Caleb Morell

SFS ’16
Age: 21
Hometown: Stockholm, Sweden
Major: International History

What drew you to Georgetown?
It’s a lot of things. I wanted to be at the most academically rigorous university possible that would allow me to take religion seriously, and Georgetown fit both of those categories.

Why did you decide to become an RA? How has being an RA changed your perspective as a student?
One of my mottos is, “Wherever you are, be there 100 percent.” And while I’m here at Georgetown, I want to be here 100 percent. One of the best ways to get integrated into the university is to work as an RA. It’s helped me see more and more that every person matters — everyone’s got a story. It’s easy to lose sight of the person in the mob of students across campus, but being an RA helps you. It grounds you in a small group of people that you’re supposed to especially care for, including people who are different from you.

What is the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do?
Tell my little sister that everything would be OK when my mom was fighting cancer.

As an alumnus, do you think you will donate to Georgetown? Why?
If I have enough money to donate to Georgetown, then I’ve done something wrong with my life. 1 Timothy 6:9 — Those who want to be rich fall into temptation.

What is your dream job? What do you want to do after graduation?
Three words: husband, father, pastor.

What do you hope that Georgetown will help you accomplish in life?
A set of skills to help me for whatever I end up doing with my life. A set of friends to remember for the rest of my life. An opportunity to learn more about myself and others and what I want to spend my life doing.

International history doesn’t seem to be a common major in the SFS. How did you get interested in it?
Thucydides said that history is philosophy played out by example. So by studying history, especially the development of theories of church-state relations, I hope to better grasp the philosophical ideas that have shaped our present situation and continued to shape our future.

What have you done at Georgetown that you never thought you’d ever do?
There are actually a lot of things that I thought I’d do, but I didn’t do. I thought I’d definitely join like Philodemic, International Relations Club or student government, and I didn’t do any of those things. I never thought I’d spend most of my time at Georgetown devoted to campus ministry, so that was unexpected. I also didn’t think I would get a job where I was practically running an organization called the Tocqueville Forum and get my own office in ICC.

How has your experience at Georgetown differed from what you originally expected?
I thought that Georgetown would be all about networking, collecting business cards and living in the future, when it’s been a lot more about late-night conversations with friends and living in the present.

Do you think you will go back to Sweden after graduation?
We’ll see.

Interview by Penny Hung