What Students Really Say About Farmington


What are some of the classes you’ve taken in the Geology/Geography program?
Right now, I’m taking Petrology and Petrography, and Mineralogy. And I’ve taken Intro. to Geology, Intro to Geography, Elements of Geography, Regional and Cultural Geography, Geographic Techniques — which explores maps and stuff.

That's a lot. Have you had a favorite class or one that stands out?
Probably Mineralogy with David Gibson [Associate Professor of Geology]. He’s a fun professor, and he makes things really interesting. His personality just draws you into the class. OK, minerals doesn’t sound too exciting, so David really tries to bring you in and makes it a comfortable atmosphere — more fun and upbeat. Petrology and Petrography is kind of a continuation of Mineralogy, and David prepares you very well and actually looks forward to you going into that class. He tries to make minerals quite interesting, as much as they may not be to some people.

How many people are in your Geology/Geography program?
Only between 20 and 30, I believe.

Did you come to Farmington with that major in mind?
No [laughing] this is my sixth major. I actually came into the program as a Secondary Education-History major.

Are you planning to go on to graduate school?
Yes, in some sense. I’m looking into going to getting a Master’s degree in Education. And I’m looking into going into Geography more than Geology.

Have you taken a class at Farmington that has changed your view?
I’d have to say Regional Geography. Its basis is mostly cultural and after the Asian Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, my class became very student opinion-oriented. That Regional Geography class definitely made me look at the world a lot differently than when I first came in here.

What originally attracted you to Farmington?
The campus atmosphere and the sense of being a close community. I wasn’t looking for a big school with a lot of people, I was looking for small classes and an opportunity to get involved and not be just a number.

How have you been involved on campus?
On campus, I’ve been on the Campus Residence Council and I’ve worked for the Center for Student Involvement, so I work a lot with other students. I also work on Orientation, so I get to help a lot of first-year students come in.

Being from out-of-state, how did you first hear about UMF?
My high school guidance counselor and I found out about Farmington online. My dad and I came up to visit, and it actually took us four and a half hours the first time we came up and it’s really just a 2.5 hour drive. Maybe that's also how I first discovered my interest in Geography [laughing]. We don’t know where we went, but we drove all around the world to find this place.

So, when you finally made it to campus what did you think?
At first I was really surprised because there weren’t a lot of people, but that’s what I was looking for. I guess my idea of college was that there’s be more people than you’d ever imagine. But overall, it was a very relaxed atmosphere. Calling a professor by their first name is very unusual at a university, and that's the norm here.

What do you think about Farmington now that you've been here for a while?
I still like the community aspect — that I can walk down the street and see and know almost everyone or at least can recognize them and put a first name to their face. And I like walking into a classroom and knowing the people there and that we’ve had multiple classes together. Professors here know you by name and you can call them anytime and they don’t have a problem with it.

Was UMF what you expected?
Coming in here, I didn’t know what to expect but I was hoping this is the feeling I’d have a few years down the road — a sense of willingness and readiness to take the next step. I never even thought I'd be looking past college.

Any big surprises?
I think the fact that one of my classes had just six people in it — that surprised me. I never thought I’d get the chance to take a class where there were six people and the professor.

What have been your favorite things here at Farmington?
The friendships you make a long the way and the people who help you get there. And the mentors you can gain. I think a lot of times, we don’t give enough credit to professors, but they really do change the way we view the world and the way we look at ourselves and how they influence our work ethic.

Who have been your best advisors?
Actually, staff member Kirsten Swan [Assistant Director of Student Development] has been a really great mentor for me. She has been there for almost all my changes in life, in academics, in majors. She has given me the best advice anybody could give me: to follow and do what I need to do. She has had a huge impact on my life.

What does a Liberal Arts Education mean to you?
The word that comes to mind is “diversity.” I don’t know if I can explain it well, but when I think of Liberal Arts I think of so many options, so many choices, a true sense of diversity. I guess it also means being a well-rounded university, where you’re made to take a number of different classes, so you come out of here with a piece of knowledge from almost every part of the world — whether it’s Math or History or Women’s Studies. You just come out with different pieces of knowledge.

What do you wish you wish you had known about UMF before you arrived?
Where to go to get involved. Before I came here, I knew there were a lot of clubs and organizations, but I didn’t know where to go to find out about them. I’d also probably want to have come in here with a better understanding of what the school was like in general. I still find new things every day. But maybe that's a good thing, because you won’t know everything before you get here — that would be too small.

Do you ski or hike or do any other outdoorsy things?
I don’t ski, but I do hike and I had my mountain bike up here last year. It was an excellent way to get around.

What does UMF do very well?
They promote academics very well — they really take pride in academics. And they push the fact that it’s a community here and not a-free-for all. Everyone works together.

As you look to graduation, do you feel Farmington has prepared you well?
I think it has. Classes-wise, I’m prepared to continue on to graduate school, and that’s even with changing my majors so many times! Every department here has been very welcoming. Personally, and through professors and my boss, UMF has given me a different outlook on the world and I think I’m ready to take that next big step.

Would you recommend UMF to a family member, home town?
I would definitely recommend it. I think it’s a great place. There’s a great “home” atmosphere and there’s enough to do if you look around. As long as you get involved, I’d definitely recommend it.