Lexus Laudert ‘25 is an English major with minors in French, Native American Indigenous studies, and creative writing, pursuing a secondary education licensure.
“I really like the study of languages and I’ve always been interested in the literature side of the field,” says Laudert.
When asked what brought her to Morris, she answers, “I had heard about how great the teaching program was here. … When I got here, I found out about the sustainability side of things here on campus and that was what sealed the deal for me. It had what I wanted at a good price.”
As it turns out, Laudert discovered a lot more to love about the campus, including how pretty it is (and that she wouldn’t get lost), the prominent role of Native American culture (and learning more about her Tribe’s language, Anishinaabe), and, what most stood out to her, the community.
“I just really like Morris. I like how small the community is. You always seem to run into the same people and it’s nice to see them. Everyone here is just so friendly.”
She recalls the excitement of being on her own, but also how nervous she was about making friends. The close-knit, welcoming community has positively influenced Laudert, both in and out of the classroom.
As a student, Laudert has found her non classroom experiences to be just as important as her classroom experiences. This includes getting to go on the French club trip to the Festival du Voyageur in Winnipeg, Canada. “The whole experience was amazing,” says Laudert.
Overall, she enjoys the relationships that she’s cultivated with faculty. “The faculty really care, and if there’s an opportunity they think you’d do well at or are interested in, then they’ll reach out to you, which doesn’t really happen on big campuses.”
Laudert also credits the faculty for being very helpful. She appreciates having them as part of a strong support system here at UMN Morris, something many students are finding to be essential to getting through college.
“The professors are not out to get you… They’re really understanding… they are always super accommodating.” Laudert adds, “Morris has great resources.”
Laudert remembers when she was a first-year student feeling like a lot of things would be the “end of the world” to her. “[B]ut they’re not,” she says.
To new students who are considering UMN Morris, she says, “Don’t panic. You don't need to worry, there are people here to help you. Just, overall, chillax, everything’ll work out fine.”