Stephen Nachazel chose to begin his college career as a UGS student in order to gain exposure to a number of different disciplines. “I had an idea that I wanted to do something in STEM, but I wasn’t sure exactly what it was. Or if I even wanted to go into STEM at all,” he said.

As a UGS student, Nachazel was able to explore a number of different disciplines before settling on a major, including liberal arts, business, and computer science. “Being in UGS and taking the Flags and core curriculum very early on emphasized to me that your major isn’t the only thing that’s important,” said Nachazel. “Many of the skills that you gain outside of your major can be transferred into any aspect of your daily life, whether that’s an interview or perhaps work within your student organization. It’s important to be able to see that although subject areas may be different, concepts and ideas often flow together.”

Currently a math major, Nachazel views the diverse skillset he gained as a UGS student essential to making him a well-rounded student. “It’s important for people in STEM fields to be able to write and be able to think about things that are perhaps less technical than systems of equations. A lot of essential skills are developed outside of technical courses,” he added. “UGS has taught me to always reflect on what I’m doing and assess if it’s what I really want to do,” Nachazel said. “And if it isn’t, I feel as though I now have a framework to take charge and find something that I may be better suited for.”