Senior Profile: Wade Higgins ’13
Open gallery
Wade Higgins ’13
Major: International affairs
Hometown: Mill Valley, California
What did you major in and why?
I majored in international affairs because I thought I wanted to be a diplomat when I was a freshman. How things have changed…it took me until second semester junior year to figure out that wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life.
What was your favorite class and why?
My favorite classes at Lewis & Clark have been accounting courses with Kathleen Janicki, business principles with Steve Goebel, and physics courses with Michael Broide.
What professor or staff member made a special impact on you?
Kathleen Janicki, Cyrus Partovi, and Michael Broide have all had hugely positive impacts on me academically. In terms of extracurriculars, Kathleen Janicki, David Ellis, and Brian Detweiler-Bedell have all played major roles in my development outside the classroom.
How has your time here changed you or your view of the world?
Lewis & Clark has massively changed my worldview. I have grown up a lot here. I share very little with the 19-year-old freshman who came here back in the fall of 2009. I have a much broader, more informed perspective on life.
Lewis & Clark’s faculty and students have helped inform that a lot, but my study abroad experiences in Italy and Morocco opened my eyes in a way that nothing on campus ever could. If you get the chance to study abroad at Lewis & Clark, DO IT! DO IT! DO IT!
What was your favorite activity (event, club, volunteer experience, etc.)?
The Student Alumni Association (SAA), men’s club lacrosse, Haka group, the theatre department’s productions, and the venture competition are all great things to be involved in on campus, but if I had to pick one, either the SAA or the 2013 venture competition is the extracurricular activity that most sticks out in my mind. I recommend the SAA to everyone, and if you are at all business-minded, get involved in the venture competition.
What are your goals after graduation, and how do you think you’ll use your degree?
Short-term goal after graduation: continue my career with Tesla Motors. I have worked part-time with Tesla for almost a year and am in talks with them to get a full-time position with benefits down in the Bay Area.
Long-term goal after graduation: continue career with Tesla AND start my own business. Entrepreneurship is too much fun and life is too short not to. I likely will not use my international affairs degree toward these goals, but there are plenty of classes and experiences that will likely come in handy.
What advice would you give to future Pioneers?
- STUDY ABROAD! It’s amazing, just do it.
- Have a long-term goal and know what you want to do after graduation. More importantly, know WHY you are studying here and why you and your parents are paying for a Lewis & Clark education.
- Know all that this school has to offer you. There are vast, incredible resources available at Lewis & Clark that will not be available to you once you graduate. Take advantage of them.
- Get involved OUTSIDE the classroom. Education doesn’t only occur there and some of the most profound, important things in life will NOT be learned in a classroom.
- Step out of your comfort zone. Push yourself to try new things. Don’t be afraid to fail. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to change something if you don’t get it right the first time.
