Campus Visit: Regis College

Angela Hall, the residence of all first year students.

Located in the sleepy suburb of Weston, Massachusetts, Regis College is a hidden gem in the metro-Boston area. It’s compact campus is very pedestrian-friendly, and offers a mix of brand new buildings and historic structures built when the College was founded in 1927. As my sophomore student guide emphasized, the school community is tight-knit, and she wasn’t kidding - throughout our hour-long walking tour, she was repeatedly greeted by peers, professors, and staff members alike. When I asked her what was the best thing about Regis, she immediately replied “the welcoming atmosphere.” She said that she made friends easily and quickly, and that she has national and international classmates, including from California, France, and Saudi Arabia. The diversity on campus was definitely apparent, both in terms of the student population and in terms of the faculty and staff.

The most popular (and most competitive) program is in the School of Nursing, but the College also features a School of Arts and Sciences, a School of Business and Communication, and a School of Health Sciences. For example, my tour guide was a Communications major with a minor in writing. The College also has a thriving NCAA Division III athletic program, with basketball and soccer being particularly popular (I also saw a snowy outdoor athletic field when driving around campus before my tour). However, don’t expect Regis to be a party school. There is no Greek life on campus, though there is always something to do (my tour guide explained that most students tend to stay on campus on the weekends).

My sense is that typical Regis students study hard and work hard, spending their free time volunteering. This was echoed by my tour guide, who talked at length about service trips that the College regularly organizes (for example, she will be going on a pilgrimage to France this summer). It makes sense: Regis College was founded by the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston, and that strong Catholic tradition definitely continues to inform the school. Though Regis welcomes students from all religious backgrounds, crucifixes and crosses were ubiquitous around campus, and my tour guide mentioned mass and prayer as part of daily life on campus (so, for those of you out there who may have more secular leanings or do not feel comfortable with religious paraphernalia, Regis may not be the right fit for you).

Here are 4 fun facts about Regis that I learned:

• 30% of the undergraduate student body is made up of first-generation students (meaning that they are the first in their family to go to college).

• Every student is required to complete an internship as part of the curriculum.

• “Pizza with the President” is a regular event where students enjoy pizza with the college president (who also happens to be an alum!). Students have a chance to voice their concerns and share their ideas with the President, and she takes her students seriously. This brings us to….

• iPads! It was at one of those pizza events when a student suggested that the College give each enrolled student an iPad. If the student graduates, he or she gets to keep that iPad. The President thought this was a great idea, and now it’s a reality! Students frequently use their iPads for coursework, but they also use it for things like scheduling tutor appointments and planning trips off campus.

Overall, Regis College is a great place to learn in a student-centered setting, where a small community of enthusiastic students work hard to make the world a better place. It certainly struck me as welcoming and friendly environment where students are encouraged to share their knowledge, skills, and talents with others.

For more information on Regis College, or to schedule your own campus visit, check out their website: http://www.regiscollege.edu/.

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The circulation desk at the library