Sam Peers Nitzberg
Some schools make you feel like a faceless competitor, but L&C made me feel desired.
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What three words would you use to describe L&C?
What made you want to come to Lewis & Clark?
I felt unusually welcomed when visiting Lewis & Clark as a prospective student, which is actually kind of refreshing when you’re looking at colleges. Some schools make you feel like a faceless competitor, but L&C made me feel desired.
What have you been doing since graduation?
I moved to New York last year, where I’ve been producing podcasts and watching basketball. They named a bagel sandwich after me at the vegan deli around the corner… it’s called “The Sam.”
How did Lewis & Clark prepare you for your job?
I was hired by two awesome Lewis & Clark alumni for a role where I had experience from two awesome on-campus jobs.
What would you say is the most important thing you learned at Lewis & Clark?
To a certain extent, “life’s what you make it.”
Why did you major in computer science and psychology?
I had a lot of fun with the coursework in the computer science department and enjoyed working through new challenges. Studying psychology allowed me to learn more about how people think, but not for any evil reasons.
How do you stay connected to Lewis & Clark as an alum?
In New York I attended a dinner with the Northeast Alumni Chapter. We had an incredible Peking duck.
How do you describe the liberal arts?
Studying the liberal arts is an opportunity to push yourself and find answers to questions you never thought to ask.
What was your favorite class? How did it expand your knowledge?
My favorite class was “The Undead in Russian Literature and Film” with Assistant Professor Maria Hristova. It was a really cool course that blended history and art with a specific focus—pretty different from most of my coursework. We had to submit a creative project that reflected the themes of the class, and I made a video with friends reimagining a short story by Dostoevsky called “Bobok.” We shot it in the graveyard near campus.
Who was your mentor on campus? Why do you consider this person your mentor?
The closest thing I have to a mentor was probably my classmate Roshan Bhatia BA ’19. Aside from being a reliable friend, he’s also taught me the value of community, discipline, and professionalism.
