This week’s Campus Celebrity is Nick Vitale! He’s a hard-working, cordial guy with many talents you probably would never guess. Read more about Nick below:
Name: Nick Vitale
Major: Electrical Engineering
Year: Sophomore
Age: 20
Relationship Status: “Single as hell”
Her Campus: So Nick, tell me a little bit about yourself and where you’re from.Nick Vitale: I’m from Upper Marlboro, in Maryland. It’s a very low-key, boondocks type of place, so that explains my thick Southern accent. When I go back home, I like to do a lot of typical “country” things – I like hunting, mudding, and other things like that. If you didn’t know me from Case, you’d think I have a low IQ or something, but I also enjoy a lot of more sophisticated things. I like painting and art, and I’m really into research. It’s almost like I live two lives, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
HC: What’s your favorite quote?NV: It may sound a little cliché but it would have to be “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” I did a lot of martial arts when I was a kid, and my dad would always say this to me before a fight. My dad passed away when I was 14, and it wasn’t until then that I realized that this quote applied to almost everything– taking tests, going off to college, or even just getting out of my comfort zone and trying new things. I get really stressed with my major and the career path I’ve chosen, but this quote really keeps me going. When my dad passed, I was upset and tried to use the situation as an excuse, but after a while I realized that I had to use the situation to make myself stronger. Now I feel like I can control my own destiny.
HC: What kind of music do you enjoy?NV: Honestly, it depends on the day. Some days it’s Biggie Smalls, Kendrick or Drake. The next day it could be Mozart. But 90% of the time I like country music.
HC: So what’s your dream job?NV: I want to get involved in some kind of research or academia where I can mix electrical engineering and biology. I just want a job where I can have an immediate impact. Working at NIH, I got that experience, and it made me realize that I like to directly see the results of the contribution I’m making.A bonus would be working with kids with neurological diseases, or working with neural prosthetics. As a kid, I was diagnosed with what the doctors thought was cerebral palsy, but it’s actually a rare genetic mutation that affects my leg, so I’d like to be able to work with kids who are in a similar situation to the one I was in. I’m pretty good with electronics and math, so I want to use it to give back.
HC: What are your favorite traits in a significant other?NV: I love when people just put themselves out there and aren’t afraid to start something new and be carefree. That’s when you have the most fun and can learn from each other.
HC: What’s some of your involvement on campus?NV: I’m the VP of RLC for Sig Ep, I’m part of MIND, a group that works with Medwish to send out equipment to hospitals, I’m working in a research lab, and I’m a Math 122 SI.
HC: Okay, this is a pretty important question: Who is your Man Crush Monday, and who is your Woman Crush Wednesday?NV: That’s easy, my man crush is Ronald Reagan, and my Woman Crush is Victoria, my .50 cal rifle.