Student Snapshot: Patrick Davis ’20

Patrick Davis '20. Photo by Austin Seabolt ’20.

Patrick Davis '20. Photo by Austin Seabolt ’20.

As founder of Dickinson’s annual baseball game to benefit autism awareness efforts, Patrick Davis ’20 helps raise funds for an issue near to his heart while playing the sport that he loves. Below, he describes his experiences as a student-athlete, intern and study-abroad student at Dickinson; the things he cherishes most about his college experience; and the personal philosophy that drives him to continually learn and grow.

Hometown:

New Providence, New Jersey.

Major

International business & management, with a Spanish minor.

Clubs and organizations:  

Baseball team (co-captain) and Raven’s Claw Honorary Society.

The best thing about my Dickinson experience:

The diverse group of friends with whom I have built relationships and special bonds. Each and every one of them has helped shape me in one way or another: pushing me to reach my full potential, challenging the ways I think or opinions I have, or just being there to support me every step of the way during these past four years.

Favorite book:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling.

Favorite movie:

Wedding Crashers.

Favorite professor:

Lecturer in International Business & Management Steve Riccio. I have had the privilege of taking four classes with Professor Riccio over my four years here, and in every class, I have walked away with so much knowledge gained. He doesn’t allow students to get caught up in textbook knowledge and lecture-based classes. Instead, he uses his lessons to create the feel of an open-floor business meeting, encouraging students to challenge each other’s ideas, feed off each other and learn through comprehension and analysis. The way in which he treats each student as a colleague gets you excited and ready to come to class each and every day, prepared to give your best.

Favorite place on campus:

Old West.

Favorite Dining Hall food:

Omelet casserole.

On studying abroad:

I had the opportunity to study abroad in Málaga, Spain, and it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. While traveling around Europe and getting to experience different cultures was life-changing, the highlight of my experience was the relationship I built with my host mom and her family. She treated me as one of her own children and pushed me to get the most out of my experience. I still speak with her on an almost weekly basis, and I could not be more grateful for her.

Proudest accomplishment so far:

Becoming a member of the Raven’s Claw Honorary Society and founding Dickinson’s Baseball Autism Awareness Game.

About Dickinson’s Baseball Autism Awareness Game:

With two brothers on the spectrum (one older and one younger), I saw an opportunity to combine two things I love most, my family and the game of baseball. My coach, Craig Hanson, worked with me to organize what has become an annual event. We partner with Franklin & Marshall and their team to dedicate one game a year to raise money for Autism Speaks. It is one the best days of the year for me, and it is one of the things I am most proud of in my time here at Dickinson.

If I could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, it would be …

… George Washington.

About my research:

Last summer I had the opportunity to intern at Ares Management in New York City, an alternative asset manager. I loved this internship because it was a rotational program that allowed me to gain hands-on experience in various parts of the business, ranging from real estate credit to direct lending and private equity. Through this internship I learned so much about business and how much due diligence goes into every decision. I learned that the ones who go above and beyond the bare minimum are the ones who succeed and achieve things others cannot.  

Most important thing I’ve learned so far:

While you want to make the most out of your time here, you can’t be afraid of failure, and you need to put yourself out there. Whether it means taking risks in the classroom, branching out to new friend groups and classmates or joining new clubs or teams, there are so many ways Dickinson works to provide students with opportunities to grow. But it is up to us to reach out and take that first step to create that relationship and begin a new journey.  

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Published May 15, 2020