New York transplant inspired by Portland natural beauty and urban charm, akin to the community at NUNM.
The Admissions team at the National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) is dedicated to providing resources and guidance to students so they choose the right path in natural medicine.
In highlighting our Admissions team and their contributions to the NUNM community, we asked office coordinator Joel Snyder to share more about their role:
Where’s home? And what did you like about living there?
My family moved around a lot when I was growing up, so I often find myself scratching my head and not knowing how to respond to questions about “home”. My partner and I have been in Portland now for just over two years, and it already does feel like home. It might be cheesy, but I also try and focus a lot on the ideas we find through writers. Thich Nhat Hanh has said that our “true home” is only ever coming back to this present moment, through mindfulness.
Where did you go to school? And what did you study?
I did my undergrad at the City College of New York and Hunter College, both part of the CUNY system. I studied art history and classical cultures. So, if you want to talk about 1970s Land Art or Hellenistic philosophy, I’m here for it.
What’s the best part of your job working in Admissions?
I am very new to NUNM, but so far, I’ve been inspired by my conversations with prospective students, as well as faculty and staff. This is a community of folks who are passionate about health and helping those around them.
What’s unique about the NUNM experience and community here?
I remember during my first few weeks here, Dr. Henriksen, our NUNM President, brought a box of really amazing doughnuts and fresh fruit to the Admissions Office. It came with hand-written cards, thanking each of us for our individual efforts in supporting applicants and incoming students. Another time, I was eating my lunch at one of the picnic tables on campus with a nice view of Mount Hood. I had forgotten a napkin, but one of the students saw my predicament and just took it upon themself to run inside into the student kitchen and bring me back one. Both experiences speak to the level of attention, care, and human connection you can expect at NUNM.
Why is NUNM in Portland a great place to be a student, or to study natural medicine?
It was either my second or third month living in Portland, and I was laying on the grass in Irving Park reading the Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff. Flipping to the front page, I saw in the author bio that Hoff lives in Oregon. I thought to myself, “of course he does.” There is something very “Oregon” about that book’s mixture of wisdom, approachability, and slight wackiness. I feel similar about NUNM. It feels very “Portland” in all the best ways: it’s somehow both serious and relaxed; urban but surrounded by expansive natural beauty; and always just a little bit weird.
— Ashley Villarreal, Marketing Content Specialist