I didn’t catch the Franciscan “fever” either. There was drinking, probably innapropriate behavior, and more that went on at Franciscan. I was (and still am) under the impression that you don’t chose to go to Franciscan because you are perfect, you go there to try to be better. (at least in some cases). Nobody I know there was perfect, and my friends and I did our own thing and were very happy about it. You can get involved in your Faith as much as you want there, you can go to as many Festivals of Praise and Worship as you want, and you can chose what you do with your Friday night. Like at any other college. Franciscan doesn’t take bad choices away from you, and you don’t automatically choose only good activities there. YOU make the choice, the University does NOT do it for you, they just offer you an ample amount of positive choices and activities that center around the Catholic Faith.
I will stand up for my education. I will NOT have anyone tell me I received an average education there, because I did not. I chose to make it what it is. I got into the graduate school of my choice, and was extremely happy with my choices in education thus far. I’m sorry you did not and you feel like that, but maybe your expectations were too high, maybe you expected everything from a University that did not promise everything. I’m not sure what major you chose, but I can assure anyone that my major was in line with the Church; and the professors.
Sometimes I would look out my window at the Ohio River and think how beautiful it all was. The town isn’t the greatest looking, but some of the nature around the University is. If you went to a college, didn’t get the classes you wanted, didn’t get the job you wanted afterwards, or didn’t get something else, maybe look inside yourself to see if something could have been done differently before you begin blaming something else. I work in college admissions right now as I’m finishing my education, and I can tell you that the ones who will succeed are those who grab the oppurtunities in front of them-NOT the ones who went to the most “academically elite” college, or the ones who had the best grades, or a number of other criteria. If you want to succeed in your Faith you don’t need to sell out to the college with the best name. Understand the mission of the University/college you choose, the intent of the program, tour the college, talk to people there, BEFORE you go. Once again I won’t have my education and hard work put down, I’m sorry anyone had a poor experience at any University they went to, but when is it time to get over it?