GABE WATSON SEEMS TO BE the typical Wabash College alpha male. He had an impressive grade-point average, was a collegiate athlete, and held leadership positions.
But the Columbus, IN, native is far too introspective and reserved to be pigeonholed. An accomplished athlete, Watson is physically impressive, but his reserved nature and introspection drive him toward the arts as well. He doodles, sculpts, and writes poetry, but few people know that side.
His GPA, his work as a resident assistant [RA], and a semester as editor of The Bachelor position Watson for big things. His definition of success is driven by helping others, leadership by example, and taking a thoughtful approach to problem solving.
“Wabash has allowed me to do what I think it is I want to do. If it turns out it’s not what I want to do, then I feel equipped to find something else.”
What he wants to do is teach high-school English.
Watson’s definition of English has little to do with grammar or writing construction; instead, he likes talking about critical thinking and logic.
“For me, English has always been connected to education because I knew I wanted to teach English. There is an ancient trivium—rhetoric, logic, grammar—about formulating ideas and being able to express them. It’s inherent to every other subject because when you make some finding—say, in biological research —you have to be able to encode those ideas and translate them to others.”
Translating ideas to others was initially a challenge. A wrestler at heart, Watson is far more direct on the mat than in conversation. He is a self-described “reserved kid,” somewhat of a Hoosier stereotype from Columbus with parents who work for Cummins Engine. He had great grades and looked at several schools before deciding Wabash felt just right. He’s not a “rah-rah” kind of guy but realized getting involved was necessary to complete his collegiate experience.
After he enjoyed an outstanding freshman year with wrestling and a 3.9 GPA in hand, a serious staph infection and injuries to both shoulders took him away from the sport he loved. The injuries compromised his future.
“It doesn’t hurt every day now, but I can’t sleep in some positions. It’s the reason I’m not going to the Peace Corps after graduation. If they put me someplace where I had to sleep on a reed mat, I can’t do that.”
His career as a wrestler essentially over, Watson began taking on leadership roles off the mat. He quickly learned that there is nothing romantic about leadership. Plenty of time is devoted to record-keeping and administrative tasks.
“It’s really easy to be an okay leader, and it’s really hard to be an exceptional one. As a sophomore I was just playing the role. But when you decide to be a good one, it takes a lot more energy. You have to step out. I’ve always claimed to lead by example, and I think that’s still true.
“I like to disassemble things,” Watson says. “I like to disassemble this idea of success into small versions of happiness. I’m happiest when I can make other people happy and comfortable.”
He took his standard of happiness and applied it by becoming a leader in independent housing. Watson served three years as an RA and was lead RA as a senior.
“I have known all along I want to teach, and when you’re teaching in high school, part of that is also being a coach. Being an RA allows me to show I’m up to the task.
I knew it would help me get better at working with people.”
“I DON’T LIKE the business world because there people are stuck with the need to be the alpha male or female,” Watson says. “Everything has to be progress, and we stop worrying about whether we can make life comfortable and enjoyable for people other than ourselves.”
Watson will student teach in the fall at Franklin Community High School, south of Indianapolis. He wanted a rural community because it’s his background and he often finds cities and society to be too intense. He is interested in coaching wrestling or track and working in a high school journalism program.
He might be the first to suggest his personality can be a bit of a riddle. But he keeps searching for answers and how he’ll guide high-school students to do the same.
“That’s where I was shown things about life that I thought were impossible. I want to show other people those things.”