For Freshman Juliette Eaton, UNK Relationships Have Made All the Difference

Connecticut native Juliette Eaton has found her home away from home this year as a freshman at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Her time at the Living Learning Community has made all the difference, turning her fears of moving so far from home into an experience better than she could have ever imagined.

Eaton explains how she has “made great friendships'' this year thanks to the unique experience of living together which is offered to freshmen students through UNK’s College of Business and Technology LLC. The opportunity to live on the floor of a residence hall where she can connect with like-minded students has been responsible for helping her “make great connections.” She’s excited about plans to visit Japan this summer with her new friends and then, starting her sophomore year, taking advantage of the leadership opportunities available through the LLC.

One relationship that Eaton is especially excited about is one she shares with fellow student Clara Rios. They both swim for UNK and are pursuing degrees in aviation. Rios, who lived at the Living Learning Community last year, recommended Eaton after their swim coach introduced them to each other. Eaton shares her gratitude for Rios, explaining that it’s “because of her '' that she’s experiencing her best possible freshman year thanks to this innovative living environment. It’s an opportunity she wants to share with incoming freshmen now that she knows what a difference it has made in her own life as a college student.

Eaton thinks through every decision she makes, a trait that will no doubt help her succeed in the classroom as well as in her chosen career in aviation. As a high school freshman, she became interested in swimming and spent her last two years swimming competitively. She knew this was not something she wanted to give up, so she made sure to search out schools where swimming could continue to be a priority in her life. She’s “seen improvement” in herself as a swimmer these past months at UNK and is grateful for “the opportunity to continue athletics” as a college student.

When it came time to focus on her college and career decisions, Eaton reached out to her father, an Air Force veteran who now works as an airline pilot. She asked herself, “Where do I want to take my life?” After much consideration, she eventually decided on an aviation career. Knowing she also wanted to continue swimming, she researched schools where she could succeed as an athlete while getting an aviation degree. It wasn’t long before she decided on the University of Nebraska at Kearney thanks to the scholarships offered to her. She now knows she made the best choice.

As an out-of-state student, Eaton is grateful for the scholarship which has allowed her to live at the LLC. She credits Brenda Jochum, who launched and now works with the Living Learning Community, for the “lovely opportunities to meet people and go out and do things.” She credits the socials and opportunities to meet business owners for valuable connections she has formed during her first year of college.

Eaton’s “moved a lot in her life” and, even though she is far from home, understands she has been given a gift thanks to the LLC. She shares that she feels like she “can be a part of something” and is looking forward to her part in continuing its impact as she shifts from resident to mentor next year.

Amazed at how much she’s already learned at UNK, Eaton is looking forward to the rest of her college career. Enjoying her time as a college athlete, taking aviation classes to meet her goal of one day flying for Delta, and making lifelong friendships have already made her short time at UNK more than she could have hoped for. You can hear the smile in her voice as she shares how her time spent at UNK’s CBT Living Learning Community has been paramount to her success. She shares how it has been a “wonderful opportunity,” one she feels that “more people should go for.” Much like Clara Rios did for her, Eaton plans to do everything she can to promote the Living Learning Community for other UNK students.

It’s no secret to anyone familiar with the University of Nebraska at Kearney that relationships are carefully cultivated. As Juliette Eaton ends her freshman year and looks forward to her time as an upperclassman, she plans to do everything she can to help others build the same kind of relationships that she knows will last a lifetime for her.

Related Pages: Living Learning Community