Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Neo-Renaissance


As a student and as an alumnus, I sometimes wondered why I attended Luther.  Would I have been better off going to UW?  Obviously there would be a wide array of academic opportunities, amazing social scenes, more high school friends, and of course the ultimate would have been better at UW during my freshman year (2000-2001).  Despite the glamour and exciting prospects of a big school, there is something special about the liberal arts experience, especially at Luther College.  

Look around at your teammates and classmates.  Is there one thing or one talent or one passion that defines you?  Generally, no, aside from being a stellar ultimate player, your buddy is likely a talented musician, a varsity athlete, a polyglot, an academic, ventriloquist, gardener, aquarium expert… etc.  Luther is unique in that you are able to continue striving towards excellence in a number of fields.  It’s always been common to have friends on campus who participate in a sport, an ensemble, a choir, a club, a term abroad, a frat, and whatever else.

A childhood friend of mine and former University of Wisconsin (Hodag) player once told me “you can be a jack of all trades, but a king of none” when I said I wanted to be both a handler and a cutter.  He might have been right in that particular scenario, however, I don’t think that can apply to the individual as a whole. 

What about Leonardo Da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson?  Were they great because they were notoriously one-dimensional?  Were they merely “jacks?”  No, they were the epitome of mastery with regard to about everything they achieved.

If I knew now, I would be mindful of and challenge this notion of "jack".  As a student at Luther and a member of Luther Ultimate (LUFDA), you don’t have to settle for “jack” or “mono-talent”, when you can achieve mastery in a multitude of arenas.  Embrace your ambitions, develop that diverse array of talents, and become the renaissance man that is within.  In my opinion, there is no better place than Luther, there is no better time than now.


Dave Curtis
Luther 2004  

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