Darian Grear

I originally toured NMU because it had the program I was looking into, but after touring I knew I wasn't going to do my undergrad anywhere else. The campus and location are beautiful; throughout Marquette, I can walk to Lake Superior, hike mountains, longboard through campus, see waterfalls, shop downtown, or go to the middle of nowhere to hunt. I couldn't imagine myself doing my undergrad anywhere else!

Psychology always interested me even though I wasn't originally good at the topic in classes. Meeting individuals and seeing the opportunities available in the field, was when my passion for my major grew and I started reaching out to professors to get more involved. All undergrad psych students are required to take a "psych seminar" class that gives them the opportunity to learn more about psych and the jobs available which is really helpful for students who are unsure.

This October I had the chance to go to two conferences to present research I was doing with the Toegel Lab. The Toegels took the entire lab to Milwaukee for the Wisconsin Association for Behavior Analysis conference to learn about ABA, talk to professionals in ABA, and present our research. I also got the opportunity to go with one of my lab members and some grad students to Kalamazoo for the Michigan Autism Conference to present research and introduce myself to professors at WMU to make further connections in the field.

I got very involved in NMU throughout my schooling from student gov, welcome crew, and on-campus jobs to clubs, labs, and becoming a student ambassador. I think all of them helped me become who I am today, but the most life-changing experience was working at the Behavior, Education, Assessment, and Research (BEAR) Center. I was able to become a registered behavior technician, work with children with autism to teach them new skills, complete practicum hours, and gain hours towards future accreditation after I graduate.

Being a Wildcat means always having the support of the other Cats. From your first day on campus through your time as an alumnus, you always have people looking out for you. Anytime you need references, connections, someone to fall back on, or even just someone to talk to, the people at NMU are always there.
 

Joining clubs and labs as well as working all helped me find my place at NMU. The sooner you start meeting and interacting with the people on campus, the sooner you start feeling like you belong on campus. Plus the people sitting next to you in class can be some of the best people you meet if you reach out!
 

Whenever I bring up that I go to NMU people bring up the winters, and I always want to make sure that people considering NMU know that they aren't as bad as people make them out to be. Lake Superior does a lot to guard our campus from the snow so the areas around us get more than we do and due to the small scale of our campus you never have to walk far! Between the underground tunnel, skywalks, and warm clothing, winter is a breeze.
 

I always tell students considering college "It is what you make of it", everyone's experiences in college are going to be different. The opportunities and connections that are available are there for anyone who is willing to reach out but without action, taking chances, and talking with those around you they aren't going to happen. Say yes to as many things as you can because everyone at NMU wants to help you succeed but they can't do it for you.