College makes you a better person, scholar says

Six questions for Austin Wood, University of Colorado student and recipient of a Buffalo Bicycle Classic Scholarship.

1. What are you studying, and what drew you to this discipline?

I’m currently studying political science, and my passion for politics and government drew me to this discipline. It’s obvious that the main goal of government is to control how a society functions, so I feel that it is important to understand and to take part in it. Government is something that will always be part of our lives, willingly or unwillingly.

2. What do you hope to be doing in a decade?

In a decade I hope to be into politics in one forum or another full time and have a family. I see myself really striving and really growing, not only on a professional level but on a personal level as well. I see myself still being who I am and still having the values and drive I have today.

3. If you could tell a prospective college student only one thing about higher education, what would it be?

To really make the most of it, education is a gift in itself. To have knowledge is to have power and as clichéd as that sounds, it is the truth. Most people believe college is only for setting yourself up to make a lot of money and have a good shot in the job market, but in reality you become rich in so many areas other than monetary ones. College is an experience that makes you a better person and challenges the one that you currently are.

4. What have you found most memorable or meaningful about your time at CU?

What I have found most meaningful about my time at CU is what I have come to discover about myself. CU really allows you to spread your wings and to challenge the limits. I have learned a lot about myself in the time here and I feel that I am twice the person today than when I first stepped foot on campus.

5. What activities or extracurricular activities do you participate in on campus?

I’m currently part of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Bible mentoring, intramural sports, and physics tutoring. Also, I’ve been working at the registrar’s office here on campus for the last few months and I am really enjoying that. This next year I hope to join a political movement group here on campus (with elections so close). The National Society of Collegiate Scholars has provided me with a chance to meet other students and earn really valuable people and work skills. The Bible mentoring that I’ve been doing is really helping me to grow more as a person. Intramural sports help me to keep my positive competiveness and teamwork skills sharp. Physics tutoring has given me a lot of personal satisfaction. It has allowed me to help fellow students, and helping people is something that I really enjoy. It also helps me learn the material that I need to also.

6. What does it mean to you that you were selected as a Buffalo Bicycle Classic scholar?

It means a lot to me that I am selected as a Buffalo Bicycle Classic scholar. It gives me a chance to represent the school that I have such a love for and everyone and everything that is associated with it. To call myself a Buffalo Bicycle Classic scholar means something very special to me, something that I hold proudly. Knowing that I am a Buffalo Bicycle Classic scholar makes me want to make everybody in the CU community proud, a community that stretches far beyond Boulder.

The Elevations Buffalo Bicycle Classic, which raises funds for scholarships, includes ride distances of 14, 35, 50, 70 and 100 miles. To learn more about the Sept. 11 event or to register, click here.

August 2011