Gracie Spalding Photo

Admissions

Gracie's First Impression

Student Stories

By: Gracie Spalding, Medical Laboratory Science

What truly got me interested into attending Bellarminewas seeing the community and school spirit. I saw this during my childhood when I attended basketball games. I would always see the passion of the students in the student section and in the band. They all seemed like they were so into the game. They clearly had a passion for the school. They held their breath and wiggled their fingers during Bellarmine’s free throws in hopes of a good basket. Their voices rang out gleefully along with the rest of the crowd when Bellarmine scored. They bellowed along to the chants of the cheerleaders on the gym floor. Seeing that kind of enthusiasm made me want to be a part of it too. I wanted to feel the sense of belonging to a community like those students felt.

Although I got a taste of the Bellarmine community when I grew up, the main time I sensed this excitement for the school was during my campus visit. My parents and I drove to Bellarmine and walked into Centro. We were welcomed by two friendly tour guides who helped to make me feel comfortable by asking me about myself and showing an interest in who I am. The group of adolescents and their guardians were split into two groups. One went with the male tour guide, and the other went with the female. My parents and I were with the female tour guide.

our tour guide spoke about Bellarmine in a way that showed she truly loved being here

Bellarmine has a stunning campus. While it did not go unnoticed by anyone, what stuck out more to me was the community and school spirit. It was not as blatantly obvious as the cheering of students at basketball games, but our tour guide spoke about Bellarmine in a way that showed she truly loved being here. She explained the friendships you develop with the faculty because of the small size of the classes, which was something I truly appreciate.

The biggest thing about the tour that showed me that Bellarmine’s community was something I wanted to be a part of was how at different points in the tour, we would encounter other students across campus. Our tour guide said hello, and she was friends with quite a few of them. These brief interruptions showed me the reality of being on campus, and this was not something I had seen at other schools. The interactions showed me how friendly everyone is and how the structure of the campus enables you to see friends in your day-to-day life. I can greet and talk to people at least once or twice per day while I am going across campus at Bellarmine. Being able to bump into my friends and classmates on campus was not something I realized I wanted until I saw it during the tour. That type of spontaneous interaction is a fantastic reminder of the wonderful community at Bellarmine.

It shows how tight knit the school is and how you can form close friendships with people here.

Tags: Admissions , Campus Tour , Campus Visit , Student Life

 

ABOUT BELLARMINE

Located in the historic Highlands neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky, Bellarmine University is a vibrant community of educational excellence and ethical awareness that consistently ranks among the nation’s best colleges and universities. Our students pursue an education based in the liberal arts – and in the distinguished, inclusive Catholic tradition of educational excellence, the oldest and most rewarding in the western world. It is a lifelong education, worthy of the university’s namesake, Saint Robert Bellarmine, and of his invitation to each of us to learn and live In Veritatis Amore – in the love of all that is beautiful, true and good in life.