Today, we speak with Brandon Ward, a junior radio, TV & film major from Oaklyn, NJ (Camden County), who lives on campus in Townhouses. Brandon will share his #PROFspective with us on what it’s like to be a Rowan University student and how he’s getting the most out of his college experience as a Rowan Prof.
Name: Brandon Ward
Major: Radio/Television/Film
Year: Junior
Hometown and County: Oaklyn, N.J. (Camden County)
On-Campus Resident: Yes, Townhouses
Do you work on campus? Yes, Brand Ambassador for Dr. Houshmand’s Hazardous Hot Sauce
Share an “a ha!” moment you’ve had within your major that made you feel passionate about your intended field.
Particularly, within RTF at Rowan, in intense production and specialized courses, the classes are a lot smaller, allowing for a more immersive learning experience from not only the instructor, but also with the other people in class. In classes like these, you feel more open to sharing your thoughts and ideas, while getting peer-feedback on your work. These style classes have really made my RTF experience even more individualized, as well as give me the opportunity to help fellow student better their skills in RTF.
How is Rowan welcoming to you?
At Rowan, there is an unspoken camaraderie amongst the university population that I’ve seen and experienced over the few years I’ve been here, that I never really felt at other universities or campuses. Every person I have worked with – within advising, financial aid, Residence Life, and my professors – feels like the will go above and beyond to make sure that you succeed in whatever you need help with, and follow through with you to make sure that your academic and personal goals are met. Especially my first few months of my freshman year and with entering the intellectual world of academia for the first time, these experiences with these groups at Rowan really helped me feel like I had made the right decision to attend the university, and also made it feel like I was home.
On your busiest day, what academic, non-academic and social responsibilities are you juggling?
I’m expecting easily a ‘boatload’ of homework, projects and assignments outside of class to do and learn from. One of my goals for this semester, is on these busy days, to head over to the Rec Center on campus for an hour and a half each night to burn off stress and reflect on my day, as well as prepare and think about what the next day is going to look like. Outside of Rowan, at home, I am a proud Eagle Scout and dedicated Assistant Scout Master for my scout troop, where we have meetings weekly, as well as trips that I help run and get organized on a monthly basis. Being able to separate school, home, and scouts is going to be a huge challenge this semester, but something I look forward to working into my day-to-day schedule.
Why did you choose Rowan?
I always tell people that I chose Rowan because the first time I visited here, I really felt like I belonged and really felt like home. It’s funny enough, I was actually touring another local University when I realized I wanted to call Rowan my home. One of the university’s deans of this another local school was speaking at an open house about the school, their accomplishments, and what they had to offer. He concluded with saying something along the lines of, ‘we can talk about how great our school is and try to get you to come here, but the final decision is really up to you. If you have the opportunity to walk a campus of any university or college, and are able to picture yourself there, that’s where you’re really meant to be.’ Immediately, I knew that I belonged at Rowan, and have loved every second of it since I committed.
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Story and photography by:
Vanessa Vause, senior public relations and theatre double major