Philosophy is one of Pace’s top five majors with the highest unemployment rates. However, this hasn’t stopped Student Government Association’s (SGA) new president elect John Wrench from pursuing what interests him.

“My parents supported my decision to major in philosophy,” Wrench, junior, said as he sat in his future office as president of SGA. “They know if you enjoy something enough, you’ll make your own way.”

Wrench is doing all he can to make his own way, and he remains open to new ideas and inspiration from others. He is minoring in both political science and in peace and justice studies, which he believes will complement his major of philosophy and religious studies by providing an understanding of the political system and of conflict management.

Wrench decided as a freshman in high school that he would major in philosophy, a decision that he claimed wasn’t a completely serious one, but most appealing because it “combined everything” (i.e. concepts from different fields of study including history and English).

A teacher in his high school bet that he would change his mind by his senior year, but Wrench stuck with philosophy and still is. He founded a philosophy club at Pace, using his interests to not only continue studying the field but also to get involved on campus and learn how student government works.

Wrench, who has been a senator for a campus organization, realizes that those in student government are representatives of the student body. Senators don’t directly reap the benefits of their work- they work for the student body and those are the people who benefit.

Wrench is planning on making student government more accessible to students through his time in office and plans on tackling many goals which include implementing individual college representatives in senate and new library schedule.

“I’m not outside experiences that we all have together,” Wrench said. “While I’m representing, I understand the things people are going through.”

His interest in working as a representative and voice of people is also apparent in his career goals.

“I want to be a Foreign Service officer for the state,” said Wrench, who is native to Rochester, New York. “I’d be an ambassador to other countries in the world.”

Wrench, who is interested in a political career track, would be willing to take on all of the duties a Foreign Service officer could have, essentially acting as the representative of the United States in another country. Wrench feels that he can use his experience and his studies to go to another country and meet the duties of a Foreign Service officer, from meeting leaders of the area to developing new initiatives in that country.

“I want to have a far-reaching career,” Wrench said. “I want to have an intense and challenging experience.”

This dream would also satisfy Wrench’s desire for travel, something he feels is important to do before “getting stuck” in a career and foregoing the chance to explore the world.

His parents and older sister encourage worldly exploration and fully support his passion for philosophy and other hobbies.

Wrench has not yet traveled across Europe, but he has explored a passion in music, imparted to him by his father, a musician.

Wrench plays the guitar, bass, drums, and played the trumpet in middle school.

His sister has been an example to Wrench, as she has several degrees and influenced him in studying, reading different books, and listening to different types of music.

“My sister is very academic, and she rubbed off on me to be more academic and to be exposed to new ideas,” Wrench said.

The new SGA president will continue to be exposed to new ideas through his time in office and campus involvement. Wrench hopes to spend some time out of the office as well in places such as Pace Perk and other popular hang-out spots on campus to expand SGA from its headquarters in Kessel Student Center.