A ten-year veteran of the US military, Dentistry D, a Black 30-something female, has gone back to school to study dentistry. Her original plan, while living in her home state of Florida, was to study to become a dentist. There, she learned that “running before learning to walk” does not always work out very well. Needing to take baby steps, she is currently studying to become a dental hygienist at Midwestern. She has been inspired to go into dentistry to help people feel good about their teeth, their smile, and themselves, helping them feel less self-conscious about their mouths. She believes that boosting the confidence of others will help to make the world a better place.
As often as possible, when Dentistry D is on campus, she enjoys spending time in the Japanese Garden. There is a waterfall there and she loves waterfalls. Visiting the garden turns any bad day into a good day. Spending time there calms her spirit and brings peace of mind. The space is only 20 acres yet the variety of plants and trees, the benches and bridges and the pond and waterfall creates a serene environment. It is hard to find if you are not looking for it. She did not discover it until she had been on campus for a couple of months.
A space that Dentistry D knew about right away was the Veterans Center, having learned about it from her advisor. Being a veteran, this space is very important to her. There, she has met close to a dozen other veterans – people with whom she shares things in common. The center also has a variety of resources that she can utilize - including snacks!
A place that took her a long time to find was the campus food bank. Its remote location makes finding this important resource hard to find. She believes that so many more students would benefit from it if the campus did a better job of promoting it. If students are simply walking back and forth between classes, they are not looking for a campus food bank. Dentistry D is very concerned that there are students in need who do not know about this important resource.
Another important resource for Dentistry D is the Advising Center. Visiting a couple times each semester, she feels very, very supported by her academic counselor. Being a little older than most students, she is able to feel assured by her academic counselor that she is progressing successfully through her studies.