His Path Since Graduation

“After graduation, I began medical school at the Carver College of Medicine (CCOM),” Nick says. “I was awarded a medical student research fellowship to research the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis at CCOM. I also recently placed third in a national essay contest. The contest was sponsored by a foundation that asked future healthcare providers and medical researchers to come up with an innovative way to build support and sustain funding for medical research.”

Nick believes that even though he’s a recent graduate, his ability to write, problem solve, and think critically are the most valuable aspects of any education. “These skills were nurtured at Luther through a diverse array of courses and professors that were heavily invested in my learning,” he says. “I remember showing up unannounced at a professor’s office many times with new formulations of my senior paper, and he would sit and talk with me for an hour. I found this level of dedication to hold true for nearly all of my professors at Luther, and I believe that it was invaluable to my education.”

A Strong Sense of Community

“When I first came to visit Luther it had a sense of community that was immediately evident in both the way that students interacted with each other and professors seemed genuinely interested in a student’s success” Nick says. “It felt like a place where students were individuals rather than just a number.”

He also liked that Luther provided many opportunities to pursue his diverse interests, both in and out of the classroom. “I was able to study biology and philosophy, run cross country, and play an instrument,” Nick says. “These experiences made me a much more well-rounded person and expanded my interests in ways that I never would have expected.”

Courses With Long-Lasting Effects

“During my junior year, I traveled to Ghana for the course Christianity and Slavery,” Nick says. “We explored how Christianity shaped the slave trade and its lasting impact both in West Africa and the United States. This course greatly deepened my understanding of history, our society, and my place within it.”

During his freshman year he enrolled in Introduction to Philosophy. “Even though I didn’t know anything about the topic, I immediately found this to be my favorite class,” Nick says. “Four years later I graduated with a philosophy major and much improved abilities to think and write, which have already proven invaluable as a lifelong learner.”