Humans of WP

The faces and stories of the William Paterson University community. Inspired by Humans of New York.

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“When I was younger, having the ability to play music in school was kind of like my escape. I want to be a teacher so that I can give that gift to students.”

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“Enjoy the ride. It’ll be over sooner than you think.”

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“All of the awards I received as a swimmer here are nowhere near as rewarding as the friendships I’ve made. My biggest accomplishment was creating a family out of teammates.”

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“The College of Education gave me the opportunities and experience I needed to be nominated as a distinguished clinical intern for student-teachers and to land a full-time teaching job right out of college.”

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“All of the odds were against me and I just pushed through.”

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“The thing I’m most proud of during my time at William Paterson was my internship in Cory Booker’s office. I was hesitant to even apply, but it pushed me out of my comfort zone. It helped me build confidence and practical experience.”

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“I want to let students know that it’s okay to not have a plan. If they’re ever feeling nervous about life after graduation, it will be okay.”

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“My biggest triumphs and failures have been at William Paterson. Straight out of undergrad I was denied for a Ph.D. program. After that, I asked myself ‘Is this something you really want to do?’. The answer was yes. I reevaluated myself and reapplied two years later to the exact same program, and it was the only one I applied to. I got in.”

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“My passion is to continue to be the best version of myself. That’s why I left the job I had for about six years in Nigeria to come back to school here. It was a crazy move to most people, they looked at me like ‘are you crazy? what are you going back to school for?.’ I think that your mind and your body tell you when something is the right move. I knew that this was the right time to take this opportunity, so I took it.”

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“I’m constantly thinking. There’s not a minute where I’m not thinking or trying to stay productive. If I experience something or get inspired by something, I write it down. My yellow notebook does not leave my side.”

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“I believe that what goes around comes around. I want to pass on the mentorship that put me in a better place. I learned to always be willing to teach people, help people, and guide people.”

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“I’m proudest of being the first person in my family to graduate from college. I just wish my great grandmother could have seen it. When I went to get my diploma, I wore her rosary around my hand. So in a way, she was there when I received it.”

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“My dream is to move to Texas. I wear this necklace every day to remind myself of where I started and where I want to end up.” 

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“I transferred here from a school in North Carolina. When I was there, I was eight hours away from my mother. I was absolutely miserable. But after I transferred here, I went home for winter break and my mother said ‘I can tell you love it, you seem so much happier.’”

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“I used to be a dancer back in Ecuador. I feel very passionate about dancing, and about art in general. I feel like as an artist, or as a person even a little bit passionate about art, you see the world differently.”

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“Looking at how far I’ve come with my mental health is what I’m most proud of. I’m doing everything I want to do while still giving myself downtime.”