Patrick Boyden

COL ’14
Age: 21
Hometown: Bloomington, Ill.
Major: Theology

What do you hope to get out of Georgetown?
In addition to the world-renowned academics, I wanted to become a better guy as a result of coming here, and where I am now as compared to freshman year, I think Georgetown does a good job of rounding you out as an individual be it academically, spiritually, socially, athletically, and I feel like I have been able to touch all of those bases. 

What are your plans for after Georgetown?
I’m doing a graduate program at Notre Dame. It’s kind of like Teach for America; it’s a two-year program, and this summer and next summer I’ll be at Notre Dame working on my master’s degree, and during the school year I’ll teach in a Catholic school out in California, and when it’s done, you get a free master’s degree, a free teachers’ license and a $30,000 stipend.

What will you be teaching?
It’ll be eighth grade theology and social studies. 

What’s your favorite class you’ve taken at Georgetown?
Oh that’s hard. Even though I’m a theology major, I’d say my favorite class was a psychology class called “Early Childhood Development,” with professor Deborah Phillips. It was all about the way kids think and mature from when their born until they’re 6 years old and it was unbelievable. I needed a second psychology class and didn’t have the prerequisites but asked her if I could take it anyway and she said yes. It ended up being unbelievable. 

Do you think you will donate to Georgetown upon graduation?
I think I will, specifically to Campus Ministry and Knights of Columbus. I’ve been very involved with both of those over my four years. I’m proud to be a Hoya, and, assuming I make any money, I’ll probably give some of it back to Georgetown. 

Would you say Bloomington, Ill., is home? Or is Georgetown home?
I think until my junior year I would have said Bloomington. But I don’t usually go home for breaks except for Christmas, and I over the last year I’ve really come to consider Georgetown home. Both of my brothers have moved out to the D.C. area, so my family is out here now. 

What would you say the hardest thing you’ve ever done is?
Well I had open-heart surgery in high school and I missed 10 weeks of class, and I had to make it all up. So I made up my entire first semester of freshman year in about six days. I still had to take finals and everything and crammed it into six days of intense work. That was when I realized I could go somewhere good for college, because, academically, I handled it. So I’m pretty proud of that.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned at Georgetown?
To love God. 

What’s the best thing about Georgetown?
The sense of community. 

And what could Georgetown do better?
Basketball.

Interview by Ben Germano