Beth Wallace '13
Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota
Major: English, Public Relations
Minor: Spanish
What activities are you involved in?
Student Alumni Association, Writing Center, Volunteering at St. Luke’s and Colere.
Why did you decide to attend Coe?
I chose to attend Coe because when I visited, I immediately fell in love with the campus and the school itself. Everyone was so nice, the school has great academics and the classes are actually taught by the professors themselves and not TAs. I was also looking for a smaller school that was still part of a large city, so Coe was the perfect choice.
What is it like living in Cedar Rapids?
I love living in Cedar Rapids. There are so many great local businesses and restaurants within walking distance, which is convenient for me since I don’t have a car. Coe also does a great job of coordinating events for students within the community, like Coe Night at the Kernels (local minor league baseball team) or free midnight movies at one of the Cedar Rapids theaters.
Have you had any internship, research or study abroad experiences?
I just recently completed a marketing internship at Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust, a local bank within walking distance to Coe. The woman I interned with is actually a Coe alum that I was connected with through a Student Alumni Association event.
Why should a prospective student choose Coe?
A prospective student should choose Coe because they will be coming to a school that balances fun social activities with great academics. All of the professors here actually care about you and will know you by name.
What is your favorite class and why?
It is so hard to pick a favorite class because I’ve had so many amazing professors, but I’d have to say Holography and Optics, a physics class taught by Doc Feller. I took the class to fulfill my lab science requirement because it seemed more interesting than a basic biology or chemistry class. I can’t say that I particularly enjoy physics, but Doc can make any subject entertaining, even at 8 am. It was also really cool to learn how to use lasers to make holograms.
How was your transition from high school to Coe?
It was incredibly easy. Coe does an excellent job of making the transition go as smoothly as possible by placing everyone in a CAP group. A CAP group is a group of about 15 students led by an upperclassman. New students complete most orientation week activities with their CAP group, making it really easy to make friends and making the transition from high school less scary. I didn’t know anyone when I came to Coe but had no problem fitting in right away.
What do you remember most from your First Year?
The thing that stands out the most to me was orientation week. I had a great CAP group and CAP leader, so we had an awesome time competing in all of the events together. Dragonboat races were obviously the best though!
What do you do for a campus job?
I work in the Coe Writing Center (which I would highly recommend!) and I hold an off-campus work study position at St. Luke’s, where I work at the Emergency Room front desk. I also work as a Phonathon caller for the Alumni Office.
How was Coe in terms of scholarship support?
I can't say enough good things about Coe's scholarship support. One of the things I was really worried about in applying to college was cost, and Coe has gone above and beyond to make sure that I'm able to afford an education here.
