David Sexton
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Major: Political Science, Organizational Communication and Leadership
Hometown: Richmond, IN
For David Sexton, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) has been a lot like a pool.
Sometimes it’s a neighborhood’s only basin of water in the heat of July, home to dynamic classroom discussions on any given subject matter. At other moments, it looks like a synchronized swimming match, with students’ nodding in agreement as a professor walks them through the intricacies of public policy.
But no matter what, David and his peers are learning what it means to always keep their heads above water. To tread together, despite personal politics, is to grow.
“I think our professors’ biggest metric for success has been the honesty we put forth when writing about or discussing the issues they present to us,” he said. “This has created a whole environment of discussion-based courses across the College, which is probably why we typically leave each class more encouraged than when we entered it.”
Though David’s passion for democracy came later in life, his love of Butler started early when his grandparents took him on walks through campus. So when his interest in politics began to rise, Butler emerged as the perfect fit.
Why? The campus is located in the capital city of a state that remains a sticking point on the national political stage. But internally, Butler makes it a priority to engage its students with their eventual field as soon as possible.
Whether it’s by pursuing internships at the statehouse or at local non-profits, or by working internally on policy matters within student government, David’s experience has been as hands-on as he hoped for.
“I’ve always felt educated, never preached at,” he said. “People always expect me to start complaining about my classes because of how intense things are nationally. But it’s the opposite. Some of the strongest relationships I have made are with people I usually disagree with.”
As he gears up for the final legs of his Butler education, David feels more and more prepared for the world beyond the campus than ever before.
“What separates Butler from other colleges is the cohesiveness between all the different courses and disciplines that are offered here,” he said. “It’s why they call it ‘The Butler Way,’ I guess. This place really is helping us all grow, both as individuals and as a community.”
That’s because Butler students don’t dip their toes in the pool. They dive right in.