College Junior Sarah Walkuski is one of many students from Notre Dame College who is scrambling to figure out the next steps after the school announced last month that it was closing.
“I’m just very stressed out right now; I’m not taking care of myself like I usually do because I am so stressed," Walkuski said.
Walkuski has been a part of the nursing program at Notre Dame College since 2022, but this wasn’t her first stop.
“I started at Ursuline College in 2020, but I didn’t feel like it was the right fit for me. But when I visited Notre Dame College, I felt like I was at home," she said.
Walkuski says the school did mention the possibility of having to close in the beginning of the semester; however, she was under the impression the school was going to be fine. She says she wishes the school told them before spring break to give them time to find a new college.
As of today, over 10 schools have offered students enrollment and comparable tuition rates through the teach-out program, but with Walkuski being a nursing student, the process has been a lot harder.
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“When I had conversations with some of the schools, they said that nursing is different than a general major, and it will just depend on the school if they transfer over," said Walkuski.
She’s also received calls from out-of-state schools but is worried about the cost of out-of-state tuition.
We’re all really stressed, especially my parents, and they keep asking me, are you going to go out of state, because I still live with my parents, and that’s just how it’s always been,” said Walkuski.
Whether or not she does stay in-state, she says she will still have to say some painful goodbyes to friends she’s made over the years.
Thinking about having to leave my friends is very hard for me right now because most of them live out of the state or even out of the country, so it's like, will I ever see them again?” said Walkuski.
She also created a new family out of the classroom when she became one of the first students to join the Notre Dame College Acrobatic team.
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“We started from the bottom together and achieved so much together, we just beat our program record last week. Which now has me thinking what could’ve happened if we kept going, we may have gone to nationals,” said Walkuski.
She says Notre Dame College was the only school that offered acrobatics in the state, leaving her with the possibility of having to hang up her uniform for good.
“I really thought when I came here, I'd be here for the rest of my college career and graduate here, I was supposed to get my minor here this coming year, but it won't transfer over. So, I'm going to have to restart all those minors,” said Walkuski.
Walkuski says she’s currently looking into Cleveland State University, Kent State University and her former school, Ursuline College.
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