Derek Foster

I first learned about and played the sport of disc golf only recently. Back in the summer of 2010 during a family vacation to Wisconsin (to visit family and eat cheese) my aunt introduced us to the sport, which is much more popular over in Wisconsin than it is here in the Northeast. After playing my first round of 18 holes, I was hooked.

Since then, disc golfing has become an important part of my life: a passion. On a nice day, disc golf is the first thing that comes to mind when I look outside and think about what I could do. When I’m not on the course, I often watch tutorials on YouTube that teach some of the more intricate techniques of throwing. Sometimes I just go outside and practice putting. Once I even attended a pro tournament to watch some of the best players in the world. The point is that I work hard at, and am dedicated to, improving my game.

So why am I writing about disc golf? For me, my passion for the game is a manifestation of my character. The extent to which I seek to improve my game is the perfect demonstration of the hard work and determination that is integral to my person. I put forth my best effort in everything I do, whether I am volunteering at my church, completing a project for work or school, or just playing disc golf. My drive to perform better every time out is not unique to disc golf; rather, it is a feature common to every aspect of my life.

So in a way, this page is more than just a story about a hobby of mine. It is about my character as a hard-working, motivated electrical engineering student who seizes every opportunity to learn or improve in some aspect of life.

As I continue my education at UMass Amherst, I apply the hard-working aspect of my character to my school assignments. As a result of my drive to succeed, I am proud to say that I have kept a 4.0 GPA through all 3 semesters of school thus far. Between my unique internship experiences and my coursework, I have zealously sucked in all the knowledge I can so that, upon graduation, I can be the best engineer I can be. My goal is to work my way up to an engineering management position at a cutting-edge technology company. I want to work in a management role (I am pursuing a minor in engineering management) while still utilizing my engineering skills to design advanced new products.

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