Clayton Markech

“After graduation, I plan to pursue a master’s degree in engineering or physics and eventually work for or start an engineering consulting business.”

“I believe I’ve been more successful academically because of my relationships with my professors. I am a person who wants to figure things out on my own, so asking for help was difficult at first. However, the more I got to know my professors, the easier it became to approach them and ask for help.”

“My favorite class was Multivariate Calculus. I found the idea of applying the concepts from Calculus I and II into three-dimensional space fascinating because it reflects more accurately on the real world.”

“I play football at Carthage, and it has been a great experience. When I came to campus as a freshman, I didn’t have to worry about making friends because being a part of a team comes with built-in friendships that will last the rest of my life.”

“I believe Computational Physics has been my most difficult class. The course is structured using the python programming language to model physics on computers. It was difficult because I had very limited knowledge of coding prior to the class, so there was a learning curve on how to write code.”

“I was an embedded tutor for General Physics I. I enjoyed the experience because I got to meet other physics majors and help them learn some of the basics of physics while also refreshing my knowledge of the concepts.”

“I traveled to Spain as a member of the football team and played a friendly game against a local team. It was a great experience because we got to go to another country, and we learned a lot about the history of Spain and the regions we visited.”

“One of my favorite memories was the casino night hosted in the N. E. Tarble Athletic and Recreation Center. It was a chill environment where I could spend time with my friends. Another favorite memory was the Bryce Vine concert that the College hosted. It was fun because he was a relatively big-name artist performing exclusively for Carthage students.”

“The transition period from high school to college was the biggest surprise. I expected it to be difficult, especially due to the pandemic, but as classes moved back to in person, the transition period felt easier.”

“I do not think my 8-year-old self would be surprised about my current studies and career path. However, I do believe my 8-year-old self would be surprised that I am playing football in college because it was not my top favorite sport.”

“I believe that other students should pursue a physics and math degree because the two fields make up the majority, if not the entirety, of the world we live in, and there are still discoveries being made every day. A word of advice I have for students is to find people to study with. Classes will get difficult rather fast, so finding at least one person to study with is crucial.”

“I chose Carthage because I had the opportunity to get large-school experiences at a small school where the professors can get to know me personally, as well as the opportunity to continue playing football at the next level.”