Culver Academies - Review #9

By far, the aspect that most distinguishes Culver from other schools is its emphasis on leadership education. For the boys, the military system is a key component of the Culver experience and truly helps develop a sense of responsibility, service, and excellence. In my case, the military system allowed me to, first, learn how to follow and thus embrace an atmosphere of respect, and, later, to lead literally and by example. This principle of acting and behaving like a leader evolves not only around student life but also around athletics and academics, giving way to a well-rounded formation. Overall, Culver prepares the student to face the challenges of college and of life. In my experience, Culver's encouragement to lead allowed me to become an independent person that is not afraid to face an obstacle and that is willing to work hard for my own self-improvement and that of my community.

To put it short, my life took a path I thought impossible when I was back in Mexico. Who am I now and what I have in front of me are all thanks to Culver.

I would have done nothing different, I would've done the same...even the mistakes I committed; it was from them that I learned my most valuable lessons.

The people, the community, and the teachers...I felt an enormous support from all of them all the time. That and running around campus and Lake Max, it is such a beautiful place.

Take advantage of EVERY SINGLE OPPORTUNITY you're given. Try new things, go out of your comfort zone and meet people from the other side of the globe, take classes you'd never thought of taking, and most importantly CHERISH EVERY SECOND YOU'RE THERE, it may sound like a cliché, but once you graduate you'll always think back, back to those Culver days.

What made Academics at Culver unique is the student-teacher relationship. Teachers at Culver are not your typical teachers. They develop a strong commitment to not only teach what they teach to their students, but they go beyond that and become counselors, coaches, cheerleaders, and friends that truly want the best for you and your future. In my case, I developed a strong bond with my teachers and coaches and they became a second family, a second set of parents that were there to push me to do greater things, nourish my talents, and advice me in my multiple decisions. Teachers at Culver become teachers for life, and that's just fantastic.

I started running back in Mexico so when I decided to go abroad for High School , I wanted to go somewhere where I would truly develop my talents and potential. When I first checked Culver's web-page, I stumbled upon the running program and got really excited about it. Not only did Culver had beautiful places to run but the facilities were also right there for the athletes to take advantage of and the coaching staff was motivated and had produced a great number of great runners throughout the history of the program. Once there, I became aware of talents I was not aware before and my running started to improve. With the help of the coaches, I realized I had the potential to run for a Division 1 program, which I ended up doing and still do today.

Culver's commitment with the Arts has a long story and is continuously being strengthened. Proof of it is the new Crisp Visual Arts Building, whose facilities not only, well, facilitate but encourage students to take a stance at the arts. Besides Crisp, Eppley Auditorium, the Steinbrenner Center for Dance, and the Music Building, provide the necessary and more to every student who seeks to develop his or her talents in either the arts, dance, or theatre. Personally, I had the opportunity to take classes in the Visual Arts department and they were a fantastic experience that allowed me to see and value the arts in a complete different way. The latter plus opportunities such as the "Culture in Chicago" trips that are sponsored by alumni, allow Culver students to be in constant touch with the cultural scene and educated them to become well-rounded individuals.

If you have a passion for something, Culver will have a club for it (and if not, you are able to start it with the help of the faculty and Student Life staff). As a member of the Campus Activities Board, I can truly testify for Student Life's commitment to offer the Culver community with events and activities that not only increase the togetherness of the school but that also expose students to different ways of entertainment. An example for the latter is the existence of multiple international clubs, such as Sin Fronteras (the Latin American Spanish Culture Club) that organized events ranging from a "Taste of Latin America" (based on the Taste of Chicago event), and Latino dances that immerse students into different types of music and different customs and traditions.

If you live in a dorm, you'll end up developing incredible bonds with all the people in the building. Your unit becomes your family, your roommate becomes your best friend and brother, and the counselor: another parent that looks out for you at all times. Living in a dorm, the unit per se, extend beyond the members of the unit. Families of the members would sponsor late night snacks and events such as barbecues and Super Bowl parties. As an International Student, such things were essential in my adapting to boarding school. I started my Culver career as a stranger among strangers, I ended it as a member of a big caring, supporting family.

The ability to share your meals with every student really helps creating a strong community feel. There is a great variety of food and personally, the desserts are absolutely delicious! (the pineapple upside down cake and all types of cookies are personal favorites).

As a student, the town has everything you need...from delicious food to incredible ice-cream, CVS to a movie theater...it's all there, and every shoppe, every restaurant, the coffee shop, all work together to create strong bonds between the town and the Academies.

Again, the multiple activities brought by the numerous clubs and Student Life truly make students bond. The wide diversity seen on campus makes students interact with people from different backgrounds and from all over the globe, which is an incredible experience and helps in shaping the individual as a global person.