Undecided - Student Profile - Jared Leaman

Jared Leaman
Sophomore
Broadway, Virginia

What drew you to Hesston College?
Hesston is like a second home to me. My sister came here two years before me, so I was familiar with the campus and my uncle is the women's basketball coach. I also realized I wanted to continue my education in a Mennonite environment. Another attractive thing was that Art Mullet wanted me to play baseball, so the decision was easy.

What courses shaped your experience at Hesston and your plans for the future?
There have been many classes that have helped me decide what I want to do after Hesston. I started college here with a biology major, switched to business and then changed to undecided. This past semester, I took a class called Career Development, and through that experience I feel like I have a better idea of what my strengths are and how I can apply them to a major and career. That class experience has helped me decide on a major for next year, which is a biology/education double major.

How challenging are the academics?
I have experienced both challenging classes and classes that weren't as challenging. At the beginning, some classes can seem overwhelming, but I feel like I adapted well to challenging classes. Looking back at high school, I can remember thinking writing a two-page paper was a chore. Now, I feel like I've adapted and writing a one- to two-page paper is an easier assignment.

What was your favorite course at Hesston?
My favorite course was Prevention and Care of Athletic Injury taught by Doug Maury, athletic trainer. This class was really interesting because I play sports and learning about how the human body heals and reacts to sports stress is very interesting. Highlights were learning how to tape an ankle in under three minutes and learning how to test for knee and ankle injuries.

Did you find educational opportunities outside of classroom?
I had a campus job where I worked for Gary Oyer, head of the audio visual department. I learned many things like operating cameras and I got to work extensively with new DVD burning technology. Another plus was running soundboard for chapel. I also learned on the baseball field and interacting with Mod parents off campus.

Tell me about Hesston's professors.
I found that professors are really open to individual attention and are readily accessible, even giving out their home phone numbers. The individual and personal relationships with professors is one of the best aspects of classroom activities here at Hesston.

What are your most memorable moments as a Hesston student?
Some of the most memorable moments here at Hesston were usually hanging out with guys in my mod and with guys from the baseball team. Going to local restaurants like Newell's and Druber's with a bunch of people, and just personal relationships with people from all over the globe.

What are your plans after Hesston?
I plan on attending Eastern Mennonite University to double major in biology and education and eventually teach high school biology and coach baseball.