Templeton sophomore, Max Bagileo, interviewed a Templeton freshman, Ana Nijs, about Eastern university and her Templeton experience so far. The question and responses are as follows:
- What made you want to come to Eastern university?
When looking for a university, I wanted a smaller community where I would still know the people sitting next to me in class, and that was in line with my beliefs. I looked for a school where I could further myself as a person and as a Christian. Eastern University was the best community I found, where I could stay close to home and further my education well.
- What is your major and why did you pick it? What do you want to do in the future?
I am a math major simply because I love the subject. Growing up, it was the subject that always made the most sense to me, the more I learned, the more beautiful it became. Believe it or not, math can help you understand and marvel even more at the beauty of the world and God. In the future, I want to be a teacher, but a math teacher specifically. I want to be able to share my love for learning with kids in a way that shows them that they're allowed to learn too and figure things out for themselves.
- How has the Templeton experience changed your perspective on education if at all? Would you choose a classical education path again if given the chance to do it over?
Templeton's view on education is very similar to my own. I actually went to a classical high school before coming to Templeton, and since then it has certainly changed my view not only on education but on pretty much everything. I remember my freshman year of high school, it was the first time someone asked me what I thought, and I was so confused to be reading and discussing texts written by dead men. I just thought to myself, what could I possibly learn from this? How can I learn when people aren't just giving me the answers? I ended up learning more than I could have imagined. Having a classical education has made me stronger in my faith and values, and I would never go back and change it.
- What was your favorite memory about the camping trip?
The whole day of hiking was probably the most memorable part of the camping trip. When hiking up Mt. Marcy, everyone seemed like they wanted to give up before we were even halfway there; we thought there was only one more mile for at least five miles. Even so, everyone pushed through and the view from the top was breathtaking. We were the only ones on the top and this black bird was flying just a few feet above us, that was amazing. Then on our way down, we were able to take a swim in an ice-cold river to cool off. Everyone was shivering, but it was completely worth it!
- What is a memorable Honors Forum you've experienced so far?
The weekly honors forums are very special because I have the opportunity to listen to, learn from, and participate in a conversation led by an accomplished scholar about a topic that I find interesting. What makes a forum memorable is being able to hear from students from all grades and unique backgrounds.
