The first moment here at Ashland that shaped my life was also the moment I decided to come to Ashland in the first place. I was a senior in high school, and I came to Ashland to tour the campus. It was February—when no one goes on college tours—and I’d already decided on another school. But a friend of mine kept raving about Ashland, and the only way to get her off my back was to come for a visit. So, the tour guide dropped me off at Convo, which can be a little intimidating for anyone, let alone an eighteen-year-old high school senior. But there was one girl with a group of her friends who broke away and came over to talk to me. She introduced herself and said she understood I was in a new environment and how that could be overwhelming. She offered to show me around and answer any questions I might have. And I thought, “Wow! This girl was fine in her own group of friends. She didn’t know me. But she was kind enough to see how I was feeling and kind of took me under her wing.” That’s the moment I knew I belonged here. That’s also just the first of many similar experiences during my years here at Ashland.
