“All of the faculty and staff I have had the chance to interact with have inspired me to chase my dreams and fall in love with my time at Wittenberg. They are so passionate and dedicated to the betterment of this campus and its students, that you can't help but be incredibly proud.”

Hailing from Sandusky, Ohio, Nathan Mawhirter, chased his dreams in deciding to pursue dual majors in International Studies and Spanish, along with a minor in religion.

His participation in church mission trips to Spanish-speaking regions sparked a love for Latin American countries and a desire to understand their interactions from a global perspective.

“I fell in love with the ‘family first’ mentality and the passion for life and conversation of the Spanish culture,” Mawhirter recalls.

After graduation, Mawhirter looks forward to serving with AmeriCorps, either in Las Cruces, New Mexico, or El Paso, Texas, working with non-profit border immersion groups who specialize in the well-being of undocumented immigrants.

His advice for future students: “Get lost in the beauty and wonder that embodies Wittenberg. This place has given me so much, physically and emotionally, that I will be eternally grateful to this place. The Wittenberg experience is unlike anything you would experience anywhere else, I can guarantee it. I came to Wittenberg because of its challenging academic standards, but I have made Wittenberg my home because of the utter beauty that surrounds these walkways. Most importantly, I stayed for the people that I now consider to be my family.”