For many first-year Huskers and their families, New Student Enrollment is a time to ask questions, ease concerns and get to know campus. For Michelle Garcia-Barillas and her family, the ability to do so in Spanish helped them feel like the University of Nebraska–Lincoln was the right choice.
“When I came to NSE with my family, my dad was really nervous. He doesn’t speak English very well, and I think he was worried about whether UNL was the right place for me,” Garcia-Barillas said. “After we met my NSE leader Carlos, who spoke Spanish, my dad relaxed and got really excited about UNL.
“Talking with Carlos made me realize how important it was to have someone who could make him feel welcome.”
Any reservations, she said, were immediately put to rest.
“On the way back home, my dad said, ‘I really like it here. There are so many things you can do,’” Garcia-Barillas said. “That moment stuck with me, and I knew I wanted to do the same for other families.”
Now an NSE leader for 2024, Garcia-Barillas is drawing on inspiration from her experience to help new students and their families feel at home on campus. As she and fellow NSE leaders welcome new students this summer, Garcia-Barillas said she is working to offer the same comforting experience that she and her father received.
“I want to make the same impact that was made on my dad,” she said. “I want parents to leave orientation feeling confident and excited about their child’s decision to attend UNL.”
Garcia-Barillas’ biggest advice for incoming students stems from her dad.
“Put yourself out there. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or seek help. There’s nothing wrong with looking for answers; you’ll never know unless you try. My dad always told me that, and it’s helped me so much.”
Looking past NSE, Garcia-Barillas is excited about developing relationships with new students that she’ll hold onto after the summer is over.
“I can’t wait to see the faces of the students I’ve guided around campus,” she said. “It will make me so happy to see them thriving and knowing I played a part in that.”
