The University became my medium for growth by providing me with opportunities that I never would have had if I had not moved the three hours away from my hometown of Evansville. I was forced to live on my own and make choices for myself. Some of those choices cost me better grades, but provided me with better social skills.
One such opportunity was Sigma Nu. My fratetnity and home for the last three years of my college career. I met the best friends that I could ever have there. Hell my best friend brought me there, and I left with the best friend I could ever hope for in my life. I was given the chance to meet great friends and even my girlfriend! Of course my appreciation for liquor and wine also came from this experience, but it never caused me to become dependent on the substance. After all DePauw taught me one thing above all, Independence is a wonderful thing!
Other opportunities that I were afforded came from the university. I taught elementary kids Spanish in an after school program for two of my four years at DPU. This opportunity gave me the opportunity to see how teaching is done and if I could do it. Besides community service, I took a co-chair position in the Steering Committee for 2002 Little 5 at DePauw University.
But the opportunites from DePauw did not occur only during the regular course of classes. I had many opportunities that didn't happen during the two grading periods. In Winter Term of 2001, I travelled to Spain for two weeks. I attended tours in Barcelona, Madrid, Sevilla, Grenada, Gibralter and Tangiers(in Africa). The Winter Term opportunities did not stop there. In 2002, I spent the three weeks of Winter Term doing independent translations of Latin. This greatly increased my proficiency in the language in which I get a minor. During the Summer of the same year I helped create a bibliographic database for Dr. Schindler which was linked to a global position system. This was all to help her expand on her writings on Sanctuaries of Aphrodite in Southern Italy and Sicily.
These opportunities were great, but the best opportunities came in meeting new people and having new experiences. I met some of the greatest people in my life, that are not related to me. I had around 35 fraternity brothers that are my best friends. Those numbers don't include the friends of the female persuasion that I have met and got to know.
All of this thanks to DePauw University!!
Crawfordsville current home of the bell.