I always wanted to believe that there is much to be learned outside of the classroom: Middlebury has proved that. Following the advice of Mark Twain, I never allowed my schooling to interfere with my education. In doing so, I truly got the most out of my college years.

Although I consider myself a puddle jumper—having friends in a variety of social circles—at times I have felt like I didn't belong in any one puddle. The thing I cherish about Middlebury is that I could be the captain of a sports team and an artist and a pre-med student all at once. The college community is not only receptive to various activities that require much time, energy and thought, but also designed to cultivate and nurture people who make the most of their experiences. 

While my interests the last few years were conceived before I got to college, my passion for and accomplishment in these areas is directly attributed to the people I met at Middlebury. Lunches after class with my soccer coach, late nights with my friends, and meetings with professors one-on-one greatly contributed to my development. The people I associated with genuinely cared about who I am, what I think, and what I want to do.

Before I head off to medical school, I have the opportunity to combine my love for soccer with my commitment to serving others. For the next two years, I will work for an organization that trains professional soccer players in Africa to teach children about HIV/AIDS. Without the knowledge and experience I gained at Midd, I would not be as prepared and excited for my work with GrassRootSoccer and KickAIDS.

To learn more about the organization Nick is working for, please visit: http://www.grassrootsoccer.org and http://www.kickaids.org