Meet GU's director of admissions experiences
Published: January 20, 2023
Author: Cassidy Awalt
Hi, my name is Cassidy Awalt! I am the director of admissions experiences here at Greenville University. I was also a former student at GU, obtaining a bachelor of arts in psychology in 2016 and then I went on to obtain a master of arts in clinical mental health from Lincoln Christian University in 2019.
Experience. The difference!
In my current role, I oversee our individual campus visits, Experience GU Days, and admissions events here on campus. I also work with transfer students throughout the admissions process.
My main goal is to ensure that visiting students and families experience the best of GU during their time here on campus!
We want students to envision themselves here at GU. In order to do so, we want students to experience as much as they can during a visit. Part of my role is collaborating with professors, coaches, and anyone else students may want to meet during their visits. The more faculty and staff that students and their families are able to interact with while on campus, the better the chance is that they’re able to feel a part of the GU community. We want students to know what their time here at GU will be like before they arrive to start classes in August.
My experience
My favorite part about being on the admissions team is getting the chance to meet students and families. Over the course of the admissions process, I get the chance to build relationships with students and make sure they are set up for success here at GU. It’s also fun getting to talk with families during campus visits as we walk around. This gives me a chance to share a little bit about my GU story and learn about the student.
My GU story actually began during my freshmen year at a different institution-a large state university.
My faith was important to me, so one of the first things I did was get involved with a college ministry on campus. However, after visiting my friends at GU and going to Vespers (a student-led worship service) on campus, it felt like GU would be a more welcoming home for me the next couple of years. During my campus visit, I had a chance to meet with a psychology professor who helped me map out my course schedule for the next couple of years at GU, making sure I would be on the right track for graduate school. It was the community and faith aspect of GU that really drew me in. I knew that I was going to be cared for even before stepping on campus as an official GU student during New Student Orientation (NSO) in the fall.
Tips for students on the fence about attending college in a small town
Your experience will be what you make it, regardless of where you choose to attend! When I was an undergraduate college student, I specifically chose to transfer to GU because it was a small campus. I had friends who were already attending GU, and they had really found a sense of community. I knew I wanted to be a part of that. As far as the small town goes, I think this only allows students to get creative with how they spend their time! There are always events and activities happening on campus for students to get in involved with. The small-town aspect allows students to get involved with Greenville as a whole. Large cities, such as St. Louis are not too far away from campus either!
Fun facts about campus:
- It only takes 5 minutes or less to get from one side of campus to the next, making it an easy walk to class!
- Hogue Tower (pictured) is the location of the original classroom building on campus-Hogue Hall. The same bell that was in Hogue Hall is now in Hogue Tower. It’s now a place the campus community gathers to pray.
- GU has a cadaver lab on campus for students interested in medical field majors/careers.
- Music students can immerse themselves in experiential learning by utilizing the concert space on campus (The Blackroom) as well as the recording studios in Whitlock Music Center.
