Richard Frechman

Student

“SMC is pretty laid back, but at the same time, there’s a lot of responsibility that goes along with being here. The signs are everywhere: ‘This is your life.’”

At the ripe old age of 18 and only in his second SMC semester, Richard Frechman was feeling pretty good about some decisions he’s made. “I knew the College had a great reputation and a really high transfer rate, but I guess I expected a lower quality of teaching,” he says. “I thought it would be kind of a continuation of high school. But SMC gives you a completely ‘college’ atmosphere to learn in, and I’m getting a really great general education here now.”

The quality of teaching—that’s what makes SMC the success it is. And Richard has come in for his fair share of it. “Last semester, I had Psychology 1 with Mr. Phillips, and he really opened up my eyes,” reports Richard. “He’s a great teacher, and he’s a great environmentalist as well. He taught us not only Psych, but also about the environmental issues that he sees plaguing the earth. And I learned an awful lot about how human behavior impacts the earth and why we act like we do.” But Richard isn’t quite ready to launch off on a career in Psychology just yet.

“I’m not sure what I want to do with my life, but that’s okay,” he says candidly. “I’ve seen so many changes in myself at SMC, and I’ve added so many new interests that it’s hard for me to pick one course. So I guess I’m just content—for a while—to sample things and experiment. I’m getting a first-rate education, and when the time comes, I know I’ll be ready to decide,” he says. “All I know now is that I’d like to have a stable career—maybe ten years from now—that’ll let me start and care for a family of my own.”

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