Northwestern State University’s Leesville campus is home to many who live in the Leesville/Fort Polk area. One of NSU’s many satellite campuses, Leesville provides convenience and opportunity to people who aren’t on the main campus.
College can be overwhelming for many people; however, the Leesville campus gives students a smaller learning environment that is easier to jump into. Lexie Laroux, a freshman nursing major, loves the comfortable learning environment she has found at Leesville.
“I went to a smaller high school, so coming to this campus was not much different than what I am used to. It definitely has a homey feel to it. It helps with providing chances for one-on-one help,” Laroux said.
Having people to lean on in college is important as well, and the Leesville campus provides a platform for students to get comfortable around one another.
Tierra Morris, a sophomore radiology major, works at the front desk in the main building on Leesville’s campus and has had the opportunity to meet new people due to her job. “For me personally, I talk to everyone that comes in here, which makes it easier to make friends,” Morris said.
“It is really easy to make friends here because it’s smaller and you get to see them every day. There also isn’t anyone interfering—there are no cliques here. It’s just everyone hanging out with everyone,” Morris said.
Not only do students have more personal opportunities to get to know one another on campus, but also staff members, as they also take the time to build something more personal with the students.
Sierra Blackmon, a senior nursing major, cherishes the acts of care from faculty members that make her feel supported beyond the classroom. “They do stuff for us all the time here. If you ever need a snack, the librarian always has stuff set out. She’ll give us lotions and stickers all the time. She’ll even have mints and gum set out. She’s got SunnyDs, waters and granola bars out right now,” Blackmon said.
“They have advice on life in general that helps us, and we have advice education-wise because we’re coming straight out of high school. We are two different walks of life that come together routinely on this campus, and I feel like that is something you can’t really get anywhere else.”
The Leeseville campus suits all kinds of people at different points in life who are seeking to get their education.“In our class, there are people from all walks of life. We have a mother of three, we have people coming straight from high school and straight into nursing, and it helps a lot,” Blackmon said.
The Leesville campus combines a comfortable learning and social community with equal opportunities for everyone who attends, no matter what stage of life they’re in. It is a campus that values both education and personal connection, making it a unique place to learn and grow.
