The people make the place: Finding positivity at USF

It is no secret that there is currently a lot of negativity going around the University of St. Francis (USF) campus. The Student Government Association clubs’ budgets have been cut by 25%. Staff are being terminated without notice to students. Certain programs are at risk of being shut down, and USF is in millions of dollars of debt. 

Despite this, students are still able to find positivity within all the negativity; something that keeps them at USF during hard times like these. 

For over 400 students, they find it in their sports team. From football to tennis and from basketball to track and field, students are able to find an outlet for themselves and a sense of belonging. One of these students is junior Dyannara Franco, who has been a part of the USF cross country/track and field team since her freshmen year. A positive for Franco of being on the team is being with like minded and having supportive teammates. 

“Being around people who all care about the same thing, and having a great team culture is what makes it so special,” said Franco. “Although we may not have all the same resources as bigger schools, we still make the best of what we have and still have great outcomes from this.”

Students have been able to find positivity outside of athletics as well, with many being a part of clubs and organizations. Junior Bolu Apantaku is one of those students. During his time here at USF, Apantaku has been involved in Black Student Association, Student Government Association, TV Club and the Schmitt Scholar Program.

For Apantaku and other students on campus, clubs and organizations have been a fantastic tool to help get adjusted to college and build support systems.

“When I was joining all these clubs, meeting these people, I saw people who are either helping me or pointing me in the right direction or even struggling too, and then we were able to figure out things together,” said Apantaku.

Another positive, Apantaku highlighted, was the campus staff who have supported him.

“I feel like throughout my whole school year, I talked to advisors from Amanda Poston to Professor McHugh to people like Maribeth Hearn…Don't be scared,” Apantaku said, “Professors are here to help you. They want to help you, so make sure you're going to them for help.” 

Besides athletics, involvements and campus staff members, students find positivity at USF through its Greek life. Currently, USF’s Greek life includes Alpha Phi, a sorority, and Alpha Psi, a co-ed Latino fraternity. These organizations allow students opportunities for networking, traveling, volunteering and more. While those are things that draw students into Greek life, the connections they develop with fellow students keep them as active members. 

Chloe Olson, a sophomore member of Alpha Phi, was able to find a support system within the organization. 

“Being in Alpha Phi, even when I’ve had hard times I’ve been able to share what’s going on in my life with them and they were just there to listen, not necessarily help fix the problem,” said Olson. “Sometimes it’s just good to have people to listen to what you have going on.” 

For Olson, being involved in Greek life provides a much needed break from school and other stresses.

“Especially with taking max credits and everything, sometimes I forget I need to have fun as well. So it’s the outlet for me to engage with other people and just have fun,” said Olson.

Finding positivity on campus as a student does not have to be as much of a time commitment as joining a club or athletic team. It can be simple as a positive daily interaction. Take a short walk across campus and you will see students talking to professors, security officers and food service workers with a smile on their face. Even if they were short conversations or a simple acknowledgment by name, these interactions can brighten someone’s day. This simple way to make one feel like they are a part of the USF community is not something that could be found at a bigger school, where a student may feel like a drop in the ocean of the other 40,000 kids.

The sense of community students are able to find at USF is what keeps it going as an institution. It is a part of being human to want to be a part of something and feel like you belong; and USF is able to fulfill that want for its students. 

It’s okay to be scared because of negativity circulating around campus, but we should strive to find and remember the positives. USF is much more than its physical campus; it is a community committed to supporting each other. In this case, the people truly do make the place.