Class of 2026: Jack Sears

Probably in middle school. I came to campus for the first time to watch my cousin Stephen play basketball on campus. It’s funny to me, because I had no clue that I would ever end up going to McDaniel, and college was just a distant thought on the horizon.

Proud of my time on the Hill. It feels like the years have flown by, but I am grateful for the time that I’ve had at McDaniel.

This year, I have had the opportunity to be an intern for the IT department. Working at IT in a variety of roles has been really cool, especially because this intern position was created after I asked if it was possible.

My time at McDaniel has left me with a lot of lessons both in and out of the classroom, but above all, I learned that we can overcome even the toughest of days with a positive mentality and a great support system.

The best class I have taken at McDaniel was Life Experience and Education of Deaf People. I decided to take the class because my cousin is Deaf, and I wanted to supplement the American Sign Language (ASL) I was learning with a better understanding of Deaf life. As a result, the class blew me away, as our professor (who was Deaf himself) gave us a fresh perspective of what life is like for people who are Deaf. Some close runners-up include: the math capstone, FYS Running for Your Life, and Probability.

During my time at McDaniel, I have been involved as a First-Year Experience Student Coordinator, peer mentor, Local Leader, student-athlete (cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field), Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) representative, Kappa Mu Epsilon national math honor society member, IT intern, and SGA Class Board Representative. As a student-athlete, I have been a three-time Academic All-American, two-time Centennial Conference Medalist, one-time Mid Atlantic Regional medalist, and set seven school records.

How many strong friendships and connections I’ve made.

My favorite spot on campus is the Dr. Richard A. Clower ’50 Track at Gill Stadium. I go to the track almost every day for practice, and having the opportunity to do what I love with some of my best friends was a great blessing. The track and area around it hold some of my favorite memories at McDaniel and will always hold a special place in my heart. 

I recently learned the concept of countable and uncountable infinities, which I am still trying to process. The idea is that there are infinite sets for which we could assign an integer index to every term, which we would call “countable.” Maybe not the most outlandish idea to have learned, but it was a unique way of thinking.

“You Can’t Stop… But Should You?” and “Draft Day”

“You Can’t Stop… But Should You?” was my math capstone, which involved researching the odds and optimal strategy in one of my favorite board games called Can’t Stop. “Draft Day” is my Computer Science capstone, which involves developing a fantasy draft app for Android phones.

After graduation, I will be attending graduate school and pursuing a master’s degree in computer science, data analytics, or cybersecurity.

I intend to stay connected to McDaniel by keeping in touch with the connections I have made on the Hill and visiting to see how campus continues to grow.

Two members of my family have gone to McDaniel, both of whom I am very proud of. The first is my cousin Stephen Lang ’21, who balanced three undergrad majors and major health concerns, and still graduated on time. Additionally, my mom, Margaret Sears M.S. ’21 got her master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from McDaniel the same year while balancing being a parent and full-time teacher. Watching the resilience and commitment to learning Stephen and my mom showed during their time as Green Terrors has been nothing short of inspiring to me, and I hope that my efforts on campus have continued the legacy they have left on the Hill.