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."
