During his first year, Sam Fuller made good friends that became his core group for the next four years. He joined the golf team, which at UNH is a club sport. And, he had to figure out what to major in, and that took awhile.
“Because I had credits from high school, I was able to take lots of different liberal arts courses,” says Fuller. “By the beginning of my junior year, I knew I wanted to go to law school, and I decided to major in philosophy. At first, I was doubtful about the major, but actually a lot of law schools recommend it. Plus, I’ve always liked reading classic texts by Plato and Aristotle.”
As well, he likes Descartes even though he “gets crazy” halfway through his meditations. “I really enjoy his launching point,” reflects Fuller, noting that Descartes was also a lawyer.
Most philosophy classes are full of exceptionally verbal students, ready to engage in heated debate. But Fuller admits to being somewhat reticent in class. He especially enjoyed his classes with Nick Smith, an associate professor of philosophy who was previously a litigator at a major New York law firm and then a staff attorney for the U.S. Court of Appeals.
“He’ll take any argument you present, oppose you, and nail you to the ground,” says Fuller. “When you write a paper and go to discuss it with him, he really pushes you. It’s great to argue with him.”
Fuller is someone who likes to write. “I’m a very slow writer,” he says. “But when I can really hone an argument, I enjoy that feeling of accomplishment.”
The major has certainly paid off. Fuller, who felt “pretty good” about his essay and personal statement on his law school applications, now has several very good law schools to choose from.
But if anything colored his college years, it’s been his experience on the golf team. “When I got here, my brother transferred to UNH, and we both joined the team. Initially, it was unorganized,” recalls Fuller. That all changed. Other members joined. Key relationships with a local driving range and golf course were established. Support was garnered through various fundraisers. The team’s competitive spirit got fired up, and they started to win. They joined a better league. They flew around the country to play in New York, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. Last year, 50-plus students tried out for the team.
While no one on the team has decided to go pro yet, Fuller thinks that one player might be a good bet. “We have an agreement, that I’ll be his caddy,” says Fuller.
Fuller is looking forward to law school and exploring his interests. And he knows that, as a lawyer, he wants to help people.
