When I was first looking at colleges, Valpo wasn’t my end-all-be-all school. But, looking back, coming here was the best thing that could’ve happened for my college experience. I decided on Valpo after visiting campus, and that choice was mainly built upon the University’s reputable meteorology major, a strong financial aid offer, a smaller student body compared to a big state school, and distance from all the people I went to high school with – 2,204 miles to be exact. Coming from Oregon, the one thing that I could count on people always asking me was, “Why did you come all the way out here to Valpo?” And while I usually give them the aforementioned reasons, I’ve realized in the last four years that Valpo is the reason I came, and the reason I stayed as long as I have.
As an introvert, I didn’t exactly jump into things right away my first year. My first-year residence hall, Brandt Hall, was where I formed some of the strongest relationships of the next four years. My freshman roommate, Matthew Mantz ‘26, was from the west coast as well; by a stroke of luck, we were randomly selected. Bonding over the distance we were from our families helped ease us into a steady friendship, and we still talk today. Another freshman on my floor, Aiden Koch ‘26, had his roommate move back home after a couple months so we hit it off from the start. Since then, we’ve shared countless meals at Founders Table, gone on adventures on and off campus, spent way too much time in the Athletics-Recreation Center (ARC) playing basketball (there can never be too much hoop), and joined his family on several holiday breaks. Aiden has been there since day one, and he really shaped my chapter at Valpo to be what it is today.
My first big jump into the student life scene was joining the Sigma Chi fraternity during my second semester here. Aiden and I went to pretty much every fraternity recruitment event you could attend in one semester, and the smaller, more-focused-on-benefiting-your-next-four-years vibe of Sigma Chi helped me solidify my pick. I was the only first-year student from Brandt Hall joining the fraternity in spring of 2023, and that opened my circle up to even more people. That class of brothers are now some of my closest friends now, and I have seen them grow as men just as they have seen me do the same. Through my semi-blind step into the fraternity and sorority life (FSL) community (none of my family before me was involved in FSL at college) I was introduced to a huge alumni network, found connection and leadership opportunities across campus, and expanded my own friendships. I was trusted with documenting our meeting and keeping official records among other things for three years and I was also able to serve on the Interfraternity Council, which complimented my digital media arts career ideas while also giving me valuable insight into the workings of the FSL community.
After one year in the meteorology department, I decided that I wanted to try something different. I took several photography classes in high school, and I was looking for a field that allowed me to be more creative while also having less math classes. I kept meteorology as a minor and went into the CVA [communications and visual arts] department as a digital media arts major, and the transition was seamless. Not only was I put right into classes that I enjoyed, but I was encouraged from the start to narrow down my interests and find a concentration for a future job sector. Public relations and social media marketing came through as my biggest picks, and my professors and advisors helped me find internships that helped me build my portfolio. With the help of a supportive network, I currently have two career-focused internships: one as a marketing assistant through the Office of Student Life, and a second role as a student content creator with the Office of Marketing and Communications. Two paid internships counting toward my academic credit wasn’t something I would’ve guessed would’ve been possible a couple years back. Not only have these helped me get experience for a future career, but I’ve also been able to further my connections and try things that I never thought possible.
Finally, my role as a resident assistant (RA) has greatly shaped my last three years as a Beacon. I have said to my parents that after becoming an RA, each semester feels like an entire year because so much happens. I must follow that up with so much good happens, because at first it sounds like a terrible thing, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Being an RA has taught me so much about myself, my leadership skills, how to communicate with others, teamwork, time management, how to stay entertained and awake long enough for late night rounds, and, again, broadened my friendship circle. You can’t really explain the bond you form with a team when you work and live with them for an entire year, but I have clear memories of how close my staff of Guild-Memorial Halls and Brandt Hall were in past years, as well as my current staff in Beacon Hall. I think something I enjoy the most about the role is that it isn’t super up in your face. It’s not something the everyday student thinks or worries about. RAs aren’t there to make a scene, but instead to do our job and benefit the community while doing that. It’s not a flashy job, but it’s not meant to be. That was a huge draw for me. Helping people on a more personal level and seeing the benefits on a smaller scale is so much more rewarding to me than my accomplishments broadcasted to everyone, as they might be with another role on campus.
Overall, I have not once regretted coming to Valpo. There’s been struggles for sure, but I still feel confident in my decision to come here and be a Beacon. I can’t really pin it on a certain thing, but the pride I have for this community is immense, and I think that’ll stick with me forever. I’ll die defending Founder’s food, Brandt Hall as the best residence hall, and Beacon and Blaze as the coolest mascots. Valpo gave me the space to make my college experience what I wanted, and I’d like to say I’m making the most out of it.
