In August 2021, the NUHS Florida- site welcomed its biggest class yet. With their first trimester now behind them, students of this class share what they’ve been enjoying most about the Florida-site so far.

Small class sizes and a strong learning support system

Even as NUHS’s Florida-site continues to attract more students, class sizes have remained small. For Molly Mulcahy, small class size was a huge deciding factor when choosing which school to attend. Since the curriculum is so rigorous and thorough, she considered it a huge advantage that even allows for some one-on-one learning.

“We have an unlimited amount of support from professors, who are always making themselves available for questions,” she said. “I never feel like a burden.”

She added that the students further along in their academic journey are supportive and welcoming, too. She particularly enjoys networking with students who have a wide range of backgrounds in nursing, biochemistry and physical therapy, etc.

“They know how it is to be a first trimester student asking themselves, ‘how am I going to learn all this?’” she said. “Everyone is willing to help each other.”

What speaks the loudest, is how much Mulcahy is enjoying herself. “I think that’s what’s important going through a rigorous program. It’s challenging, but I’m enjoying every second of it.”

Close-knit and fun community

It didn’t take long for Mulcahy to discover just how close-knit the NUHS-Florida site community is with events like Turkey Bowl.

“You can tell the school is really trying to get us to become a family,” she said. “I really love that.”

NUHS student Jacob Weaver, who has a background as a strength coach, said the event was a great opportunity not only to play football, but to meet the president of the university.

“It’s very rare to meet the person who runs the school,” he said. “To be able to meet and talk to the person who helped give me this opportunity and put a face to the name was great.”

Exciting extracurricular activities

The Florida site might have a smaller student body than other universities, but there’s no shortage of extracurricular activities. When

Brianna Nelson attended her first Club Lunch Day, where students explore NUHS clubs, she decided to join not just one or two, but several. Nelson, whose brother is also an NUHS student, considers it a great way to build her network.

“It helps to see what the profession has to offer, not just at school, but branching out into the community,” she said.

Weaver also got heavily involved in club activities, specifically to help broaden his knowledge on different treatment tools. Another advantage is being able to work alongside students who are in later trimesters.

“It’s a good way to see where you’re going,” he said. “The clubs help you continue learning and ensure you’re ahead of the curve.”

A promising future in Florida

On top of the NUHS community, the Florida area has always held an allure for students. It’s not just the year-round warm weather either. Mulcahy, who’s originally from Massachusetts, said there’s a certain positive mindset in Florida that makes it the perfect place to study and practice.

“A lot of athletes come here and most want to be fit. They want to take care of their bodies and their health,” she said. “They’re also interested in nutrition and other natural solutions like chiropractic medicine.”

Once they graduate, both Weaver and Nelson plan to practice in Florida, too.

“I want to continue to give back to the community that helped get me here,” he said.