Academics
From the first day a student sets foot on the Indiana University of Pennsylvania campus, they receive highly personalized attention and support. Each student is immediately assigned a professional mentor, and students say one of the school’s greatest strengths are these “staff and faculty who aim to help the students academically, personally, or professionally.” Affirms one student, “they want to ensure we all have a good and safe experience at IUP.” Class sizes “are small, so there is more one-on-one time with professors,” and “[there are] a lot of resources that you can use if you need help, whether it’s with academics or [wellness].” Among students’ most appreciated aspects of the school are the “variety of academic choices, the writing center, “and the “state-of-the-art labs with amazing resources.” Also, “through the multicultural center there are a lot of programs that focus on leadership and all of the soft skills.”
Professors “care a lot about the success of their students and go out of their way to help them to truly understand what is being taught.” The amount of work a student puts in shapes the relationship with the teachers, and “you have to try in your classes and be present, [but] they will notice you if you do.” Classes can be lecture-style or “very discussionbased, [which] it makes it interesting to know everyone’s opinion on a topic,” and some incorporate field trips or outdoor classrooms. “For my language development class, we had a project where we had to find a child and do a book reading activity with them in order to practice using book reading as a method of treatment for those with language impairments,” says a student.
Student Body
The community found at IUP “is widely diverse, yet inclusive, [which] creates a wonderful environment to want to be a part of.” Students here are “supportive, collaborative, and unique” and “provide a welcoming environment for [incoming] students” of all kinds, including the “very welcoming” LGBTQIA student body and international population. This is “a group of people that likes to try new things from cooking, workout, intense board games, or watching a sports game on campus,” and “everyone has their own style and views,” and “seems to be respectful of each other.” People here are “very well-rounded along with committed to working together as a whole” and “are attentive in class, make smart [decisions], and are passionate about their futures.” This bond transcends academic interests; as a student says, “It is so easy to make friends here, even in classes that don’t pertain to your major.”
Campus Life
Students say that even though “most people are in a routine of going to classes, studying, and either balancing work, an extracurricular, or a varsity sport,” the “workload [is] challenging but doable.” Part of this credit goes to the school itself, which is “good at making sure everyone feels included with the various clubs and activities,” features many “organizations to join that are both fun and helpful for jobs outside of school,” and is “amazing at communicating these opportunities.” The success of these programs also goes to a “special club called STATIC that runs all major events on campus and figures out the artist who comes for [the] homecoming concert every year.” Off-campus, the town of Indiana “is small so there is not much to do besides explore Main Street and outdoor hiking/ activities,” but students agree “it’s great to walk around during the fall and spring.” All in all, the “opportunity that IUP provides students in terms of activities, networking, and future career guidance” is at a high level, especially for “great on-campus job[s]” and there are “a lot of resources around campus to help you with anything you could think of.”
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