How/why do you want to change the world?

I want to help find a cure for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS Disease. Through sport, I hope to leverage the platform that big-time leagues, teams and athletes have in society to build brand awareness and fundraising for this terminal disease. People with this disease live for an average of 2-5 years after diagnosis and the progression of this disease is extremely serious. With no current cure and only 2 FDA approved medications that are uninspiring to people living with this disease, I hope to make a strong impact towards hopefully finding a cure one day. 

What are you proud to have been involved with at UO?

I am extremely proud to have been a member and Vice President of the Warsaw Sports Business Club at UO. This club has almost single handedly shaped my college experience. Through meeting fellow members, getting to know our faculty advisors and taking advantage of volunteer and work experiences that the club offers, I’ve learned the true power that sport has around the world and how it can be an accelerator to do so much good in the world. This club helped me understand that the world can be positively changed through sport, and that is what I hope to do upon graduating from the University of Oregon. 

Who’s your biggest role model/influencer?

My biggest role model and influencer towards what I want to pursue in life is David Beckham. Through his fame of being one of the greatest soccer players in the world during his playing career, he leveraged his fame towards making a difference in the world and impacting people’s lives. Through his work with the 7Fund with UNICEF and his many philanthropic initiatives, he has influenced me to use the power of sport to change lives. Also, he has an amazing family and being a very family oriented individual, I hope to have a big healthy family like him one day.

Which fictional character is most like yourself?

I would say that the fictional character I am most like is Clifford the Big Red Dog. I’m obviously not a dog, but Clifford was my favorite show to watch growing up. 

What is one fun fact about you?

A fun fact about me is that I have been with my fiancé since 8th grade and we have 2 healthy pups together, a 2 year old Shih-tzu and a 8 week old Golden Retriever. Also, because of my rather unique spelling and pronunciation of my first name, every time I go to a restaurant or food/drink place and they ask for my name for the order, I always say my name is David because of my idol David Beckham and to avoid confusion of spelling.