Valerie Calenda

Director of Alumni Admission Programs

Hometown
Sparta, NJ and Baton Rouge, LA
Education

BSM and MBA, Tulane University

Favorite NOLA Restaurant:

Pizza Dominica

Favorite Spot on Campus:

James Lounge in the LBC, a beautiful, light-filled oasis in the heart of campus.

My “Only at Tulane” Moment:

A professor holding a class of 15 students at the outside classroom in February as spring shows itself with 74-degree weather.

My “Only in New Orleans” Moment:

Walking in Audubon Park across the street from Tulane, I passed someone on a unicycle and someone else with a parrot on their shoulder and realized I thought nothing of it since quirky, different, and eclectic people with unique talents are commonplace here.

My Best College Search Process Tip:

Browse tour guide profiles online before you visit and look around, listen, and observe random students when you do visit to see the different kinds of students that have found a home at Tulane. Having students from different backgrounds and places will mean that you will learn so much from their life experiences, perspectives, and opinions, especially if they are different from your own.