Student Profile
Name and Class year: Andrew Dettmer ‘15
Living unit: Phi Gamma Delta
Major: Political Science
Campus organizations: Phi Gamma Delta, Sons of Wabash, College Republicans, Wabash Conservative Union, Pre-Law Society, Political Science Society, The Bachelor, Career Services, Tour Guide, Class Agent
Leadership positions held on campus: Head Orientation Leader (2 years), Phi Gamma Delta Corresponding Secretary (1 Year), College Republicans Chairman (1 Year), Pre-Law Society President (1 Year), Political Science Society President (1 Year), Secretary of the Student Senate (1 year)
Currently serving as (student leadership position): Pre-Law Society President
What made you decide to attend Wabash: I would credit my decision to attend Wabash College to three alumni. First, Don Mefford ’51 who took me out to dinner and told me that the two best decisions he made in his life were to attend Wabash College and join the military. Don is a respected attorney in my hometown and really helped to get the ball rolling. Secondly, Will Arvin ’08 who was the first Wabash College recruiter I ever spoke to. While I spent maybe 5 minutes talking to the recruiters of other colleges at the fair I attended, Will and I spoke for over a half an hour. He was professional, passionate, and knowledgeable; he convinced me that four years at this place would be worth it. Finally, Professor Scott Himsel ’85 who taught a summer course for Blueprint College Admissions, showed me the benefits that a Wabash education could have as a lawyer. So in short, the people that make Wabash, well Wabash, are why I came here.
Favorite course thus far and why: History of the Common Law, which was co-taught by Professor Stephen Morillo and Professor Scott Himsel. The fellow students who I took the class with were some of the smartest students I ever had the pleasure of studying with, and the passion that Professors Morillo and Himsel brought to the classroom culminated in an immersion trip to London I will never forget. To me, that class defined the Wabash experience; passionate and engaged individuals working together to pursue knowledge.
Favorite Wabash moment: Winning the Junior David W. Peck Medal at this year’s Peck Dinner. I’ve been working hard for four years to prepare myself for law school, and to be recognized for that work was so humbling.
Favorite place on campus: The Phi Gamma Delta house.
Plans after Wabash: Attending law school and pursuing a career in Litigation.
Tell us something very few people know about you: While many people on campus and in the Wabash Community know me as “Stork”, most of them don’t know the origins of the nickname. The night of my Freshman Saturday, Trevor Poe ’13 looked at me and said, “I’m going to call you Stork.” This was a reference to the character “Stork” in Animal House. He and I both had no idea it would stick as well as it had. So the real thing some people might not know about me is my real name.