Katy Saalfeld

As Katy puts it: "My major found me."

"I was totally undecided when I started my undergraduate career, but I would not have put it that way at the time," she said. "I was a marketing major for a semester, a psychology major for a semester, and a theatre major for a quick minute."

Pressed to make a choice in her junior year, Katy was surprised when she realized how much credit she'd built up exploring communication classes as electives.

"Had someone told me when I started that I would end up majoring in communication I probably would have laughed, as I would had no idea what someone would do with that type of a degree and was terrified of public speaking," she said. "I not only finished my undergraduate degree, but I've gone on to even take graduate courses in communication and I'm no longer terrified of public speaking."

Today, Katy is a senior associate director for NIU Admissions, overseeing recruitment and outreach. While no longer a counselor, her favorite part of the job is still seeing students make connections.

She encourages those interested in NIU to schedule a campus visit and ask questions about the things that are important to them.

"Making a decision about college is a personal choice, as every student has their own list of priorities, and making" she said.

Katy calls DeKalb home, having grown up Sycamore and benefited from NIU's community offerings.

"We have all the resources that a large school has to offer set to the backdrop of a small city, and both have a rich history," she said. My office is in Williston, which was originally the women's dormitory. It's fun having alumni come through to see their old rooms and hearing the stories of when they attended."

Contact Us

Office of Admissions
Williston Hall
DeKalb, IL 60115
815-753-0446
admissions@niu.edu
transfercenter@niu.edu
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