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| EDUCATING LEADERS OF FAITH & CHARACTER |
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Nicholas Santowski
Math (in correlation with the Engineering 3+2 program)
Dallas, Texas
Usually, English and math majors are from two different worlds. Finding a middle road can be a challenge. Not so with Nicholas Santowski, an obvious diehard math and engineering enthusiast who has thrived in his English classes at UST—so much so that he spent three weeks studying abroad in London, England, as part of an English IV class.
Not only that, but he actually lists an English professor among his favorite faculty at UST. “I’ve had Dr. (James) Barloon for three of the four English classes I’ve taken, including the Winter Intersession in London. He makes the course content exceptionally interesting. As someone who does not enjoy classic English literature, I absolutely loved his class,” says Nicholas.
He has enjoyed most of his classes at UST, with a course in metaphysics being at the top of his list. “I have had so many classes at UST that have impacted me that it’s hard to choose just one; but if I must I would choose my metaphysics course. This course had me extremely confused for almost the entire semester. I had so many different questions about life and how it worked, but I never was able to figure out the answer on my own. About two weeks before the end of the semester, the professor said, ‘This is the class that will bring it all together.’ After that class, everything clicked, and I felt so smart,” say Nicholas.
In fact, he feels that UST is preparing him very well for his future by giving him a basis for his future graduate-level classes in math and engineering—and much more. “Because UST is a liberal arts school, I am being prepared in more that just my area of study. The extra courses I take helps me better understand things that I would still have had questions about,” he says.
Nicholas will complete three years at UST and then go to the University of Houston for his final two years. After that, he plans to find a job with a local engineering company. Long-term, Nicholas would like to help to create a plant that will reduce pollution.
He also strives to make a difference in the lives of others through participation in such organizations as the Best Buddies program, in which college, high school, and even grade school students volunteer their time to become best buddies with a mentally challenged person.
“I believe that my service made a big difference in the life of my best buddy. He always had a smile on his face and was very excited to go to the movies and to hang out with me. But this program also made a difference to me. The most valuable thing was I gained a real friend, a real ‘best buddy,’” says Nicholas
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