1) The speaker discusses how attending Wabash College has helped him develop self-awareness and pursue opportunities for personal growth. 2) At Wabash, he has learned the value of everyday interactions with others, studied abroad in China, and had an internship that furthered his self-reflection. 3) Wabash provides support that allows students to focus on self-actualization, which the speaker defines as being the best version of oneself. The learning environment is conducive to developing self-confidence that can create impact after graduation.

1. Kaz Koehring
11/15/15
Admissions Work Speech
Self Actualization: A Wabash Tradition
Thank you, Mr Unfried.
When I was in high school and heard the stat that ​​ ​One in eight Wabash graduates holds the title
of Chairman, Owner, President or CEO, just like Mr.Unfried here, I honestly thought it was a
bluff. At that time, that just seemed like an impossible statistic, even for a small campus like
Wabash. Traits like this kept me engaged with the college and prompted me to eventually make
the decision to come to Wabash because I wanted to see these claims put into action.
I’m Kaz Koehring, a sophomore at Wabash and I’m going to be talking about how the tradition of
a Wabash man has helped create a solid foundation for the man I aspire to be.
Since making the decision to come to Wabash I have been able to find out a lot about myself. I
believe that life continues through an ongoing narrative, so I want to hear people’s stories and
experiences. I also have become much more aware of myself and who I am in my everyday life.
In everyday life I continue this narrative lifestyle. I try to engage someone new on campus when
I’m walking, or get someone talking about something they love, or just shoot someone a smile. I
find these everyday occurrences some of the most valuable parts of my life. Before Wabash, I

2. never thought these things of value, but now I cannot get enough of them. Wabash also
presents opportunities to augment this experience. This semester I’ve began learning Mandarin
Chinese and just applied to study abroad at the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics
for the spring semester of junior year. If I get into this program, Wabash has me covered with
the same financial aid I would get if I was in Indiana. Before Wabash, I would’ve never studied
abroad, but now I am learning Chinese, attempting to go to China. It’s almost unbelievable.
Throughout my time at Wabash, I’ve been able to self­reflect a lot and become more aware of
who I am. Becoming self­aware consistently is a difficult task for anyone to accomplish and a
constant struggle. This summer I worked in Nantucket, Massachusetts with an alumnus named
Jason Bridges. I managed the social media and traditional marketing agendas for his cafe, but
above all we worked on self awareness. Becoming more self­aware has helped me with
everything I do, whether it be speaking with professors, working with my rugby teammates, or
doing homework with friends, the ability to be self­aware continually helps develop my identity.
This opportunity was made possible through the help of our Career Services office and the
small business internship fund that paid for me to go out east.
In both my career and everyday life, I want to hear more stories and become effective in helping
people. I have an idea of what kind of jobs I’d like to apply for, but know how to react if they did
not work out. Wabash has helped teach me that my attitude towards something can completely
reverse the outcome. No matter where I go, it is the attitude I carry with me that will breed
success. When I do apply for internships/jobs I plan to take advantage of the relationships I’ve
made with the Wabash alumni network, these opportunities could include working for Eli Lilly,
IBM, Cummins, or Cancer Treatment Centers of America, just to name a few.

3. Overall, Wabash has taught me how to learn and challenges me to be the best version of
myself. I’ve figured out what is important to me and how I am going to accomplish those things
and fulfill my own life past graduation. While someone else could have a completely different
story to tell, I believe Wabash College aids one in exposing him to figure out what his personal
narrative will be.
The concept of a Wabash man has changed through the years, but the underlying tradition has
stayed the same. Wabash instills accountability and makes one hold himself to a higher
standard. I’ve been trying to pinpoint how that culture was bred and it made me recall a rhetoric
lecture from a couple weeks ago.
In this class we talked about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and how one can accomplish each
level if the prior is fulfilled.
There are 5 levels to this theory:
the first level is Biological and Physiological needs. things like ­ air, food, drink, shelter are
included here.
Second are Safety needs ­ protection from elements, security, order, law, and freedom from
fear.
Third are Love and belongingness needs ­ friendship, family, and social support
Fourth are Esteem needs which has two levels. the first level is respect from others and the
second is confidence and independence
Lastly, there are Self­Actualization needs ­ realizing personal potential, self­fulfillment, and
seeking personal growth. Some people never get to this level.

4. This theory came to my mind because Wabash seems to take care of the first 4 levels for the
time that a student is here. I believe this attribute simply gives young men the opportunity to
self­actualize, which I define as being the best version of yourself. The learning at Wabash is
set up for a young man to have all he needs and in result of this he can focus on who he is and
who he wants to be. After school, He will transition this self confidence to impact the world
around him.
Thank you