Give to WSUA junior civil engineering major with a Spanish minor, Ben knows that achieving big dreams requires a lot of hard work. Thanks to scholarship support, the Chugiak, Alaska native now have the extra motivation needed for his dreams of becoming a pilot in the US Air Force to take flight.
I’ve always wanted to…
Be a pilot, to fly. My dad retired from the Air Force and even though I want to join, he always stressed the importance of education. My dream after school is to become a commissioned officer in the Air Force and learn to fly. The Air Force did so much for my dad—he earned two bachelor’s degrees and two master’s degrees while serving. He always stressed the importance of education. From the time I was very young, I knew I would go to college. That’s why I’m here now. And when I’m done, I want to serve in the branch of military that did so much for my dad and my family.
Achieving a longtime goal…
I came to the school I wanted to attend ever since junior high, WSU. Scholarships are helping me and my family afford my education. I want to say thank you. I appreciate everything that donors are doing for me.
The best part about WSU…
Definitely the atmosphere. Even though everyone’s busy and has to study and work hard, you see smiles all over campus and people are always in a good mood. I love it here!
My favorite class…
Statics with Dr. Pollock. He taught this challenging stuff really well and kept my interest in the engineering field. Actually, he helped me, ultimately, to realize that I want to focus my studies in civil engineering specifically.
If I could have lunch with anyone…
It would have to be Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. My father was one of the first black students to attend his mostly white school. He now has two master’s degrees. Dr. King paved the way for him then and even for me today. I don’t know where I’d be right now without him. I don’t think I’d be here, that’s for sure.
When I need to decompress…
I play pickup games of basketball at the Rec (Student Recreation Center). It’s a great way to de-stress and have a good time doing it. I’ve played intramurals recreationally for the past two years and this year look forward to going competitive.
Something people might not know about me…
I like to listen to country music every once in a while. But don’t tell anyone.
