I first came to UNH Manchester as a transfer student whose major concern was how I was going to balance classes, a 50+ hour work week and a personal life. Not only was I working as a retail manager in a local comic book store, but I was also a full-time student who had a tendency of becoming very involved.
In high school I ran several clubs while being on the student boards of several others, including running the literary magazine and the Key Club, so I knew when I came to UNH that I was going to want to become involved again.
On my first day at UNH Manchester I found myself sitting across from Jamie Saucier, student involvement coordinator, as I was trying out to be a part of the college’s A capella group Milling Around. Little did I know that this would be my real introduction to the community at UNH Manchester, and that in just a few short months I would be sitting in his office again applying for a job that would truly shape my experience here.
For the first couple years here I continued to work in management for retail, while also juggling work for Student Involvement, being a full-time student and running several clubs on campus. It’s only because of UNH Manchester’s class flexibility that I was able to continue juggling everything, as that enabled me to take classes that fit into my work schedule. For a long time I struggled to figure out a way to balance everything, but throughout that time the one thing that kept me going was the tremendous support and flexibility of the faculty and staff, as well as from my peers.
When I decided to leave my retail position and commit to working at the school fully, opportunities opened before me. I’m now the Street Team Leader for Student Involvement, a member of the student blog team, the leader of several clubs (including Common Ground, the Muggle Slug Club, Pages of Pandora) and a member of many more. I also sit on the Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Committee, SAFAC, the Student Leadership Committee and the Graduation Committee — all while also balancing a healthy personal and religious life outside of school.
At this point in my life I am just as busy as I was when I started here, however the flexibility makes me feel as though everything works together seamlessly. In UNH Manchester I have found a community, a family, supportive and flexible faculty, and a healthy and caring work environment that truly wants to see me succeed.
Written by Lizz Graham '16, English
