Natalie Hamblin
Natalie Hamblin
Lifestyle: Traditional
Major: Physical education
Raised on the island of Nantucket just off the Massachusetts’ coast, Natalie Hamblin has always had an affinity for the active lifestyle. When it came time to look at colleges, Hamblin knew she wanted to attend an institution that offered a physical education program so that she could pursue her goal of teaching at the elementary school level. So far, she says, Norwich has done that.
“I’ve always wanted to be in the phys ed field,” she said. “I’ve always had an active lifestyle and I thought it would be fun to teach. And then I came in March to visit and fell in love with the campus and the program, and here I am.”
Now in her fourth year as a swim team member and second year as captain, Hamblin said she likes the fact that at Norwich there is an ever-present sense of moving forward in everything she does.
“Ever since I arrived here there’s always been a standard to meet,” she said. “Everyone I meet is always making you want to strive for more so there’s always progression. There’s a tradition [at Norwich] of upholding standards and always striving to be your best.”
Everyone I meet is always making you want to strive for more so there’s always progression. There’s a tradition [at Norwich] of upholding standards and always striving to be your best.
~ Natalie Hamblin
Outside the pool Hamblin is also moving forward with her plans to become a teacher, a job she feels Norwich is preparing her well for. Although she’s just now gearing up to start her student teaching experience at nearby Beartown Elementary School, Hamblin said one of the draws to Norwich for her was the fact that she was able to get into the classroom earlier than other teacher training programs allow for.
“All of the schools I looked at had physical education programs, but at Norwich, I got direct exposure in my sophomore year,” Hamblin said. “At other schools you don’t get into the classroom until your junior or senior year. It’s definitely benefitted me a lot to have this hands-on experience right there with teachers who’ve been doing it for 20 or 30 years.”
