Wren Guzman '23 (SUNY Geneseo/Matt Burkhartt)
Wren Guzman ’23, an art history major from the Bronx, NY, admits that the first thing that attracted them to SUNY Geneseo was its picturesque setting.
“The first thing that really caught my eye was the landscape,” says Guzman. “The campus is absolutely beautiful.”
A campus visit and the powerful sense of community Guzman sensed at the College helped to convince them to attend Geneseo.
“I met a lot of students, interacted with people in dining halls and the academic buildings,” Guzman says. “I sat in on a class and more or less got a taste of what it was like to be there.”
A great portion of that taste has been Geneseo’s diversity. Guzman has been an active member of the Latinx Student Association, Caribbean Student Association, Muslim Student Association, Outing Club, Pride Alliance, and other organizations. Guzman encourages students of color who come to Geneseo to join one or more cultural clubs because that is where they often feel the most welcome.
“It’s been great to be a part of these communities, experience different cultures, and get to know more about others, where they come from, what they’re passionate about, and just have fun coming together,” Guzman says.
Guzman also got to experience different cultures during a Summer 2022 study abroad trip to Senegal organized by Kodjo Adabra, associate professor of Francophone studies, and Olaocha Nwadiuto Nwabara, associate professor of English, through the college’s Black studies program.
“It was a life-changing experience, one of the best trips of my life,” Guzman says. “I identify as an Afro-Latinx person, and I’m from the north of the Dominican Republic, where we have strong ties to our African ancestry and culture. For me, it was super important to get a taste of the authentic culture that we were robbed of because of colonization.”
Guzman also relishes the opportunities they had to meet and interact with Geneseo alumni.
“If you know someone from Geneseo, chances are you will most likely get a job after graduating just because of that networking, that connection within that community,” they say. “I was like, okay, I’m sold, because I love networking, and it’s nice to have a network that’s professional and also personal.”
As graduation nears, Guzman remains enthusiastic about their decision to attend Geneseo and grateful for the breadth of their experience.
“At Geneseo, you’re really able to be yourself and express yourself the way that you want to without fear of judgment,” Guzman says. “It’s a great place, I felt at home. It’s been a great four years, and I’m very happy that I chose to come to Geneseo.”
—Gary Frank