Why they LovEMU: Royale Parker ’26 found the perfect match as a Royal

Editor’s Note: This profile is the first of six about students and alumni leading up to LovEMU Giving Day on April 10. For more information about the day and to donate, visit love.emu.edu.  

Royale Parker ’26 hadn’t set foot on EMU’s campus before move-in day. In fact, the Southern California native hadn’t even heard of the school until her high school guidance counselor suggested it. The more she learned about EMU, the more she felt she belonged as a Royal. And, it wasn’t just her first name that felt like a perfect match.

While other schools she contacted seemed to ignore her, she said members of the EMU undergrad admissions team were quick to answer her questions and welcome her with open arms.  

“I was looking for a school where students felt valued,” she said. “That’s what I got from EMU.”

The moment she arrived on the Harrisonburg, Virginia, campus, she knew she had made the right call. She saw how colorful and vibrant the campus was and recognized that EMU was where she was meant to be.

“What sets EMU apart is its people,” she said.

Roughly one-and-a-half years after that first day on campus, Parker is thriving at EMU. As a business and psychology major with aspirations in entrepreneurship, she launched a successful eyelash extension venture in the fall, catering primarily to her fellow students. She also plays an integral role in EMU’s Black Student Alliance (BSA) as its secretary-treasurer.

Parker said receiving financial aid through the University Scholarship has helped her focus on her studies without worrying about employment. Grateful for EMU’s generosity, she acknowledged that it provided the most substantial aid package among all her prospective schools.

“It’s a really huge help,” she said. 

Your generous support helps students like Parker pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 8th annual LovEMU Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future EMU students. Let’s build EMU “Stronger Together.”