I came to [UMD] as a freshman who had no clue what college was about. After four years, I can say that it has been the best time of my life.

Interview by Jenalina Santiago

Shivangi Patel is a student from Attleboro, MA, who was excited to come to the North Dartmouth area to attend college. Our “New Faces of UMass Dartmouth” videos allowed her to take a closer look at her own UMD experience.

“I will be graduating this May, with a degree in human resource management. As I was looking through all the videos of the ‘New Faces of UMD,’ I started to realize the impact UMass Dartmouth has had on me. I came to this school as a freshman who had no clue what college was about. After four years, I can say that it has been the best time of my life.”

Choosing UMass Dartmouth…

“I decided to attend UMass Dartmouth for many reasons. I loved that there were a variety of majors available to us, and all the organizations we could be a part of. This campus is diverse, filled with students, faculty, and professors of all sorts of personalities, skills, and professions, and I wanted to be a part of that.”

What UMass Dartmouth provides…

“My experience at UMD has been inspiring, engaging, and exciting. I don’t know what or where I would be if I hadn’t chosen to attend UMass Dartmouth. The professors are great to work with and very helpful. They start to become some of the most important people in your life.

I volunteered at the New Bedford Workers Education Program that has been a part of UMass Dartmouth for years. I assisted students in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes and was a student teacher there for a couple of months. It was definitely an eye-opening experience for me to say the least. I never knew how much one person can impact another person’s life.”

How to make college unforgettable…

“The relationships you make with your classmates and professors are the keys to a successful college experience. I’ve made many memories here and learned a lot about HR management. I wouldn’t change a thing. My message to all incoming freshman is this: UMD will be the best learning experience of your life! Take every moment here and embrace it — in the blink of an eye, these four years will fly by!”