Jackson Leeper ’25 brings the same intensity to solving equations as he does to blocking the volleyball. By the looks of the stare down from the 6’5” middle blocker behind the net, it’s no surprise then that he graduated summa cum laude and earned distinction on comprehensive exams.
“I have a stern look—a little bit of an RBF—I’m not going to lie,” he said with a laugh. “But if you get to know me and talk to me, I’m a goofball. It just takes a little time for me to get comfortable.”
Goofball does not equal slacker though. The math and computer science double major from Carmel, Indiana was a captain on the volleyball team, a brother in Tau Kappa Epsilon, a supplemental instructor for calculus, a research intern with Math and Computer Science Professor Chad 正规赌钱软件appstfall, a writing teaching assistant for Associate Professor of English Crystal Benedicks, and wrote a weekly restaurant review in The Bachelor.
“He’s fearless. He wants to succeed in everything he does,” says Marcela Dominguez, former assistant volleyball coach. “He is a dedicated and committed person, not only to the team, but to his future. He knows what he wants, and he works very hard toward achieving that.”
Leeper knows it takes more than fearlessness to achieve what he wants.
“One of the things I learned from volleyball is the importance of hard work when no one else is watching,” he said. “If you think the goal is going to require this much work, multiply it by 10, because it’s going to be a lot more than you think. It’s going to be tough, but if you’re dedicated and motivated to do it, then keep pushing on. The results will come.”
As an introvert, Leeper doesn’t mind putting in the hours in the gym or studying by himself, but he appreciated how being part of a fraternity stretched him socially.
“You’re living with 40-50 dudes every day. I learned to being more social, to communicate and speak my thoughts well, and just develop relationships better,” Leeper said. “When you live in a fraternity, you’re not going to be introverted. It was tough, but I understood the value, and it made me into a better person.”
Leeper hopes to use his passion for data science and sports to eventually work with a professional or college team to help recruit players based off their stats and then help those players improve their stats, too.
“The sky is not the limit,” said Dominguez. “He can achieve everything he wants to, because he has the dedication—what you would expect from a person who wants the best from himself and the people around him.”