Hello, Colonels!

My name is Hunter Hughes and I am the student body president for the 2018-2019 school year. I am a junior neuroscience major from Kingston, Pa. I enjoy setting up my hammock on the balcony of Towers and my favorite place to study is the 4th floor of the Cohen Science Center.

Welcome to our new first year students. First of all, please pardon our appearance as we work to improve our campus. We are excited to bring many new updates and improvements to make our campus better. This campus is your campus now.  Secondly, I urge all the first year students to embrace all that college has to offer. You will never have another time in your life where you can try new things at a low cost and at a low risk. Get out there and make the most of these four (or six for our pharmacy students) years.

Join clubs, come out on Thursday nights to see what Programming Board has to offer, and make friends with the people sitting next to you in class.  Finally, never be afraid to reach out. Reach out to our wonderful faculty and staff if you ever find yourself not where you want to be, either academically or personally. Professors are more than willing to help you and want you to succeed.

My personal experience with my first few days at Wilkes is one that I will always remember. When I first started classes, the first question on my mind was, “Who am I going to sit with?” Luckily I had made a few friends at orientation and spent time with them during Welcome Weekend.  Take the opportunities given to you and make those friends within the first few days. They will help you more than you ever know.

I had a lot of questions coming in so I will try and answer them here. If I don’t answer yours, reach out to your e-mentor, resident assistant, or academic adviser.

My biggest question coming in was “Would I make friends?” Yes, you will make friends and they will help you through some of the best and most challenging times of your life. I also wondered if my roommate situation would work out, and I’m glad to say that mine certainly did, and if it doesn’t for you residence life is always there to help resolve conflict. I wasn’t sure coming into college what the workload would be like. In my experience, it is more than high school but it is a lot more personal responsibility. You may not have homework every night but you still have work to do.

Also, my biggest money saving piece of advice is to not buy your textbooks until you have spoken with your professors as they may indicate that the textbook is not required and that can save you a lot of money.

I was not sure when I first arrived at college on the best place to settle down and study. This really depends on your personal preference, but if you like quiet spaces, the second floor of the library is a great place to start.

When you arrive on campus in August, you will begin the journey of a lifetime. It can go a thousand different directions, and there are no right or wrong paths, just whatever path makes you the happiest. Go out into the Wilkes community seeking happiness and to improve the lives of those around you and I promise you will never go wrong.

To the sophomore class, you have learned a lot and will be surprised how much more there is to learn. Many of you will be starting to dive into your majors which for me was the most exciting part of sophomore year. I look forward to seeing your leadership develop on campus and in the community. Remember how the upperclassmen helped you when you were first year students and try to exemplify the example that they set for you.

To the junior class, we have to continue to grow into the campus leaders that we are. We have made it through some of the toughest classes so far and now can really explore our majors and interests. Let’s make this year the best year yet.

To the senior class, this is your last year on campus. You have done so much so far to contribute to our campus community and it is your time to shine. You have one year left here on campus. What are you going to do with it and how are you going to make the most of it?

As a student government, we are setting out to make this year the best year yet. If you are a club leader, please be on the lookout for club day on Sept. 6. We have a full schedule of events including casino night, homecoming, and many more events. If you are interested in joining student government, especially any first year students, please feel free to contact me via email or in person.