This week, Richmond Scholar finalists were invited on campus for an interview and for getting to know the place. There was an unusual number of Romanian finalists coming on campus (5 in total. In previous years, 1-2 Romanians were coming, and the rest were interviewing by phone because they couldn’t get a visa in time or didn’t want to miss school). Because there were so many Romanians, I actually got to host one. Her name was Alex. But because I was eager to get to know all 5 of them, I often ended up being the unofficial host and tour guide of the entire Romanian group.
Most scholars were scheduled  to arrive on Tuesday, but because of international flights and stuff, a good number of internationals had to come from Monday. So did the Romanians. On Monday night, after a little adventure where Alex locked us out not knowing how the locking system worked and we spent some time looking for an RA during dinner time, we eventually managed to be only 10 minutes late to the GreenUR meeting. Too bad it was a short one that only lasted about 20 minutes, so Alex lost half of it!
On Tuesday, they went to classes and exploring campus, and as I am a true science major hosting a Science Scholar, I took them in a detailed tour of Gottwald! After a social/reception sort of opening and dinner at D-Hall, they had this program where they were presented with lots of information from different things they could benefit while at UR. There were tables around for all those things, and students could go to any of them and ask for info. I was asked to table for IQS, together with one student from this year’s class and 2 professors, so I was also present at the entire event.
Prospective scholars being told about how great it is to be a UR student
Prospective scholars receiving information about IQS from one of the professors involved in the course.
After that event was over,  I showed my scholar the gym, the international center and the library. She felt too tired to go to the Modlin Center for the Arts, so we went back to  my room (by this time it was almost midnight), I let her sleep, and I went to Gottwald to do my homework for the next day.
On Wednesday, they attended a few more classes in the morning (I convinced the Science Scholars to go to IQS - a must check out for any prospective student interested in science), had their interviews, I took them to lunch with my Romanian Physics professor (who nicely reminded me of a Physics quiz I was going to have the next day - that I had TOTALLY forgot about), and in the afternoon I took them to the most complete campus tour I have ever given someone.
On a pathway near the lake, with Lakeview Hall, the newest dorm on campus, behind us
We went to Passport Cafe, I wanted them to try the University sushi. Unfortunately, it was about 4PM, and sushi is so popular, that it usually gets sold by that time. There was only one sushi serving left, and of the most unpopular kind. Luckily, one sushi serving has 6 pieces so we could all try it. Also, now that it’s spring, for the first time I tried a Passport Gelato! One of the best, if not the best, gelatos I ever had!
One of the 3 fancy dinners I went to this week! (I had to skip a fancy lunch because I had class, and I couldn’t join the other Spider Diarists for an all-expense paid dinner because I was busy with my scholar. That is, not to mention all the snacks prepared for finalists and their hosts!).
Eventually, on Thursday afternoon they left. Too bad they did not get to stay one day longer, at least those scholars that had at least a remote interest in chemistry. They would have had the academic day of their lives, just like I did. But that’s for the next post!
