Orth: ‘No regrets’ about time at WU
“I don’t think I would have the lasting piece that I do if I hadn’t been here, if I didn’t have the friends I’ve made here, if I didn’t have the spiritual growth that I’ve experienced here,” said Austin Orth.
“I felt like it was somewhere I could get a college education but grow as a person,” said Orth on why he chose to attend Waynesburg as a senior at Lighthouse Christian Academy in Cumberland, Maryland.
Coming from Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, Orth decided Waynesburg was the best fit for him – the scholarships, the proximity to home and the university’s mission.
Orth, a computer science major and music minor, will be graduating with his Waynesburg University classmates on Sunday, May 1.
Now it has set in. With only a few days left in his senior year, he has realized how much he will miss the campus he has felt so at home at for the last four years.
“It’s been awesome,” Orth put it simply.
At a young age, Orth was interested in technology. Getting his first laptop around the age of 13 years old, Orth took his teenage hobby and decided to major in computer science at Waynesburg.
“I found my calling in that. I feel like God is calling me to really set an example in that industry for excellence, because I feel like God calls us to excellence in whatever we’re good at, you know, God gives people gifts for a reason; you’re meant to develop those,” said Orth on why he decided to pick his major.
Orth said his Christian background while in the computer science industry can have a positive influence on the field and those it benefits.
Last summer Orth did an internship in Clarksburg, West Virginia, with the government, and he said the internship didn’t go the way he wanted to.
He said that heading in he thought he would see himself working a similar job after finishing school, but when he got to the internship and got working, it wasn’t what he wanted.
“It was definitely a reality check,” said Orth.
While the internship changed Orth’s mind on his future career. He said the internship that he didn’t like with the government made him realize more specifically what he wants to do with his future.
With a music minor and a strong interest in his artistic side, Orth said he could see working in the entertainment side of the computer science field, possibly going into a software development or phone application development.
Wherever Orth lands in the future, he hopes he is able to make a great impact.
“I want to be able to make the world a better place for what I do, because I feel like that’s what God calls me to do,” said Orth.
While Orth is uncertain where his future will take him, he believes the experiences he had while at Waynesburg have prepared him for whatever road he decides to take in the future. He thinks he has had different lessons that have helped him in his time here.
“Having all of those different experiences has caused me to think outside of the box more, I’d say, in com science and to pursue different creative approaches to solving problems,” said Orth.
Dr. Richard Leipold, chair of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, said Orth has taken his imagination outside of the classroom into his work inside of the classroom. Leipold said Orth worked with fellow computer science classmate Matthew Kenney on their senior project and it turned out to be an outstanding experience.
Orth said he was recently accepted to the University of Pittsburgh for graduate school and plans to further his education there in the fall. Leipold said Orth’s intellect is a necessity as he plans ahead for grad school.
Orth is in the Honors Program, a Chamberworks member, symphonic band member, member of the Chapel Worship Team, member of the Lamplighters and Upper Room, a WU Pep Band Member, is a Campus Ministry Assistant, is the leader of weekend worship group Ekklesia and is a member of the newly formed Computer Science Club that was started this year.
In the past Orth has participated with the percussion and jazz ensembles, Barbershop Quartet and the Chapel Team.
Orth has also worked at the IT desk all four of his years at Waynesburg.
Orth also attended the Jubilee Conference and it was something he said had a huge impact on him.
“I would definitely say I wouldn’t have been able to put a purpose to my career I think, if I hadn’t come here, because coming here allowed me to go to the Jubilee conference, which is what really made an impact [on me],” said Orth.
Because of the changes that are continuously happening in the field of computer science, Orth believes his involvement across many different clubs and groups on campus will be of his benefit when he goes into the workforce.
“I don’t think I would have the lasting piece that I do if I hadn’t been here, if I didn’t have the friends I’ve made here, if I didn’t have the spiritual growth that I’ve experienced here,” said Orth.
Leipold commented on Orth’s individuality and how he thinks it will benefit him in the future.
“I want him to find an interesting, strange job. I think he’s the kind of guy who is a thinker, who can come up with new ways of looking at things and I want to encourage him to do that,” said Leipold.
Orth said Leipold’s unique outlook on teaching has made him consider things that he wouldn’t normally realize, and that’s why Leipold has made such an impact Orth’s life.
Leipold has helped Orth out by guiding him towards success.
“The best teachers don’t really teach you anything, they lead you to find out things for yourself,” said Orth.
Leipold said that he will remember Orth for his unique personality. For example, Leipold said Orth came to his 10 a.m. class with a coffee carafe, drank his coffee and shared it with his classmates.
“He’s that kind of guy,” said Orth on his originality and kindness.
Leipold said Orth’s creativity will take him far in his life.
“If I hadn’t had the processes of computer science behind everything, I don’t think I would have this approach to song writing, but what I’ve learned is if a song doesn’t feel right, don’t worry about it. put it away but don’t throw it out, because you might come back later and find something that works from that song, like ‘what did I like about this song when I originally wrote it’ and ‘what do I not like’ and you take what’s excellent from that and put it into something you wrote ore recently and it makes a more finished product,” said Orth.