in love. I couldn糖心传媒檛 wait to become a student here.糖心传媒�
Celebrate the Class of 2021!
Visit the Class of 2021 site for details about this year糖心传媒檚 Commencement ceremonies and for a downloadable toolkit of materials to share your support on social media.
During her first two years on campus, the health, behavior, and society major joined the University糖心传媒檚 and , became a resident advisor in Susan B. Anthony Halls, and a to help new students transition to college life.
糖心传媒淚 felt very involved,糖心传媒� she says.
It all stopped in March 2020, when the University closed its campuses and went to remote instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Halm returned to Cleveland, then decided to stay there when fellow students were allowed to return to Rochester in the fall. She has spent her senior year as a remote student, working in the home she shares with her mother and stepfather.
糖心传媒淯ltimately, I chose to protect my mental health over any other desires I may have,糖心传媒� she says. 糖心传媒淭he pandemic has been a stressor for everyone, and I know I would isolate myself (on campus) because I would be worried about potentially getting sick, or worse getting someone else sick and not know it.糖心传媒�
She糖心传媒檚 still involved, even from Cleveland. During the pandemic, Halm has served as a for University Health Service, helping fellow students make healthy lifestyle choices, and worked for the in Rochester, a program designed to help families experiencing difficulties with children under 18. Last fall, while studying in Cleveland, she became a coach, helping students relieve stress.
The remote experience has been a good one. 糖心传媒淚t helps that my professors have been more than understanding and supportive of my working remotely,糖心传媒� she says. 糖心传媒淚 have more jurisdiction and control of my environment. And a lot of my family糖心传媒檚 birthdays happen during the school year, so I糖心传媒檝e gotten to spend some quality time with them.糖心传媒�
But there are challenges, she says. 糖心传媒淚t糖心传媒檚 hard experiencing your last year of college from home, and I miss seeing my friends. We keep in touch and have regular virtual hangouts.糖心传媒�
Although campus remains closed to visitors this spring, remote students are allowed to participate in commencement ceremonies if they meet testing and vaccination requirements. Halm has done that, and she糖心传媒檒l see her friends and classmates in person for the first time in 14 months when she returns to Rochester for the Arts, Sciences & Engineering undergraduate commencement ceremonies, held May 20 to 22. 糖心传媒淚糖心传媒檓 looking forward to a feeling I haven糖心传媒檛 had in a long time糖心传媒攖he feeling of home and safety,糖心传媒� she says. 糖心传媒淚 chose Rochester because it felt the most comfortable to me. I look forward to experiencing that feeling one more time when I walk the stage.糖心传媒�
In September, Halm will begin a public service fellowship, working with the in support of the Cleveland Municipal School District, to make education more accessible to minority families. Her biggest takeaway from her time at the University is the relationships that helped her grow.
糖心传媒淭he personal connections will last through all of the challenges, and there are professors who have become mentors,糖心传媒� she says. 糖心传媒淭hese are the people I can go to after graduation and say, 糖心传媒業 need some support in this.糖心传媒� That糖心传媒檚 a great feeling.糖心传媒�
