Advice for New Students at Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee

From my freshman year in 2001 until my graduation six years later in 2007, I lived in the residence hall and served as an active member of many campus clubs and organizations. As an active alum, I continue to be connected to my alma mater and still chat with faculty, staff, and students fairly frequently.

These unique insights allow me the opportunity to offer meaningful and authoritative advice to new students attending Cardinal Stritch University, a four-year liberal arts school rooted in the Franciscan tradition that is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and named for Cardinal Samuel Stritch, a former Roman Catholic Archbishop of Milwaukee and, later, Chicago.

Where and how to meet new people

Cardinal Stritch University is largely a commuter school, with traditional undergraduate residents only accounting for a few hundred students, compared to roughly 6,000 students overall.

The student Union, located near the center of the main campus building, just feet from the mailroom and bookstore on one side and the library and athletic field on the other, is the main hub for gathering. Many students, both commuter and resident, as well as members of the staff and faculty, regularly gather here to chat, study, and relax. It's also a great place to catch a quick bite or get something to drink, as a grill and coffee stand called The Bean are located here. Every so often, during the lunch hour or later on in the evening, people passing by can catch live music, a speaker, a comic, or another event or act of some sort taking place.

Another great way to meet people is by getting involved in co-curricular clubs and activities and by attending some of the many events that go on. Stritch has an active and vibrant student government, numerous clubs, a student newspaper, a radio station, campus ministry, and great theater and arts programs that put on live performances and exhibits of all sorts. To get a better idea of what Stritch all has to offer, I'd recommend visiting the Activities Home page on Stritch's main Web site. Or, better yet, visit This is Stritch, an interactive site that offers personal and up close perspectives by actual students and alumni.

Since I graduated in 2007, the student newspaper, Wolfprint, went online and the radio station, Radio Lobo, moved from cramped quarters in the basement of the residence hall to a much more prominent location in the Center for Fine Arts (CFA) building. Admittedly, I'm somewhat disappointed that these changes took place after I graduated, as I was active with both. I am, though, extremely happy for the students who do get to enjoy these changes.

Sports at Stritch

Stritch has a great athletic program and offers men's and women's basketball, men's and women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, women's softball, and men's baseball. Stritch's mascot is Wolfy Wolf, and the athletic teams compete as the Stritch Wolves. The athletic department recently built its own Web site separate from the main University's site. Seeing any of the teams competing is always a treat, especially at home, where the fan support is electrifying.

Great student-instructor ratio

Stritch is a teaching university - that is to say, its faculty members are the ones doing the actual teaching. This contrasts with a research-oriented university, where teaching assistants do the bulk of the teaching while faculty members are out conducting research. Most Stritch instructors, though not all, have a Ph.D. or the equivalent in their field.

Class sizes at Stritch are small, which allows for students and instructors the opportunity to truly get to know each other. During my years attending Stritch, a class of 20 or more students was rare. A class size that large is usually only found with courses that are part of the mandatory general core curriculum.

Financial aid

When it comes to financial assistance for students, Stritch, in my opinion, is amazing. Plenty of help is available, whether its through need-based grants, academic and departmental scholarships, federal loans, or federal work study. Coming from your typical middle class family, words cannot express how grateful I am to have received financial aid during each of my years. I hope to repay that favor as an enthusiastic alum.

Conclusions

Cardinal Stritch University offers a wide array of opportunities to learn and grow, yet also make time for fun and relaxation at the same time. A strong student culture combined with great class sizes make Stritch an easy place to meet new people, discover opportunities, and fit right in. There is also plenty of financial help available for students who need it. As one of the school's mantras goes, it's easy to "Find your niche at Stritch."