A deep connection to her faith and desire to attend a small, Catholic university within a few hours of her home led junior Mary Gruber to consider Walsh University during her college search. Although the drive from Cincinnati to North Canton is a little longer than Mary had hoped for, after visiting Walsh for the first time, she couldn’t deny it was a perfect fit.
“It might sound cliché, but as soon as I was walking around on Walsh’s campus during my tour, I felt like I was at home and felt a sense of belonging,” Mary said. “I truly felt happy and felt like Walsh is where God was calling me to attend college at. I felt like I was meant to be at Walsh.”
Although she was shy, Mary quickly joined the Campus Ministry club on campus, attending Ignite, the Agape retreat and a local March for Life event. Since then, Mary has explored other opportunities for campus involvement. She joined the University Programming Board (UPB) Executive Board, the Maroon and Gold Mentors/Cavs Cor Cordium Leaders and the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA). While expanding her interests, Mary has remained dedicated to her faith. She continues to attend the Campus Ministry retreats and has even led a small group during the fall 2021 Agape retreat.
“My Catholic faith is the most important part of my life, and it defines who I am as a person. I love how Walsh has so many different opportunities each day, week, month and year to grow closer to Jesus. From daily Mass, Adoration and Confession to attending the March for Life and the fall/spring retreats,” Mary said. “Walsh is truly a special campus that provides students with many ways to grow in their Catholic faith. Walsh has prepared me for my goals by helping me discover who I am and who I want to become.”
Mary has grown in her academic journey at Walsh as well. After initially choosing a biology major, Mary realized it didn’t bring her joy. Then she recalled an accounting class she really enjoyed in high school.
“I decided to change my major to accounting, and it was the right decision for me,” she said. “After changing majors, I started to figure out who I was as a student and what I wanted to do with my life professionally. Through my courses within the DeVille School of Business, I’ve had the opportunity to boost my confidence with public speaking. I was finally able to grow and learn more about the world while actually enjoying what I was learning.”
Outside the classroom, Mary continues to grow her leadership skills as the event planner for both UPB and IMA. During recent summer and Christmas breaks, she also gained professional experience through an internship with the Business Support Services (BSS) division at Great American Insurance Group in her hometown. These experiences have all contributed to Mary’s growth and increased self-confidence. Once a self-described “shy freshman,” she recently agreed to provide a video testimonial about student life at Walsh – something she never would have considered two years ago.
“I said yes and wanted to be part of that video because I love Walsh and the student activities, and I want other students to become inspired to get involved and have fun as well. I am not sure what God has planned for me in the future, but I do know that those plans are unique to my path,” Mary said. “What stands out most to me from my time at Walsh is the self-discovery. I have always felt like Walsh was my second home. And home is where you are able to be yourself and discover who you are without the feeling of judgement or lack of support.”
