[Editor's note: This is part 9 of 11 in a series of Aquinas College student profiles being published on the Aquinas website throughout the spring 2012 semester.]

"I just love it here. The friends are great. The people are awesome," said sophomore Nick Grady discussing why he wanted to come to Aquinas.

The Rockford, Michigan native came to Aquinas after seeing the active community that his older brother, a 2009 AQ graduate, had become a part of. "I've had so much fun so far, it’s like ridiculous. Freshmen year of course is usually is probably the best just 'cause your getting there and getting the college feel, but I think it gets better as you go on, because you are integrated and want to join more," he said laughing.

Like his brother, Grady has also tried to become a part of the AQ community. He has looked into various clubs, is Vice Chair of RHA (the residence hall association), and even plans to run for homecoming king his senior year. Recently he switched out of the athletic training program, which he felt cut into the time he had for extracurricular activities, and plans to become very involved at Aquinas. "I think that getting involved a lot is something that defines me so I kind of didn’t want to let that die," he said.

An avid ultimate Frisbee player, Grady feels that sports management seems to be a more natural fit for him. Having glimpsed at the classes he will have to take, he is confident that he will do well in them because they are more in tune to what he wants. For Grady, life will be decided as it happens and he plans to leave his future open to as many options as he can.

Since his freshman year Grady has learned to better his people skills at Aquinas, a tool he will take with him after graduating. He remembers the adjustment period freshman year having been easy due his familiarity with the campus and the family-like feel of dorm life in St. Joe’s. Chuckling, he remembers that during his freshman year he was known as ‘the guy who kept winning free stuff’ having the good luck to win a $300 gift card to the AQ bookstore and an AQ gear bucket at the annual Wake Up People party in spring 2011.

Community is a reoccurring theme for Grady, who said that he found himself gravitating towards certain groups and made friends easily freshman year. Now as an established sophomore he knows that he has to start getting serious about becoming a leader and focusing on his academics.

"I know a lot of people who just know me as the kid who wears a lot of Aquinas stuff on campus," he said while appropriately dressed in an AQ hoodie and hat. Aside from his closet full of Aquinas apparel Grady also wants to be known and remembered for being a helpful part of the community and for leaving his own mark in ultimate Frisbee.

To future students, Grady had this advice: "Aquinas does offer a lot of opportunities, even though it’s a smaller college. People think smaller college, less opportunities, and that’s not the fact. We still offer so many things here that people don’t realize."