Aaron Larsen ’08 parlayed his natural talent for talking into success as a debater and speaker

Richter, Kasey, \u2709

English

Aaron Larsen ’08 parlayed his natural talent for talking into success as a debater and speaker

DigitalCommons@Linfield

Linfield Magazine Volume 4 Number 3 Winter 2008 Article 10 Winter 2008 Communication Is Easy for This Natural-Born Talker Kasey Richter '09 Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/linfield_magazine Recommended Citation Richter, Kasey '09 (2008) "Communication Is Easy for This Natural-Born Talker," Linfield Magazine: Vol. 4 : No. 3 , Article 10. Available at: https://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/linfield_magazine/vol4/iss3/10 This article is brought to you for free via open access, courtesy of DigitalCommons@Linfield. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@linfield.edu. 2 0   -   L I N F I E L D  M A G A Z I N Earon Larsen ’08 was born into a family oftalkers. Whether he learned it from hisgrandma, who told incredible stories, or hisgrandfather, “a barber with the soul of apoet,” Larsen knows how to keep a conversation going. “Both my parents are social, especially my mom wholikes to chat it up with people,” Larsen said. And it’s clear hegot that gene – he can’t go more than five minutes withoutwaving to someone across the room orhaving a friend stop by to chat.Larsen, a communication artsmajor, has parlayed his natural talentinto success as a debater and speaker,participating in several tournaments asa member of the Linfield forensicsteam. He recently placed fourth in theMahaffey Memorial Tournament,hosted by Linfield.But he struggled to express him-self while studying in Costa Rica hisjunior year. His host sister, Yuli, helpedhim overcome obstacles presented bythe Spanish language.“There I was, a communicationarts major, learning how to speakEnglish effectively and persuasively, yetwhen I’m in Costa Rica, I’m outdone constantly by her andher language,” Larsen said. “It became a goal of mine to real-ly learn the language so, in a way, I could compete with her.”Larsen’s competitive spirit and wide-ranging interestspushed him into film last summer, when he served as aproduction assistant and actor on a film directed by KevinCurry ’92 and Devon Lyon ’97. The movie, Age, Sex,Location, deals with the dangers of the Internet. Larsen’sprimary responsibility was to check for continuitybetween scenes of the movie. He also became familiarwith copyright issues and removed or hid any products ina scene that could present copyright problems. A bonuswas the chance to use the Spanish skills he had polishedin Costa Rica by serving as a translator on the set. “It was rewarding because I was able to take the (studyabroad) experience and actually apply it to real life,” he said. This spring, Larsen is exploring his passion for musicas he completes his senior thesis on the impact ofcountry music on American impressions of Mexicanculture. Larsen hopes to demonstrate that songs such as“Margaritaville” and “The Seashores of Old Mexico”depict stereotypes of Mexico that do not necessarilyreflect reality.At the same time, he is applying for a new and uniqueFulbright award. MTV and the Fulbright organizationhave teamed up to sponsor a project that investigates howcontemporary music can be used to facilitate inter-cultural communication. If he receives the award,Larsen will examine some waysreggae music may ease tensionsbetween Costa Rican citizens andNicaraguan immigrants.“My goal would be to selectbands from both Nicaragua andCosta Rica to perform in front of anaudience made up of Costa Ricancitizens and Nicaraguan immigrantsto provide an experience that theycan both enjoy and build upon,”Larsen said. “All relationships beginwith a shared interest, and in this caseit is music.” Linfield has been a perfect fitfor Larsen, who has developed deeprelationships with classmates, fraterni-ty brothers and professors such asJackson Miller, his forensics advisor. “Many of these people have become like familyto me,” Larsen said. “The people you find here are thepeople who genuinely care and who see you not as anumber but as a person. They want to see you succeed.”– Kasey Richter ’09W I N T E R  2 0 0 8 -   2 1Communication is easyfor this natural-born talkerTom Wiggins ’09 has little memoryof his confrontation with death.But the former U.S. Army AirborneRanger has a new zest for living and hasmade a nearly full recovery since hisheart stopped three times on a battlefieldin Afghanistan in 2004. Now 25, he is aLinfield business major, has a careerwith Evergreen Aviation and has self-pub-lished a book, 100 Days in the Ghan, detailing hiscombat experiences.“I have a new appreciation for life,” Wiggins said.“I’ve learned that life is too short and nothing is prom-ised so you can’t wait for opportunities to arise. Youhave to make them.”Wiggins, born and raised in Gainesville, Fla., wasdeployed five times to Iraq and Afghanistan during histhree years of military service. But his life changed withthe crack of gunfire on May 13, 2004, when he wasambushed and critically injured during a patrol of theAfghanistan-Pakistan border. He was shot 17 times,including twice in the head, and spent the next twomonths in a coma.“I knew something had happened to me but I didn’tknow what,” he said. “One day I woke up and couldn’thear anymore.”Wiggins used a dry-erase board to communicateduring his 18-month recovery at a series of militaryhospitals. Although the shooting left him deaf, he nowhas limited hearing thanks to a surgically implantedcochlear device that amplifies sound. Wiggins, senior leader of Evergreen Defense andSecurity Services, relocated to McMinnville andresumed the education he set aside for the military.He has found an unexpected camaraderie amongLinfield students, faculty and staff and has beenparticularly impressed by the strong BusinessDepartment.“Everyone at Linfield wants to see each othersucceed,” said Wiggins, who models his life as abusiness. “Everything that you do every single day is apart of your business, and depending on how you runthat business, you will either succeed or fail.”In his Linfield classes, a stenographer sits besideWiggins in the front row, types each lecture andtransmits the classroom discussion instantaneously to hislaptop screen.Mike Jones, Harold C. Elkinton Professor ofAccounting, is also a military veteran and has connect-ed with Wiggins on a personal level.“I feel invested in him and I enjoy having him inclass,” Jones said. “He’s a quick wit.”Besides managing a full course load at Linfield,Wiggins also travels extensively for Evergreen – helogged 85 days last year escorting politicians andcelebrities to high-conflict areas around the world.Clients have included former President George H.W.Bush and actor George Clooney.Delford Smith, owner and founder of EvergreenAviation and a Linfield College trustee, said Wiggins’initiative drives his success.“Tom has demonstrated natural leadership, whichis one of the rarest talents on earth,” he said. “Tomhas the ability to overcome adversity. These setbacksseem to be a launching pad for him to conceive,believe and achieve.”Looking ahead, Wiggins hopes to hold public officeone day.“I have a lot I want to do,” he said. “My goal hasalways been to be in the U.S. Senate by age 32. Thatmay seem very ambitious, but I’ve learned that goalsetting is goal-getting.” – Laura DavisTom Wiggins ‘09, a business major, is a former Army AirborneRanger who was injured in Afghanistan. Today, he combinesLinfield classes with escorting politicians and celebrities to high-conflict areas around the world for Evergreen Aviation.During last fall’s homecoming celebration, Aaron Larsen ‘08interviewed and recorded alumni who shared memories of theircollege years.Tom Wiggins ’09Taking off at Linfield“The people you findhere are the people whogenuinely care and who see you not as a number but as a person. They want to see you succeed.”A

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Communication Is Easy for This Natural-Born Talker

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