Goucher College: Profile of Gary Decker

Gary Decker
Political science major, international relations minor / Gambrills, MD

I’m really bringing my study-abroad experience into my studies. In politics and international relations courses, I remember the experiences that I had in South Africa, and think a lot more about how big ideas can affect individual people.

An aspiring politician and avid soccer player, Gary Decker came to Goucher hoping to combine his academic interests with his desire to play college ball. Though Decker felt he could compete on the Division I level, he knew that joining Goucher’s Division III men’s soccer team would mean more time on the field—and more time to focus on political science.

"I wanted to go to a Division III school to focus on academics. I wanted smaller classes, a more intimate setting, and more access to professors," recalls Decker. "Also, I wanted to play soccer all four years. Most times, at Division I schools, even if you’re pretty good, you’ll sit on the bench most of your freshman year and maybe some of your sophomore year. Why would I want to sit? I love soccer."

As a midfielder, Decker has earned numerous awards, including recognition as an all-region performer by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, an honor that won him a spot as a second-team midfielder on the 2006 NSCAA/adidas NCAA Division III Men’s All-South Region Team.

As a member of the first-ever Goucher soccer team to go abroad, Decker had the chance to integrate his love for soccer with his interest in world travel. The 19-man team enjoyed a 10-day "friendship tour" through England and Scotland, where they attended professional games and played four exhibition matches against British teams.

"I had played abroad before I got to college, in Milan. But this was different," says Decker. "I was with a college team, I was older. I was able to appreciate the experience abroad more."

While Decker’s trip to the United Kingdom expanded his knowledge of European football culture, "Social Policy and Inequality in South Africa," a three-week intensive course abroad in South Africa broadened his interest in international politics. The course included some meetings with South African public officials and local organizations, but Decker was particularly intrigued by how directly the government’s decisions seemed to affect the public.

"When you think about politics in the U.S., you think about the two-party system, you think about red and blue states, you think about all these bureaucratic institutions," says Decker. "But in South Africa, it really hit home—that’s not what what politics is really about. The local politicians we talked to were passionate about representing the people of their area. They were there to serve the people. And as a politician, that’s really what your job is. People there are passionate about politics because it affects them so directly."

Upon his return to the States, Decker had a chance to apply some of what he learned about the intersection of political action and personal concerns during an internship in the office of Congressman C.A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger (D-Maryland). As Ruppersberger’s intern, Decker wrote responses to constituents and worked alongside legislative assistants, who showed him how congressmen keep up-to-date on issues.

"When talking to constituents, I really tried to put myself in their shoes, instead of just writing down their complaints," says Decker. "When I passed their concerns along to other members of the Congressman’s staff, I tried to convey the emotion behind their concerns."

Decker also attended high-profile committee hearings, including a meeting of the Iran Working Group that featured three-time Pulitzer Prize winner Thomas Friedman—an experience that Decker describes as "an honor."

"Ruppersberger asked me personally if I’d like to go to an intelligence committee hearing," recalls Decker. "I got to see the intelligence, military, and legislative communities coming together, sharing information and ideas. These hearings were a chance to see, at least partly, the integration between branches of government."

After graduation, Decker hopes to work as a foreign service officer at the State Department, or as a political analyst. He plans on staying near Washington, D.C., and seeing where his commitment to the personal side of politics leads him.

"I think Goucher has prepared me well not only in terms of how much I’ve learned, but also in terms of the relationships I’ve created," says Decker. "The professors we have here make time for their students. That accessibility has allowed me to get a full political science education, and learn how to go about getting a job and doing what I want to do."

I’m really bringing my study-abroad experience into my studies. In politics and international relations courses, I remember the experiences that I had in South Africa, and think a lot more about how big ideas can affect individual people.

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