Abraham Lincoln statue on Carthage College?s campus.
Clayton Markech ?24

Clayton Markech

Class Year

’24

Hometown

Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Major(s)

Physics and Mathematics

Minor(s)

Data Science

Physics, math, and data science student Clayton Markech ’24 is also a member of the Carthage football team. He says that being a part of the team allowed him to easily make friends as a freshman and gave him the opportunity to travel to Spain, where he played a friendly game of football against a local team and learned about the history of the region.

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“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.”

Clayton Markech, ’24

Favorite class

“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.”

Toughest class

“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.”

Internships or campus employment

“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.”

Career goal

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

Favorite memory

“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.”

Biggest surprise

“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.”

Advice for other students in your major?

“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.”

What would your 8-year-old self think of you now?

“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.”