By: Taylor Clemons – Major: Criminal Justice Minor: Political Science

I’d like to start this blog post off by giving you some background: When I was in high school, I was against coming to Wayne State. I knew many people who went to Wayne State and I wanted to do something different. Then one day, I did a tour and fell in love with the campus.

The first thing that impressed me about Wayne State was that, although it’s in the center of Detroit, they have their own police department. While working at the resident halls I learned that WSU’s public safety has a record response time. As soon as they’re called, they make sure to respond in a timely matter. Less than three minutes in most cases!

Second, I was surprised that I didn’t know about Wayne State’s research reputation. When people mention WSU, they often just talk about it being in Midtown and a good school for commuters. I was amazed that Wayne State has the same research stature as Michigan State and the University of Michigan. What’s more, its location makes it the only urban research university in the state. This means that social science students (like me) have a tremendous amount of opportunity to learn outside of the classroom and make a real impact in the community.

I also didn’t realize how much more you learn when you’re a part of such a diverse student body. When I first came to Wayne State, I didn’t have much experience with diverse students. Here, I’ve been able to experience different cultures and I love it.

The fourth shocker was just how beautiful downtown Detroit truly is! I never really experienced it until coming to Wayne State. Downtown and Midtown Detroit are full experiences with museums, the Riverwalk and Eastern Market.

Lastly, I didn’t realize that WSU had so many resources in place to help students. I didn’t know about Residents Hall Association until I joined. This program is designed to help students have a voice in the resident halls. I can also help them find other students on campus that deal with the same situations.

Those are some things that shocked me about Wayne State. Want to know more about living and learning in the heart of Detroit? Experience Wayne State’s campus for yourself (and from the comfort of your own home)!