On Tuesday morning, students passing by the Green may have noticed a small group that was filming an individual. They had the camera pointed at a specific angle to fully capture the University Center as a background.
The individual in question was Alex Boylan, the host and executive producer of “The College Tour,” a TV show that provides an inside look into universities throughout the U.S. He described the upcoming episode that will feature Seton Hall University as the “next best thing from stepping foot on Seton Hall.” He added that said episode is set to release in October 2023, on streaming services such as Amazon Prime Video and Tubi.
“The College Tour,” which is approaching its eighth season, gives a virtual tour of the featured college, told through the stories of its students. “Real students, real stories,” Boylan said.
The show began in October 2022, the year in which 4 million fewer people in the U.S. enrolled in college as compared to ten years ago. According to a survey by U.S. Program’s Gates Foundation, almost half of students opting out of college doubted seeing a return on the cost and time invested.
“We should not be trying to tell people to not go to higher education,” Boylan said. “If you can [enroll] and it’s right for you, then we should celebrate it, not tear it down.”
In 2020, the college enrollment rate in the U.S. was 40%, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
“It’s very unfortunate,” Boylan said. “We need more students going to higher education.”
Regarding those who choose to not attend college, he said that people are beginning to have a mindset of “which path is right for me” instead of “is the path right for me.”
“I think there’s a path for everybody,” he said. “You’re young, you’re trying to figure out the rest of your life. You have to figure out what’s best for you.”
Boylan encourages students to “take advantage” of “what is at disposal here at the University.”
“There’s so much here to play with,” he said.
Emma Thumann can be reached at emma.thumann@student.shu.edu.
