Zach Jeremiah, a Presidential Scholar, will graduate in May 2008. He is majoring in Management: Organizational Leadership Sequence, with minors in Accountancy and Spanish.
Zach is glad the Presidential Scholar Program requires students to study abroad—otherwise he might have missed the most exciting part of his college career. Spring semester 2006, Zach studied in Granada, Spain. He lived with a host-family and earned credits to complete a minor in Spanish. Zach’s adventurous side and his ability to plan well afforded him the opportunity to travel extensively. He visited multiple cities in France, England, Ireland, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, and The Netherlands. His most bizarre experience however, was his trip to Morocco.
What do a dress shirt, a Swiss army knife, and a can of deodorant have in common? Together, they were Zach’s ticket to the sand dunes in Morocco. A group of camel herders agreed to take Zach across Morocco to the sand dunes by camel in exchange for these treasured possessions—the deodorant was the kicker! Zach rode on a camel across the desert, ate a meal cooked by his guides, and slept under the stars.
Zach says the Honors Program has helped to move him out of his comfort zone and to grow as a person. From his study abroad experience he learned how to be independent and now he knows that if uprooted and placed in an unfamiliar place, he can make it! Zach encourages all Honors students to participate in study abroad and to make the most of the experience.
Athletics is an area of great interest for Zach. Fortunately, his Service Learning project provided an opportunity for him to gain experience in this area. Zach volunteered with the Redbird Athletic Department where he helped with marketing. He gained valuable experience with the ‘behind-the-scene’ workings of athletics. He continued volunteering even after his required hours were met because he enjoyed the experience so much.
After graduation, Zach plans to use his management skills to start a career focusing on player development for a Major League baseball team, possibly in Latin America. His study abroad experience in Spain has prepared him well to work with this Spanish-speaking population and he loves baseball! Sounds like a perfect fit!
