Student profile in The Simpsonian of Simpson College (Indianola, Iowa):
Where is your hometown and where did you go to high school?
My hometown is Altoona, Iowa. I started off high school going to Southeast Polk and then transferred to Des Moines East High School the start of my sophomore year to be back with the friends I started grade school with.
Why did you choose Simpson?
I chose Simpson because I wanted smaller class sizes and it gave me the chance to establish close relationships with other students and build my foundation. It’s somewhere I felt comfortable going to and gave me the at home feel.
What are you majoring in?
I am majoring in exercise science with a minor in coaching. I want to start off coaching high school football and maybe some college in the future.
Who are some professors in or outside your major during your time at Simpson who have influenced you?
Some professors that influenced me would be Nicci Whalen, Katie Smith, and Barb Ramos. These three have helped me along my journey and have always found ways to help me succeed in the classroom.
What are some of the activities you have participated in?
I participate in a lot of intramurals and some community service around campus as well as off. The intramurals I participated in were ultimate frisbee, flag football, dodge ball, bags, soccer, floor hockey, and basketball.
What has your time in ATO been like?
ATO has been great to me. It has allowed me to build close relationships with the guys in the house and gave me my home away from home. After quitting football my freshman year, I didn’t really have a group of friends I belonged to. This brotherhood brought me many healthy relationships and helped me better myself as an individual. ATO has been such a blessing in my life and allowed me to make a big impact on the community and the people I surround myself with.
If you could have any animal for a pet, what would it be?
Realistically speaking a dog, but if I could a tiger for sure. It’s always been my favorite animal.
What’s your favorite memories from your time here at Simpson?
My favorite memories are probably any event I have been a part of with ATO. The memory that sticks out the most for me would be bid night in 2018 because alumni came back to welcome the new pledges. It was just a fun and exciting experience to see what fraternity’s do for formal recruitment.
What are your plans after Simpson?
My plans after Simpson are to personal train for a while and take the CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist exam) to become a strength and conditioning coach. I want to personal train first to build those close relationships with my clients and see which I love to do more.
If you had any advice to give to underclassmen what would it be?
Honestly, the thing that would have helped me throughout my time was try not to procrastinate. I procrastinated so many assignments that stress built up and caused many migraines and often neck pain. Therefore, get things done when you receive them so you aren’t overwhelmed towards the end of the semester and so you aren’t stressing to meet a deadline.
