As Limestone University’s future still remains in limbo, students say Tuesday’s announcement gave them some relief, but they’re still anxious about what’s next. Zach Parker says he could never imagine, as a rising junior nursing student, that he would have to look for a new school and a new program.”I was on track to finish a bachelor’s in three years. Now it’s four, maybe five years, depending on when the classes are offered. If they’re available for me to take,” he says, “I’m scrambling to find other universities to go to. also having to postpone when I can do acceptance to other universities to finish the program. I’m having to wade through the requirements of other programs and probably courses that I even have to repeat.” His classmate, Destiny Smith, is a nontraditional student, working on her degree. “I have kids, I have a husband, and I don’t really have the means to just up and move to you know, any college that’s out there,” Smith explains. She says closing the school or moving online could change her future plans dramatically.”I’ve been looking at changing my degree because I don’t really have a lot of options. Upstate is really the only school that I can go to. That’s an hour drive for me,” Smith says. Tuesday’s announcement that limestone may find an new funding source has students feeling slightly more optomistic about the school.”We’re being hopeful that we can still stay here and like we friends and like this school has truly become our family,” says rising junior Grace Oyesola. However, students say that only if that funding comes with stability. “We kind of want a real answer. Where is the funding coming from? How much will it keep the school open for just another year until September? Or will it give us more time to get the funding that we actually need?” asks sophomore lacrosse player Courtney Miller.
As Limestone University’s future still remains in limbo, students say Tuesday’s announcement gave them some relief, but they’re still anxious about what’s next.
Zach Parker says he could never imagine, as a rising junior nursing student, that he would have to look for a new school and a new program.
“I was on track to finish a bachelor’s in three years. Now it’s four, maybe five years, depending on when the classes are offered. If they’re available for me to take,” he says, “I’m scrambling to find other universities to go to. [I’m] also having to postpone when I can do acceptance to other universities to finish the program. I’m having to wade through the requirements of other programs and probably courses that I even have to repeat.”
His classmate, Destiny Smith, is a nontraditional student, working on her degree.
“I have kids, I have a husband, and I don’t really have the means to just up and move to you know, any college that’s out there,” Smith explains.
She says closing the school or moving online could change her future plans dramatically.
“I’ve been looking at changing my degree because I don’t really have a lot of options. Upstate is really the only school that I can go to. That’s an hour drive for me,” Smith says.
Tuesday’s announcement that limestone may find an new funding source has students feeling slightly more optomistic about the school.
“We’re being hopeful that we can still stay here and like we friends and like this school has truly become our family,” says rising junior Grace Oyesola.
However, students say that only if that funding comes with stability.
“We kind of want a real answer. Where is the funding coming from? How much will it keep the school open for just another year until September? Or will it give us more time to get the funding that we actually need?” asks sophomore lacrosse player Courtney Miller.
