Spring Break
Sophomore balances four majors, Navy career for UC Scholar award
Noelle Myers
Issue date: 12/4/08 Section: News
12/04/08 - University of Rhode Island sophomore Alex Page, 25, manages to balance a six-year U.S. Navy experience, four majors and still has time to snag the University College Scholar academic award.
The sophomore from Lyman, Maine, was named in the top 10 in his class due to his outstanding GPA and involvement in extracurricular activities. The top 50 students with the highest GPAs were chosen and the final decision was based upon performance and involvement in extracurricular activities.
Page is involved with the Robotics Club and Providing Assistance to Veterans and Supporters (PAVS), but this is not what brought him to URI. Page chose the school primarily because of the location, noting how it benefits his current field of study and role in the Navy.
"I tried to choose a school within driving distance of home, and with Navy contractors nearby. This would allow me to seek part-time jobs or internships in a field I had experience with," he said.
Page enlisted into the U.S. Navy in 2000 and then headed off to boot camp in 2001. He said it was a total of six years of active duty and he has spent more than a year in the reserves. Page is currently in the communication division of a Navy construction regiment in Newport.
Prior to this, Page was a submarine radioman for the U.S. Navy where he holds most of his memories. He said there were many aspects to his job. He explained a scary moment he had when he was riding a Chilean diesel submarine for some war games. All power was lost. To his surprise, the lighting was lost, too. Normally it will not go out on a nuclear sub, he said.
"Moments like that might be the most memorable, but they really weren't the most defining," Page said.
Page laughs when he overhears students exclaim how long their days have been. After working 36 hours straight, Page remembers later being called back in for more duties. He said working 30 hour shifts were not uncommon and five years of this was a great accomplishment. He remembers having the opportunity to work with multi-million dollar equipment many of these days and being responsible for the safety of others.
The sophomore from Lyman, Maine, was named in the top 10 in his class due to his outstanding GPA and involvement in extracurricular activities. The top 50 students with the highest GPAs were chosen and the final decision was based upon performance and involvement in extracurricular activities.
Page is involved with the Robotics Club and Providing Assistance to Veterans and Supporters (PAVS), but this is not what brought him to URI. Page chose the school primarily because of the location, noting how it benefits his current field of study and role in the Navy.
"I tried to choose a school within driving distance of home, and with Navy contractors nearby. This would allow me to seek part-time jobs or internships in a field I had experience with," he said.
Page enlisted into the U.S. Navy in 2000 and then headed off to boot camp in 2001. He said it was a total of six years of active duty and he has spent more than a year in the reserves. Page is currently in the communication division of a Navy construction regiment in Newport.
Prior to this, Page was a submarine radioman for the U.S. Navy where he holds most of his memories. He said there were many aspects to his job. He explained a scary moment he had when he was riding a Chilean diesel submarine for some war games. All power was lost. To his surprise, the lighting was lost, too. Normally it will not go out on a nuclear sub, he said.
"Moments like that might be the most memorable, but they really weren't the most defining," Page said.
Page laughs when he overhears students exclaim how long their days have been. After working 36 hours straight, Page remembers later being called back in for more duties. He said working 30 hour shifts were not uncommon and five years of this was a great accomplishment. He remembers having the opportunity to work with multi-million dollar equipment many of these days and being responsible for the safety of others.
