SED and Wheelock students share their thoughts on the merger

President Brown announced officially on October 11 that BU and Wheelock College will merge together as one school.

While we LOVED the meme reactions to this announcement, we wanted to know what each side really thought of the merger. The following are quotes direct from both students of Wheelock and SED who seem to provide a more complex perspective. While most students from Wheelock we interviewed were overwhelmingly positive about the merger, SED students were a bit more apprehensive.

Wheelock

Karen Antony, Sophomore:

“I think it will be a positive thing because I think it will benefit Wheelock and it will benefit BU both ways. BU needs help with its education program and Wheelock needs BU’s help. So I think as long as everyone is willing to help it will be good.”

Samuel Miranda, Freshman:

“Yeah, I think it could become a positive thing. I see it as two schools combining especially with the resources that BU can hand to Wheelock and the same resources that Wheelock can hand to BU. I feel like we can all benefit from this.”

Hannah Greatbatch, Freshman:

“I think it’s a positive thing for both colleges. For Wheelock students I think its great because BU is a more recognized school so when it comes to getting our degree and teacher’s licences it will look better on resumes when we’re applying for future jobs. And also because we get it for the price of Wheelock tuition.

I understand why some BU students are more concerned about that or a little more hesitant because they feel like they’ve worked harder to get into BU, they have to pay more, that kind of thing. But I also think they should feel good about helping out a smaller college because Wheelock’s mission is to help improve the lives of families and children and that’s something that financially we’re struggling to do. Wheelock has a very strong social work program so BU is also gaining something.

I know BU is one of the top ten colleges for post-graduate social work but not for undergraduate social work. So I think both sides are gaining something and both sides are losings something. But for me, the pros outweigh the cons.”

Sofia Galli, Freshman:

“Yes! I think that it is a really positive thing and I think that its going to be a good change for everyone.”

Madelaine Dumas, Senior:

“Wheelock has gone through financial difficulties with getting students here and Boston is growing so much. So I think money wise and building a community it would be a positive thing.”

SED

Lea Smith, Senior:

"I don’t know a ton about the Wheelock merger, I know that a lot of the changes are still up in the air, we don’t know, like, if SED would be relocated. But I know that it will be a big change and for the future of SED expanding and getting more people involved could be a good thing in the the long run. A job that creates other jobs."

Domenica Deluca, Senior:

"I think we'll be good because they'll be more opportunities for students in SED but I don't really know how it's going to actually logistically work and everything that's going on right now. I just don't know what it’s going to mean like I don't know what's going to come out of it.

Alex Gutierrez, Sophomore:

"I'm very neutral on the topic. Through the little conversations that we have had in the classroom, I am not sure that we will be affected that much. I think it'll only be a change of name. For the people who are saying that they won't talk to Wheelock students, I hope that those opinions won't affect any of the SED students. The Wheelock students had as much of a say as we did in this, which is no say, so we should not be seeing them [differently]. Although it might be annoying, it won't affect us.

Ellie Farber, Sophomore:

"I don’t really have a preference about it because I don’t know a lot about it yet, and I feel like they’re doing this without giving us a ton of information. I don’t really have a problem with it, I think it might be a good thing, but I need more information. I feel like there should be a Q&A about it for students to come, because will our degrees change? Will our requirements change? What’s going to be the deal with our classes?"

Clay McDermott, Freshman:

"SED is a tight-knit small community, so there is this fear that the merger will expand the school too much and lose that feeling. I don't blame the Wheelock students. I'm actually excited to meet them. The merger is definitely a good thing for BU, and probably a good thing for SED as an institution. I've just not been convinced that the merger is a good thing for us students on the ground."

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The merger is said to take place on June 1, 2018.