Gabriel Lucich

What’s your favorite class? Why?

Do I have to choose? They are ALL so good. I think that, in terms of providing a very challenging atmosphere to foster growth, it would have to be History of Western Political Thought with Professor John Holzwarth. He is also the head of the Writing Center, so there is intense scrutiny, and lots of personal intellectual expansion in the class.

What made you want to come to Lewis & Clark?

I grew up in this area, and when I returned to college in my 40s, I knew that earning a bachelor’s degree from Lewis & Clark was my goal. I had a lot of B+ and A-tier universities that wanted me as a transfer student, but being a recipient of a degree from this college was a big part of the plan.

What do you like or find most interesting about your major?

Frustrating, intellectually stimulating topics are my jam. With political science, it’s like banging your head against the wall, but when you’re done with the painful part, you have far more insight into how a nation (dis)functions than the average person.

What do you like or find most interesting about your minor?

I’m an art and antiques collector and dealer. It is a great way of working to keep my head above water while in college, as it doesn’t take a ton of my time. The art history minor is an enlightening way of expanding the knowledge base for my business, and also sharpening my research and writing skills.

Tell us about your support systems and social outlets on campus: people, activities, clubs, res halls, etc.

I am a member of the Phi Alpha Delta legal fraternity.

How do you describe the liberal arts?

The liberal arts allow us to develop a well-rounded intellect by stressing the integration of multiple disciplines. I find it a far more challenging and entertaining way to learn.

What advice do you have for incoming students?

Forget everything you know about how you think you are supposed to learn a subject. Prepare to be challenged in every class you take: There are no freebie credits here. Get to work and have fun while you’re doing it.

Why did you choose to transfer to Lewis & Clark? How does Lewis & Clark support you as a transfer student?

I chose Lewis & Clark because it offers one of the best educational experiences in the Northwest, with what might be the single most beautiful campus you can imagine. The faculty and staff are great and extremely welcoming. The learning experience is strong, but the rigor with which you are taught is decidedly more intense than at a state school or community college.

How did your financial aid package influence your decision to attend Lewis & Clark?

I spend a lot of time in the library, and even have a favorite corner that I can almost always be found in.

The financial aid department surpassed all expectations. This is really what made my time here at Lewis & Clark possible. If they see a need, it is addressed. Unbelievably generous.

Did you visit campus before deciding to come to L&C? How did your visit influence your decision to attend?

I took a guided tour of campus during the summer of 2023. After comparing the other Oregon colleges that expressed interest in me, I chose L&C. The environment here is simply conducive to learn in.

Who is your mentor on campus? Why?

I’d say my faculty advisors, Professors Leah Gilbert and Dawn Odell, are my mentors. I was assigned a student mentor over the month before classes began, but since I’m an older student and already had my associate’s degree when I came to L&C, I connected more with faculty.

What’s one of the best spots on campus?

Nerd here. It’s the Watzek Library. I spend a lot of time in the library, and even have a favorite corner that I can almost always be found in.

What’s your favorite thing about living in Portland?

The seven months of rain? Honestly, I don’t spend a lot of time in Portland itself, but we do have an outstanding art and music scene that probably stems from the inordinate amount of time we spend indoors owing to the seven months of rain. We also have access to incredible wild outdoor spaces that are close to campus. Oregon is stunning.

How did you decide on your major?

I am a policy wonk, and as a political science nerd, fairly masochistic. The political science (POLS) program is fascinating, the professors are brilliant, the lectures are engaging, and everything is a challenge. That’s why.

How did you decide on your minor?

Also an art nerd. Art history is a research and writing-heavy discipline, something that one needs when heading to law school.

What have been the biggest challenges you have faced at Lewis & Clark?

It is a far more rigorous learning experience/environment than the community college that I transferred from. It has forced me to take a step back from my side hustle of art journalism, as there just isn’t time if you’re taking your classes and homework seriously.

What’s one of your best Lewis & Clark memories so far?

Being one of the first members of the new pre-law chapter of Phi Alpha Delta, the legal fraternity. Also, finding out what my old limitations were, then surpassing them.

Why are you planning to double major? What relationship do you see between your studies?

Art both precedes and proceeds political thought. Look at the relationship between art and politics that existed in Weimar Germany. Wildly creative and subversive art, which in some ways predicted the nationalist movement that followed, just a few short years later.

How are you involved in the arts at L&C?

I study them.

Art History Phi Alpha Delta Political Science