Natalie Girardin

Degree: Early Childhood Education
Year: Sophomore

For four years she cheered at Cibola High School in Albuquerque, and now she cheers for Eastern New Mexico University. Natalie Girardin followed her older sister, Nicole, to ENMU because she said she also wanted to get away from Albuquerque.

“Eastern was a good place to come because it’s small and it’s like another little home,” Natalie said.

Natalie found out about ENMU cheerleading from her high school coach and did research on the program via the internet.“I came and tried out and made it,” she said. “I’ve been doing it ever since.”

She’s now a sophomore majoring in early childhood education and wants to open her own daycare after graduation.Natalie said she thinks it’s better to go to a smaller school, like ENMU, rather than a large university.“There’s more of a chance to talk to your professors one-on-one here,” she said.

When she’s not with the cheer squad or in class, Natalie spends her time working out at the gym or swimming at ENMU’s indoor pool. She also manages to hold down a job working at the girls’ dormitory front desk.

“There are a lot of ways to get involved with school here,” she said. “There are sororities, sports, hanging out, and ASAB (Associated Students’ Activities Board).”She said that her favorite thing about ENMU, however, is the small classes.

Nicole said she came to ENMU because she didn’t want to stay in Albuquerque and didn’t like the other college choices available.“ENMU is a lot smaller,” she said. “It’s more comfortable here.”

Nicole, also a CHS graduate, wants to become a teacher with a double-major in English and history. At Cibola, Nicole was the school mascot and was part of the National Spanish Honor Society. At ENMU she is a member of the co-ed fraternity Alpha Phi Omega.

"I like Eastern because of its size,” she said. “I don’t feel lost.”