My name is Shayla Gladden, and I am from Springfield, Massachusetts. I am a junior at Albertus Magnus College, majoring in criminal justice and sociology and I also minor in spanish. Before I committed to these majors and minors, I wanted to study just criminal justice. I looked for the top schools that had the best programs and Albertus Magnus was on that list. I am also a resident student and I have lived in Dominican, Sansbury, and also Siena.
My cousin was attending this school when I was looking and told me to go on a tour to see if I truly enjoyed this school. I took a tour and loved the campus and the area of New Haven. It wasn’t too far from home. What got me to commit fully was the open house where I got to talk to my now advisor, Professor Lawrie. He was also from Massachusetts and explained his teaching methods and how he would help me create the building blocks to achieve my goals.
Another reason I chose Albertus is because I was recruited to play softball at this school, and I still continue to play. At the beginning of my freshman year I was homesick all the time and went home every weekend. Then my friends convinced me to stay one weekend and I enjoyed exploring New Haven with them. They showed me ways to spend my time such as joining clubs and getting myself involved. Once I was involved within the school I felt more connected to everyone and I became less homesick and craved more time at school when I left. Another involvement is my softball team. When softball season
started, I bonded with the team during our annual spring break trip. It was not like high school; the upperclassmen were our friends and helped me along the way whenever I needed help.
Since then, I have grown and have become very involved within the school: working at the House of Bollstadt Pub as a student bartender, an Admission Ambassador, an officer in the Student Government Association, serving as both a Student Orientation Counselor (SOC) and as a Peer Mentor, being a member of the Student Alumni Association, and participating in the Peace Leadership Skills class. I did all of this while balancing softball and school work. This school is truly a family and I am proud to be a part of it. The professors treat you as a name and not a number, the coaches make sure you are a student first, athlete after, and the students make you feel like you’re not alone. This school has changed and helped me grow into the person I am now. I truly enjoy what I’ve learned and I am excited for what is to come.