This Spotlight series recognizes a student’s academic achievements and personal story. Students are nominated for this spotlight by faculty and staff.
Name: Patrick Guerin
Age: 20
Hometown: Chilton
Career program/major: Geoscience
UW-FDL student clubs/organizations: UW-FDL soccer team, Student Government Association
What led you to choose your program or major?
When I first started taking classes at UW-Fond du Lac, one of the classes I took was Landscapes of North America. This course combined aspects of geography and geology. I guess it sort of reignited an old childhood love of geology, which I hadn’t considered. I found that the geoscience program covered both geologic and geographic influences and felt this fit well for me.
Why did you decide to become a student at UW-Fond du Lac?
Coming out of high school, it was my expectation that I would be attending a four-year school. Toward the end of the summer, I realized I wouldn’t be capable of affording the tuition there. UW-Fond du Lac was mentioned to me by my father as an option, and I applied and got admitted less than a month before classes started in fall 2017.
Is there a professor or staff member at UW-Fond du Lac who made a difference in your life or inspired you?
One of my professors, Mike Jurmu, was probably the most influential. The way he teaches his classes makes them fun to take as well as making concepts easy to understand. He also was one of the inspirations for me to go into geoscience.
What is one piece of advice you would give to an incoming UW-Fond du Lac student?
To incoming freshman, don’t be afraid to do things. Go join a club. Go talk to someone new. Meeting new people is a part of what makes college so much fun.
Describe something unexpected that happened here at UW-Fond du Lac.
Early in my first semester, I attended the activities fair. One of the booths was for the soccer team. I wasn’t expecting to actually be able to play a sport at college, but I got that opportunity through the Fond du Lac team and I really enjoyed my time on the team.
When not in class or studying, what keeps you busy?
When I’m not doing school work, I may be doing something to fix one of my family’s cars. We do a lot of our own maintenance and that occupies some of my time. I like watching soccer and different automotive racing and I work at Kwik Trip part time. And, the rest of the time, I like being outside, in the woods or on the lake.
What are your future education or career plans?
I will be attending the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay next year. Afterward, I am undecided on whether I stay in school and further my education in something like geology or enter the working world. Geoscience opens up many avenues for careers and I have yet to explore them all.
UW-Fond du Lac is a campus of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. Learn more about student life on our campus and the options for beginning one of more than 200 majors at UW-Fond du Lac. Call (920) 929-1122 to schedule an appointment with an adviser.