Carson Stubstad '22: Learning by doing at CMC

Sometimes when Carson Stubstad walks around campus at a quiet moment, he’s transported back to when he visited Claremont McKenna College for the first time and realized it was the college for him. “It’s almost surreal when I remember that day and now I am living it, and doing so much more than I ever could have imagined,” Stubstad said.

A first-generation student whose father is a firefighter, Stubstad received financial aid as well as Sponsored Internships and Experiences funding to help him take advantage of CMC’s opportunities. He attended a summer immersion program in Spain, where he did a deep dive into the culture while practicing his Spanish in classes at a culinary institute. While abroad, he attended Euromeet, encountering alumni whose experiences further broadened his perspective.

Stubstad highlights Prof. Robert Valenza as his favorite professor. Stubstad took Freshman Humanities seminar and Calculus I with Valenza, who is currently Stubstad’s academic advisor. “In all areas, he is  “an incredible resource and very engaging,“ Stubstad said.

With a primary interest in business, Stubstad works as a project lead and director of recruitment with Graphite, the student consulting arm of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.  He also tracks energy sector stocks for the Student Investing Group.

“I knew CMC offered opportunities but not to the extent I have seen and experienced since I got here,” he said.

Now in his third year mentoring first-year students as an FYG, Stubstad said he realizes how much he’s grown since the day he toured campus. “Learning by doing has changed me a lot,” he said. “I’ve always known who I am—my own values—and CMC has allowed me to further explore my interests and take risks I might not have if I wasn’t part of this community.”