{"id":227635,"date":"2026-03-27T14:01:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T18:01:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/?p=227635"},"modified":"2026-04-02T09:04:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T13:04:19","slug":"why-attending-a-college-close-to-home-might-be-the-best-decision-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2026\/03\/27\/why-attending-a-college-close-to-home-might-be-the-best-decision-for-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Attending a College Close to Home Might Be the Best Decision for You"},"content":{"rendered":"

By the time Dani Mazariegos \u201925 graduated from ÌÇÐÄvlog, she had earned some of the highest honors in collegiate journalism<\/a> \u2013 and, just this winter, a production assistant credit with NBC Sports for Olympic coverage<\/a>. Her time at Montclair \u2013 growing, learning and preparing for her future \u2013 shows how choosing a college close to home in New Jersey can open doors to remarkable opportunities.<\/span><\/p>\n

I look back at the person I was before I attended Montclair \u2013 I\u2019m completely different: more confident, more understanding of the world.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Building Identity and Story<\/strong><\/h2>\n

For Mazariegos, who grew up in Marlboro, staying close to home also meant staying connected \u2013 to both community and identity. She chose Montclair for its recognition as a Hispanic\u2011Serving Institution and soon found that staying in New Jersey could offer far\u2011reaching opportunities.<\/span><\/p>\n

I never imagined that at my state college I\u2019d study abroad in Costa Rica<\/a>, report on immigration at the Arizona\u2011Mexican border<\/a> and work with Telemundo 47<\/a>,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Those experiences inspired her documentary Ra\u00edces (Roots), Connected by Culture<\/em>, about her grandfather\u2019s journey from El Salvador and her own evolving sense of identity.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was in a place where I was redefining my identity, connecting more with my Latin roots and what it means to be the granddaughter or daughter of an immigrant,\u201d she says. \u201cI didn\u2019t realize at the time how therapeutic it was, or how much I wanted to redefine what that meant for me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Dani
Dani Mazariegos sets up a shoot on the Arizona\u2011Mexico border during production of the award\u2011winning series Arizona Stories: Border, Water and Politics<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Scholarships That Opened Doors<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Mazariegos\u2019s decision to attend a public university close to home was also made possible \u2013 and amplified \u2013 by scholarships that recognized her talent and potential.<\/span><\/p>\n

While at Montclair, she:<\/span><\/p>\n