Roman Van Meter ’26 embodies what it means to be a Valparaiso University student: someone who refuses to be confined by traditional academic boundaries. The Fort Wayne, Indiana, native arrived at Valpo planning to major in history, and to his delight, Roman found he could pursue his passion for history and immerse himself in French language and culture, creating a unique academic journey that opened up a world of possibilities.
“I didn’t plan on the double-major at first,” Roman admits. “I was just going to be a history major, but then I was getting my language requirement out of the way.” He’d taken French in high school, so continuing seemed like the logical choice. But what started as simply checking a box became something much more meaningful.
Roman started connecting the dots between his two subjects in ways that surprised him. The analytical skills he was sharpening in history classes were helping him understand grammar codes, and his growing French vocabulary was opening up historical documents he’d never been able to read before. While Roman says his positive college experience would not be possible without the mentorship he receives from his professors – particularly Assistant Professor of History Lucas Kelly, Ph.D
When Roman decided to tackle the senior history seminar as a junior, Professor Kelly didn’t just assign the work and walk away. “Professor Kelly was very supportive and helpful in narrowing down my research,” Roman says. “He was always available to talk, and with me being a junior in that class … I was thankful for that support.” The biggest research paper of his academic career was a success because he had a professor who believed in him and a University that encouraged students to challenge themselves.
This is what holistic education – a tried and true hallmark of the Valpo experience – looks like in action: professors who know your name, believe in your potential, and help you see connections you never imagined.
The small class sizes at Valpo are also part of Roman’s academic success. In his French classes with Professor Timothy Tomasik, Ph.D., Roman says the average class size of nine students creates a close-knit community where every voice matters and relationships extend far beyond their class walls. To bring their learning outside the classroom, Roman and his classmates decided to resurrect the French Club.
“The community we’ve created led to us founding the French Club,” Roman explains. “We brought it back to bring more French cultural events to Valpo.” As the club’s first president, Roman learned to juggle everything from coordinating a crêpe-making workshop to managing food orders that sometimes arrived late. “You have to be very creative,” he says. “And also kind of just have patience with figuring things out.”
Those leadership skills also serve him well beyond campus. Roman runs a genealogy business on the side – something that started as curiosity about his own family history and turned into a real entrepreneurial venture. “After my freshman year, I started doing it as a business,” he shares. The detective work mirrors his historical research skills, while his French studies help him navigate documents across cultures and languages.
When Roman learned about study abroad scholarships, opportunity knocked. “I’ve always wanted to study abroad and might as well do it in another language.” This past spring, he spent four months in Nantes, France, living with a host family and teaching English at a local high school. This experience is where his Valpo education came full circle.
“If you’re reading a French document, it really helps to know the original language,” Roman notes with the kind of practical wisdom that comes from actually doing it. His time abroad proved what he’d been learning in those small Valpo classrooms, that real understanding happens when you can bridge worlds, connect ideas, and see the bigger picture.
This understanding is grounded in Roman’s experience in Christ College – The Honors College – the crux of his ultimate decision to attend Valpo. “Christ College was a big thing for me,” he shares, “because I knew out of college, I wanted somewhere that would challenge me intellectually and also introduce me to new ideas.” Christ College’s reputation for rigorous academics and thoughtful discourse was exactly what Roman was seeking – a place where difficult readings weren’t just assignments. They were invitations to engage with different viewpoints and wrestle with big questions.
Roman’s academic journey reflects the transformative power of Valparaiso University’s approach to education. Here, humanities programs cultivate critical thinkers who can communicate across cultures and find connections between seemingly disparate fields. This is what Valpo’s holistic education looks like in action – students who learn by connecting, leading, and serving.
Inspired by Roman’s story? Explore our rich history and French offerings, schedule your campus visit, or connect with one of our amazing admission counselors to start exploring your own Valpo journey.
