Students often equate late-night lab reports or complex mathematical equations with “real” academic rigor.
But what about the hours spent editing video footage, studying international politics, creating PR campaigns, or writing an investigative story for the newspaper? The work may be different, but the effort is just the same in different majors.
In a campus culture dominated by caffeine-fueled all-nighters and humble-brags about never-ending exams, non-Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors often feel like outsiders in comparison.
For most non-STEM majors, it feels as though the level of hard work, albeit different, is not as rigorous and therefore not as worthy.
Countless hours of creativity and imagination are often overpowered by the analytics and logic of biology or chemistry classes. Humanities fields are becoming more obsolete. At Seton Hall, pre-health majors dominate the landscape.
The pressure and expectation to go into medicine, computer science, or even engineering has become the mindset for most college students, leaving creativity and the arts as “unrealistic” and “impractical” fields to enter.
For instance, the enrollment numbers across these fields are staggeringly different. In fall 2022, SHU had 384 biology majors enrolled, while majors like journalism had 60 students and public relations had 28 students.
Although these degrees are smaller in numbers, non-STEM majors should not feel like the minority. Non-STEM majors provide creativity, innovation, and out-of-the-box thinking to a variety of fields. These students deserve to feel worthy of their accomplishments.
There are a plethora of opportunities for students to engage in, and STEM fields should not be the only representation of our Seton Hall community’s successes.
As a current Production intern at CNN, I can proudly say that other SHU students can still achieve their goals in non-STEM fields.
To highlight other experiences, students in the College of Human Development, Culture and Media (CHDCM) have worked at FOX, NBC, ESPN, and other media companies that are worth being celebrated at SHU.
There is a constant pressure to prove the “worth” of a non-STEM major. Yet there is a lack of visibility of student accomplishments, and much more emphasis on the pre-health tracks and programs offered.
For example, programs such as the (Physician Assistant) PA 3+3 or the joint B.S./M.D. programs are popular offerings at Seton Hall. In 2023, the IHS Campus building was awarded a $1.14 million federal award to upgrade their facilities.
It was only this past summer that the PPAC brought in a pre-law advisor, Madelyn Ferrans (J.D.) who acts as a mentor and works with pre-law organizations on campus to help guide students through the pre-law process. Before this, the PPAC only guided pre-medical students.
As well, there are a total of 31 STEM-related clubs on campus, and of the clubs tailored to students in CHDCM, for example, there are only 7 listed on Engage.
In terms of resources and connections for students, the public relations major has only two professors, both Jeanne Salvatore (M.A.) and Sadia Cheema (Ph.D.). As opposed to a major such as Chemistry, there are 16 faculty members, according to the Seton Hall website.
While majors in the Stillman School of Business and in the CHDCM offer many STEM-related majors such as finance, accounting, and even production, the non-STEM majors often receive less recognition for their rigor.
Students majoring in English, public relations, or philosophy engage in research, writing, and analysis that is equally as demanding and often overlooked.
I have had countless conversations with students within these majors about how they feel in their major at SHU, and many highlight similar feelings.
Alex Desiderio, a junior secondary education major at SHU, certainly feels this divide.
“I feel that while my program has its advantages, there is definitely a feeling that more money, effort, and time is put into the STEM side of the university,” Desiderio said. “Sometimes it can just feel like other majors are pushed to the side.”
Similar feelings are shared among different majors, including those in the Stillman School of Business.
Kylie McMullen, a senior pre-law marketing major, shared her thoughts on the recent efforts by SHU to help non-STEM students.
“I definitely think STEM majors get the privilege of having more available resources and attention than any other majors at SHU,” McMullen said. “However, I think SHU is slowly trying to accommodate the aspirations and demands of their other students as well.”
“I found it relieving when I realized Madelyn Ferrans was joining the SHU community as I finally felt like somebody who truly understood my goals was ready to help me succeed,” McMullen added.
Although this feeling of inequality is shared by many, SHU is working towards providing more opportunities for these students to receive care and direct attention in their fields.
Student organizations like SHU TV, WSOU, The Setonian, and the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) help many students pursuing a career in communications or media. Clubs such as the English Club, Philosophy Club, Pre-Law Student Association, or SHU Women in Business provide other majors with the opportunity to connect and learn more about their areas of interest. These clubs provide a sense of a small community amongst individuals who share similar passions.
Lauren Reese, a junior visual and sound media major with a concentration in sports media, shared her experience of finding a community within her major.
“Despite not being in the STEM field, there are plenty of ways to have a busy schedule and enhance your resume with campus involvement,” Reese said. “For me, WSOU was a place where I could push myself within the professional working environment, while also having so much fun every day surrounded by a variety of majors working towards a common goal.”
Many students share a common feeling regarding SHU’s focus on STEM-related programs, yet many are still able to find communities within their majors and explore STEM alongside their normal courses.
Dr. Jessica Rauchberg, assistant professor of Communication Technologies in CHDCM, weighed in on the intersection between these fields.
“I think CHDCM offers an important interlude between STEM and humanities,” Rauchberg said. “Courses in Communication, Media, and Arts (COMA) especially demonstrate the importance of why it's important to critically study technology, digital media, and science. This helps students—STEM majors or not—understand the ways STEM shapes how we make sense of the world around us.”
Both disciplines share their defining features and together students can contribute meaningfully to their education. Success should not be measured by lab results or exam grades alone, but by curiosity, passion, and the willingness to create and learn.
Whether you’re in a studio, newsroom, or chemistry lab, SHU thrives because of the diversity of passions that make it whole, and on-STEM students deserve to feel proud of their contributions to their community, too.
Grace Tylee is the head editor for The Setonian’s Social Media. She can be reached at grace.tylee@student.shu.edu
