Quick Q&A: Ben Merisotis '17 Recently Made the Dean's List at Georgetown University

Ben Merisotis '17 is currently a sophomore at Georgetown University where he was admitted early admission, recently made the Dean’s List, and is satire editor of the student-run independent magazine, Georgetown Indy. He’s majoring in Government and became interested in the field of public policy after hearing one of Georgetown's mottos: Public service is a good thing. Politics can be too.
 
Over the summer Ben interned in the data department for the Indiana Democratic Party (IDP), which a lot of his friends from out of state found humorous--an Indiana Democratic Party, but he has nothing but good things to say about the experience. The job mostly consisted of collecting data about candidates from around the state for the 2022 elections, but he also did a lot of organizing for the Democratic State Convention, where he was both a volunteer and state delegate.
 
What was the best part about interning for the Indiana Democratic Party?
My bosses were great and super passionate about their work, and everyone treated the interns with a lot of respect. I was also lucky enough to meet some of my elected officials, which is something I'll never forget. I would definitely say that the responsibility that comes with working for an organization as prominent as the IDP was the biggest challenge for me to get over. Even though I was just an intern, the work I was doing was affecting people across the state, and so I felt I had a duty to do everything perfectly. At the same time, I'm glad I was doing important work because it made my experience all the more worthwhile.
 
Right off the top of your head what are some memories that come rushing back when you think about Orchard?
I loved 3D printing in Mr. Eble's fourth-grade class. Comparing books to their movie adaptations in Ms. Bueltmann's seventh-grade English class was awesome. I especially remember learning about the Constitution in Mr. Berry's eighth-grade history class and proposing our own Constitutional amendments.
 
Ben also shared that he remembers every teacher he had in his eight years as an Owl. One that always stood out to him was former seventh-grade science teacher Brendan Chandler '02. Science wasn't really Ben's thing, but Mr. Chandler was able to bring the class content to life and make it engaging for everyone in the class. "I was impressed by how many personal connections Mr. Chandler was able to make with all of his students, and I think that's something that can be said for most Orchard teachers."
 
The teacher and student relationship is crucial.
Orchard absolutely taught me the importance of having good relationships with your teachers. That's something that has stuck with me throughout Brebeuf [Ben was a National Merit Semifinalist, AP Scholar, and recipient of the academic honors diploma] and college, and I will always be thankful that I learned that lesson early. It makes learning more interesting, and it's given you a personal stake in your education besides just getting a degree and finding a job.
 
Hobbies?
I don't play organized sports anymore, but you can almost always find me with my friends on a basketball court or a soccer pitch. My family and I are avid Premier League watchers, and I'm sure we'll all be huddled by the TV all winter for the World Cup. Outside of sports, I spend a lot of my time listening to and talking about music with my friends. I've been collecting records for the last year and a half or so, and my parents let me take the record player to school with me this semester, so it's already gotten plenty of use.


 
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