15 minutes with Derek Swartzlander
2019 graduate of Bluffton High School

Icon: What have you been doing since graduating from BHS?
Derek: I’ve been attending Xavier University where I study English and Accounting. I play guitar in the Xavier Jazz Orchestra and Xavier Singers, which is a group of singers and dancers with a live band. I also play sousaphone in the Xavier Pep Band and I am a member of the Students for Life club. I come back to Bluffton during breaks.

What are your goals after you graduate?
Derek: I’d like to become a forensic accountant because fraud is a really interesting form of crime. I love reading about how these criminals find ways to hide their stolen money and I think I would enjoy the challenge of trying to outsmart these crooks.

I’m also considering going to graduate school for English with the intention of becoming an English professor. I enjoy every English class I take, and I always look forward to discussions and debates. I would love to share this passion with others.

Icon: You’re involved in a lot of music-related activities. Tell us about what music you like.
Derek: I like rock and pop, but I also listen to jazz and country. This year I’ve gotten really into bands like Weezer and Daft Punk. Rush is also an all-time favorite. I’ve been pretty lazy about listening to new artists, but recently I’ve been checking out Yes, Jethro Tull and Green Day.

Icon: Was there a teacher at Bluffton who really inspired you?
Derek: There are a lot of teachers who have inspired me. Ms. Erford is a great teacher. She really pushed me and my classmates to do our best and we are all better writers as a result.

Mr. Sycks has also been a great inspiration to me. He always has a positive attitude and he really cultivated a love of music in me. 

Mr. George was also a big influence on my life. He had a great sense of humor and a true love of knowledge.

Icon: What is the most trouble you’ve got into at school?
Derek: In 8th grade science, Mr. Bracy had us do an egg drop project. I was paired with my best friend Caleb Mikesell and because we were lazy middle-schoolers, we waited until the day before to work on it.

In this state of last-minute panic, we decided to get some helium balloons to attach our egg. When the time came for us to drop the egg, we watched our aircraft go up, up, up, and went straight into the powerlines.

We looked at the balloons for what felt like an eternity, when they suddenly exploded, causing the power to go out for a few seconds and sending our egg to the ground.

I don’t remember our grade, but I do know that Caleb and I are the only students in Bluffton who have blown up power lines for a school project.

Icon: What advice do you have for today’s high schoolers?
Derek: I would tell high schoolers to get a hobby that involves creation rather than consumption. I’ve found that constructive hobbies like cooking, woodworking, or writing are great ways to become smarter and feel more fulfilled in life.

I would also encourage high schoolers to go to church. It’s very important to remember why we are here and that’s exactly what church does.