Claire Varner ’10

"Growing up in rural Michigan, I was involved in everything from FFA to band to playing at least one sport year-round. I found UNE by chance while looking up schools on the internet. When I came for a visit, the people were friendly, there was a volleyball team, it was on the ocean -- what more could a girl want? I applied to UNE as a Medical Biology major thinking I would become a doctor one day. After a semester, I changed my major to History and Education, two majors I had not considered until I studied them here. I still like science, but I love history.

"I liked walking into a room on the first day of class knowing that on the last day I would know all the faces around me. UNE’s small class sizes made discussions more comfortable and getting to know one another easy. Professors knew students on an individual basis and wanted their students to succeed. They were willing to put in the extra time if you were struggling in class or needed help with a paper."