As the school year comes to an end, it is common to evaluate your decision in the college you chose. Looking back at the year as a whole, it is a time to reflect on whether or not the academic and social life the school provides lived up to your expectations. For many students, Park provided the ideal college experience with the small class sizes and large events offered to the students.

With opportunities provided by different organizations within the school such as an October trip to Worlds of Fun Halloween Haunt, Nelson Atkins and Main Event field trips, and many fun and memorable activities held on campus, it is no wonder that many students feel they found a home in the university.

For finance sophomore Yu Wang, this feeling of hospitality was highly appreciated. Traveling alone to Parkville all the way from a small town in South China, nerves and uncertainty were in excess.

“I was very scared to come to the United States by myself,” said Wang. “I was alone with all my luggage waiting outside the airport for someone to get me, and I barely spoke English.”

While Wang learned some English prior to her arrival, it wasn’t until she really encompassed herself in the environment that her fluidity in the language rose to the level that it is now. American movies helped her understanding of the culture greatly.

“I only knew the American lifestyle from movies, so when I got here, it was exactly what I expected,” said Wang. “Everyone was friendly and nice and valued their education but also made time for fun and activities.”

Coming to a relatively small Missouri town from a different country may seem like a daunting task. However, Wang says that she is happy with her decision to travel here in pursuit of a better education. 

“My aunt suggested Park University to me,” said Wang. “She heard that it was a small and comfortable city with not as high of a tempo as a big city.”

The school has not only helped in the academic field, but also in other aspects of life. Having to do everything on her own once she moved from China, she credits Park with her becoming more independent.

“It’s fun to study here, and the people are very nice,” said Wang. “I can get a lot of help from professors, friends, and students. The education I receive here is great, and I would suggest Park to any potential student.”

For social psychology sophomore Ivan Aguero, the decision to come to Park was not only for scholastic reasons, but also for the soccer program. Playing since he was a very young boy, he wanted to continue his athletic career to the collegiate level.

“With the many different countries represented on the team,” said Aguero, “it’s very interesting to learn about different cultures and learn to look at life from different perspectives.”

While he is happy with his decision to play for Park, he also appreciates the educational side of the college.

“Classes are small, so I can easily ask for help from my professors,” he said. “I chose to come here because it is close to my family, it’s affordable, and it seems like the best education I can receive. I am very happy with my decision to come to Park.”

Kiana Sai, multimedia journalism junior, focused her decision based on the track team. Searching for a school that provided a great education for her major while also offering a quality track and field program, Park seemed like the perfect fit.

“From an academic standpoint, I would recommend Park to anyone wanting to receive a great education,” said Sai.

While maintaining her grades as she competes in shotput, discuss, javelin, and hammer, her outlook is the same as Wang’s and Aguero’s: they are happy with their choice in school and the future it can provide them.