Dan Carver
As the new semester begins and academia reigns over the Adams State College campus, fifth year student Dan Carver dives into another semester of challenging courses. That is exactly why the hard-working Geology and Physical Geography major has been nominated and selected as the Student of the Week.
Carver was nominated by Professor Nehring because he has a high GPA, is a Porter Scholar, and “elected to take courses that go well beyond the requirements of his major”, such as calculus and upper-division chemistry coursework.
While all of this is impressive, the question remains as to why Carver chooses to go above and beyond all requirements when pursuing his education, and he attributes a great deal of his success to his initial choice to “abandon (his) life and home in Chicago and move to this tiny town of Alamosa and attend Adams. The decision to dive head strong into the unknowns of a totally new place and lifestyle is really what has made (him) who (he is) today”.
Carver says that he has realized after four years of college that he likes being a student. He looks at it as a “full-time profession”, and he is clearly committed to his job. He now appreciates that his education is something that will shape the rest of his life, so he has decided to make the most out of what he is doing on campus by being involved, working hard, and learning from his past mistakes.
A particular lightbulb moment in Carver’s college experience was when he procrastinated on writing a paper until 3 a.m. the night before it was due, and after that, he realized that his education was his first priority and should be treated as such. Although this is a very common lesson for new college students to learn, it doesn’t seem like many kids take the lesson to heart as well as Carver has, and it clearly shows in his life today.
In fact, despite being a Porter Scholar and receiving other prestigious honors, Carver cannot even rank which event was most meaningful to him because he has found them all so unique and meaningful in their own ways. This may be another reason that Carver has been so successful throughout college; he strongly advises that all students become actively involved on campus, as well as reading regularly. He says that “everyone can find something to be successful at, if they want to make it work and put the effort forth”.
Finally, although his future is not planned out, Carver sees a plethora of opportunities in his near future. First and foremost, he will graduate in the Spring of 2012, and he says that he is eager to work. He has not ever held a full-time job because he came directly from high school to Adams State, and he sees it as a position from which he can assess whether he wants to continue his education in graduate school or find a job he is passionate about.
Either way, he should reflect back on his experience here on campus as one that has inspired both professors and students alike. This self-defined “Coloradan, addicted to blue skies, sunshine, and the pursuit of whatever is next,” will surely be successful in the face of any new challenges or goals that he aspires to achieve.
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