Christina Genuario ’20

Why UNE

All the students in my program are very connected to each other. I feel safe and comfortable speaking in every classroom. The professors are supportive of learning and seem interested in what they do. The curriculum encompasses a diverse range of things that are related to occupational therapy, and I appreciate how much we get out of our learning.

I really like how people are willing to reach out to each other. I wasn’t expecting that coming north from Rhode Island. I had this idea that it would be more conservative here, but I’ve found a lot of connections that I didn’t expect. I really appreciate everyone at UNE’s ability to be there for each other. I feel like there is a lot of understanding between people.

Welcoming Community

UNE has so many programs, clubs, and other things happening. One of the biggest things for me has been getting involved. Once I was doing more than just passively going to my classes, I found that I was having a much more enriching experience. It’s great to be involved in clubs and around campus, making connections outside of your major.

For me, Alliance is one of those big things. I became involved my sophomore year. I had seen flyers around campus and heard about the club, but…I was nervous that my roommates would find out about my sexuality. Once I got the courage and put myself out there more, I started going to Alliance meetings, and the sense of community was fantastic.

Alliance is based on forming a community on campus where people feel safe and are excited to engage. Most of our members identify as members of the LGBTQ+ spectrum, and we do a lot of outreach to inform people about LGBTQ+ issues and help with advocacy efforts on campus. Overall, we are spreading awareness about LGBTQ+-related issues, but we also host events.