Peter Mankin

What are your central passion(s), and how do you plan to pursue them after graduation?

My central passions include Star Wars, baseball (I'm a Washington Nationals fan), web design, sightseeing, and video games. After graduation, I hope to secure a web design job. I plan to watch more Star Wars videos to understand the canon and lore, aiming to become a true fan. With more free time, I look forward to watching more baseball, as I've focused heavily on academic projects during college. I aspire to travel the world to gain a deeper understanding of our planet. Additionally, I'm excited to socialize, meet new people, and play video games more frequently. 

Who or what inspired your passion in this area?  

My passion for Star Wars was inspired by seeing popular social norms on social media. Baseball became a passion thanks to my dad, who is a New York Mets fan, and living in the Washington DC metropolitan area. My interest in web design was sparked by my aunt, who has been an accessible web designer for thirty years. Video games became a passion due to social influence from my friends. Lastly, my love for sightseeing comes from traveling around all my life. 

Can you share a memorable story from your time at Flagler that always makes you smile? What made this moment special for you? 

When my mom passed away from cancer, I could not believe the support, condolences, and well wishes I received from the staff and faculty. I received a card from the CACE office and the Learning Resource Center, and it made my heart warm. The cards made me realize that the Flagler College community cares for me since I have interacted with so many people and done a lot for the community.  

On the third day of my freshman year of college, I went into the DRC to release my frustrations of transitioning into college. I was frustrated about the number of words and work I had to do since I was used to this type of work in high school. Phil, the DRC Director, told me that it is the first week of school and wanted me to continue going. It was tough, but I made a promise to myself that I would do well regardless of the difficulty of the work. When I started working on projects for the next few weeks, I broke into the routine very quickly and started taking everything seriously. I wrote more than I was supposed to and almost never gave myself breaks. At the end of the semester, I found myself receiving all A’s for the President’s List.   

Which academic resources, experiences, or mentors at Flagler were most valuable to you, and how did they contribute to your success? 

The Disability Resource Center allowed me to connect with Director Phil Pownall from day one to the end of graduation. He made me feel like Flagler was my home and was willing to understand my stories, struggles, and strengths 

Graphic Design Department: Ever since choosing Graphic Design as my major, the faculty treated me like Flagler was my home. Even though I have had some difficulties here and there, but not many, I realize that they care for their students. I have never seen a department consistent like that before. All of the professors know you and care for what you do. 

President’s Leadership Academy: The professors know my name and recognize me even though I have not had them for long (except for one professor). When my mom passed away, they surprised me and wanted to offer care, support, and friendship. 

All of them motivate my ability to work for them. When I interact with each department, I feel better working for them due to the different personalities and traits that all of them have. Because of this, I feel like I want to do my work and focus.  

What advice or lesson would you give to your freshman year self about the college experience?  

Do not be afraid. Do not let the amount of work burden you. You should care about the quality of the work and not the quantity. 

My current self knows about my past self, but my past self does not know about me right now. My weakness in the past was over-worrying about everything. It is still a struggle, but I have learned not to over-worry as much since I am used to the college setting. Presently, I have grown to realize that the world is subjective in its nature and am trying to decipher how to understand it.  

In the Flagler spirit, how do you hope to make history after graduation?

In the future, I hope to help the Flagler community in any way I can. I would love to continue making friendships with the professors, staff, and people that I know at Flagler right now.