Gustie of the Week: Andrew Dooley

This week’s Gustie of the Week is Junior Andrew Dooley, a double major in geology and environmental studies from Blaine, Minnesota.
Dooley lived away from home and worked during summers in high school before coming to Gustavus, so he was used to the increased independence that came with the transition onto a college campus.
“There were some differences… new experiences, having to learn how to handle lab work in addition to standard course work, and all the regular information new students have to take in, but beyond that, it wasn’t too rough for me,” Dooley said.
Although Dooley is a legacy student, he wasn’t originally interested in coming to Gustavus.
“I joked with my mom that I wouldn’t go to Gustavus, but she had me sign up for a tour during the Minnesota private college week during the summer of my junior year. As soon as I finished with the tour I fell in love with the place,” Dooley said.
He ended up taking three more tours of Gustavus that summer before applying through the early bird application. After he was accepted, Dooley came back during J-term to take another tour and gain more insight into student life.
“Ironically, I ended up at the place I never thought I’d go, and I wouldn’t change it for the world,” Dooley said.
Dooley is the Co-President of the Inter-Greek Council, the President of Gustavus Men’s Rugby, an executive of the Swing Dance Club and the Geology Club, a member of fraternity Epsilon Pi Alpha (Eppies) and has been a Geology TA for multiple semesters.
Dooley arrived at Gustavus interested in environmental science, though he soon became interested in geology after taking several courses. By the end of his first year, Dooley had decided to major in both environmental science and geology, both to further his interests and because of the overlap between the course loads.
“I really like the geology courses and faculty, and the viewpoint they came at the entire discipline with… Geology has really become my home, and that has opened a lot of doors for me,” Dooley said.
Dooley has decided to pursue geology into graduate school.
“I love how the Earth works, its systems, and processes. I can use that knowledge to help other people in my professional career,” Dooley said.
Dooley credits part of his success to the faculty he has interacted with through his years at Gustavus.
“I’m happy that I found that…the faculty were so interactive and engaging. They promoted [me] to pursue options, passions, sent emails about things that were in our career paths and interests. It’s a really welcoming environment, in addition to the fact that it’s what I love to do,” Dooley said.
Dooley came to Gustavus wanting to have fun, play a sport, and meet new people. He was interested in joining a fraternity but didn’t really look into it until a friend brought him to an Epsilon Pi Alpha recruiting event during his sophomore year.
“I walked into the room and realized that I knew half the people there from various other leadership roles across campus organizations. I knew that was the chapter for me…I’ve never looked back,” Dooley said.
Becoming a member of Eppies has greatly impacted Dooley’s experience at Gustavus.
“[With] the brotherhood and connection we all share, I can rely on them for anything, [whether] it’s academic, extracurricular, or a personal family issue… It lifts all of our spirits,” Dooley said.
Overall, Dooley’s experiences through different organizations and clubs have motivated him to follow his goals and explore new opportunities.
“It’s opened so many new connections for me…new experiences shape who you become, who you are, and they also make you reflect on what you have done in a very eye-opening way that makes you grateful for what you already have and also makes you want to continue to pursue your passions,” Dooley said.
Dooley plans on finishing his undergraduate degree at Gustavus, and then going on to pursue a master’s degree in hydrogeology. He is planning to provide a communal service, most likely with a public agency like the US Geological Survey (USGS) or the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (NPCA), though he is also considering out-of-state options.