Meet the Class of 2018: Air Force Pilots Son Will Put Down Roots at UD, Study Business

Meet the Class of 2018: Air Force Pilots Son Will Put Down Roots at UD, Study Business

Ethan Fuller spent his junior year of high school in Alaska and his senior year in Germany. His father is an Air Force pilot, so moving has been a regular part of Fuller's life. Fuller's mother found UD in a catalog of top Catholic colleges, and Fuller was intrigued both by the fact that UD professors tend to use the Socratic method in teaching and by the location: Texas, his father's home state.

Fuller set out to learn more about UD and got to visit campus at the end of his junior year, when he went ahead and got his application process started. Fuller will arrive in Irving at the end of August as part of UD's Class of 2018. He plans to major in business with a Spanish concentration.

"I'm a very eclectic person," said Fuller. "I have a lot of interests, and I think business is a good major for me because I could do so many different things with it."

In 2013, his junior year of high school, Fuller was elected chief justice of the Alaska branch of Boys State, an American Legion-sponsored educational program for high school male juniors in which they learn about the rights, privileges and responsibilities of U.S. citizens and the workings of the U.S. government.

"I find politics fascinating, even if that's not necessarily the career path I want to take," Fuller said. "Also, I think that a society or a country, in order to grow and prosper, needs well-informed citizens."

Fuller likes to be physically active; he was a competitive gymnast for five years, starting at the age of 10 in Utah. He coached gymnastics for 5- to 14-year-old boys during his time in Alaska. He was also on the wrestling team his senior year of high school. Additionally, he and his father like to go mountain-biking when they can. At UD, Fuller is looking forward to the wide range of recreational activities available; he's especially interested in the Rugby Club and the Swing Club.

Fuller also enjoys reading and writing in his free time, so he should fit in perfectly at UD.

"Moving around so much, it's been hard to cultivate hobbies," Fuller said. "But you can read and write anywhere."

This summer, Fuller is in Alabama with his mother and three younger siblings (who range in age from four to 16), staying with his aunt and uncle while his father finishes up his time in Germany, at which point he will be able to retire.

"I can't wait to start at UD," Fuller said. "I'm looking forward to the academic challenges. I think college will be a time to find myself and what I really want to do. For me, college isn't just about preparing for a career, because even if I was making good money, it wouldn't be worth it to me if I had a job I hated."