For sophomore Paul Treder, history and politics go hand in hand.

“I just find it interesting and I like to kind of see how history reflects the world around me,” Treder said. “I like to just read about the two of them and just kind of connect almost to the two of them in a certain sense.”

He gained a passion for history in his seventh grade math class when he got bored and started reading a history atlas. From there, Treder participated in geography competitions, winning one in seventh grade and Social Studies Olympiad Quiz Bowl, where he placed second at the state level. These experiences and the recent 2016 election spurred his interest in politics.

After analyzing patterns in history prior to the election, Treder concluded that he would back President Donald Trump.

“Part of my reasoning for … supporting him was that I kind of analyzed the patterns in history,” he said. “It’s just a good skill to have in any career just the knowledge of both.”

Although he doesn’t plan to pursue a career in politics, Treder is considering becoming an attorney. Treder said he wants to join the College Republican National Committee and continue to learn about both subjects in the future.

“(Politics) is just a really important part of our country and it’s just what’s going on,” Treder said. “I definitely don’t want to go into it, but I like to be a part of what our country is doing.”