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
Dave Curtis
Luther 2004
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