Since 1878, Ashland University has emphasized the phrase “Accent on the Individual,” but not all students feel as if the college has lived up to their expectations, including those at the Dwight Schar College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

Nursing students spend their first two years at Ashland University’s main campus, taking prerequisites as well as a few courses in the nursing major. As juniors, they are given the option to live on the nursing campus or commute from the main campus.

With the 25-minute distance, many students choose to live in the dorms at the Dwight Schar College of Nursing and Health Sciences as much of their time is either spent in class or clinicals.

“I think living at the nursing campus is a lot more beneficial because your classes are right here and the nursing apartments are really nice,” Mackenzie Chamberlin, nursing major and Resident Assistant (RA) at the nursing college, said.

Chamberlin described the nursing college dorms as “lavish living” compared to the main campus rooms. She explained the apartments come fully furnished with personal bathrooms or are only shared with a couple of other students. There are also a plethora of functioning washers and dryers.

Despite the newer facilities at the Dwight Schar College of Nursing and Health Sciences, many individuals feel out of touch with AU’s main campus and its students. Events are more difficult to attend, staying connected with friends can be hard and the same commodities are not always given to nursing students.

According to Chamberlin, emails are sent to students at the Mansfield campus notifying of activities, games and occurrences happening on the main campus, but it is not always easy to travel a half an hour each way for a CAB event or a football game.

The university also took two massage chairs and a treadmill from the nursing college to the main campus, objects that were used quite often by nursing students.

To help individuals in Mansfield feel more associated with Ashland University, Assistant Director of Residence Life Emily Adams has closed some of the separation.

“In the past, there have been discounts for AU students when they show their IDs at certain businesses in the Ashland area, but there were not any options in or around Mansfield. I have worked with businesses in Mansfield to offer discounts for AU Students,” Adams said.

Some activities for the upcoming finals week the nursing campus will host for their individuals to help relieve some stress are breakfast with Reslife, grocery bingo, therapy dogs, stress relief coloring and a raffle for graduating seniors.

Adams continues to make strides for the nursing students to help make their college experience as enjoyable as possible.

“When I started in this role, one of my main goals was to help connect the campuses as much as possible. I want to see that AU students, regardless of the campus they attend, have the same opportunities for success,” she said. “While there is still a lot of work to be done to continue connecting the campuses, we are making really great progress in the right direction.”