When Adam Hamze arrived at Radford University, he thought his future was in medicine.
But a tough chemistry class and an unexpected stop at a student club fair set him
on a new course, one that felt like home.
“I wanted to be a doctor my whole life,” Hamze said. “Came to college and I was like,
all right. It was easy in high school, might be probably going to be easy in college.
It wasn't.”
That turning point led him to the mock trial team, where a spontaneous invitation
to sign up became a defining moment. “They yelled at me. They were like, ‘Hey, come
sign our paper.’ I was like, all right, I’ll do that.”
Hooked after the first meeting, Hamze switched his major to political science and
discovered a passion for law, specifically, environmental law. “There’s a lot of science
to back up all the stuff that’s going on, but there’s not a lot of legal representation
to help protect the environment,” he said. “I want to be able to go to law school
and come back and represent people here.”
Outside the classroom, Radford’s natural beauty and community spirit have become part
of his daily routine. “Right after class, I’m going home, grabbing my fishing rod,
and I’m walking to the New River,” he said. “I can just be there outside, and it’s
beautiful.”
Now a junior, Hamze is excelling on Radford’s mock trial team, which advanced to the
opening rounds of the national championship and earned the Spirit of AMTA award for
sportsmanship.
“I found something I really enjoy doing, found a goal that I want to apply myself
to,” he said. “Radford University has given me the opportunity to work myself to that
goal, and I wouldn't let this opportunity slip.”
