Jada Addo-Grimmenga likes the intimacy of her chosen field of study.

“We’re not a really big major overall,” said the senior Social Work major. “My classes consist of 10 people on average, and because of the smaller class sizes we can form closer connections with not only our professors, but each other.

“When I think back to my freshman year … it was … a really tight community from the beginning. I’ve made some friendships from that class that I still have as a senior now,” said Addo-Grimmenga. “I’ve made some really big connections that I don’t think I would have been able to make at a bigger school.”

Those connections include relationships with faculty. 

“The entire social work department is absolutely amazing,” she said, mentioning Shreya Bhandari, Robin Miller and Pamela Saylor, professors she has become close to.

“I’ve had multiple classes with them,” Addo-Grimmenga said. “If I’m just struggling in general, I can always go to them and they’re always going to be able to help me with anything. Super amazing people, and they’re a huge reason why I decided to stay at this school.

“I’ve actually gotten two internships through my connections, as well,” she said. “The first one I landed was at a place called Infinity Counseling in Crown Point. It is a place that offers services that help kids in the foster care system. It was a lot of, like, tutoring foster kids who aren’t in school before they’re placed into one, so they can still learn what they need to. The second one is for Community Preschool and Daycare in Hammond, though I haven’t started that one yet.”

She attributes her ability to land the internships to the intimacy of her program.

“Overall, I feel extremely supported by both my peers and teachers in my field,” said Addo-Grimmenga. “If I had gone to a larger school, I definitely don’t think I would have made connections on the same level as I did here at Purdue.

“I’m really glad that I chose [to come] here,” she said. “And I’m really excited to finish my degree.”