Maxwell Diaz - NMU Blog

I decided to come to NMU because I was offered to wrestle at the Men’s Wrestling National Training Site. I had always wanted to go to Northern since my first camp experience here in my Junior year of High school (2018). I settled for a small university in Iowa and transferred here this year (2021). 

I think Secondary Ed is a great profession. Young kids start to form real personalities and have decent opinions and ideas of their own. They’re not so old that they’re stuck in their ways and have impressionable minds. I think it’s a very honorable and beautiful thing to be a part of the growing process and really alter the trajectory of some students' lives for the better. 

Something cool I’ve done as a part of my major has been field observation. I’ve had the opportunity to go to elementary schools around town and watch PE teachers with their students in action. It’s really insightful to see what they do and learn from how they control a class. 

I wrestle for the National Training site, which is plenty of work. I also have a job in dining services. I am a Student Lead at The Wildcat Den, our on-campus sports bar. It’s been pretty rewarding to have the opportunity to wrestle in Panama in an international cup. It has also been nice to be in a kitchen surrounded by several knowledgeable chefs who teach me all sorts of things about cooking and preparing food. 

After graduation, I plan to find a school to teach at and settle down. I may consider trying to coach a little bit of wrestling. 

My advice for someone considering NMU is to definitely go for it! NMU has tons of great programs and it’s a unique community up here too. The people are kind and there is a diverse population. There’s plenty to do up here with all the outdoor beauty and the shops and eats downtown. College is about growing your education and yourself as a person. 

I’m thankful for the opportunity. Every day is a grind. I get the chance to go and get beat up in the wrestling room every day, but I learn from it and I grow from it. It’s the same thing with my job. Some are worse than others, but when you’re slammed in a kitchen with tickets flying out of the printer, it’s a test of patience, multitasking, efficiency, and attention to detail.