Student Profile: Will Leija
Will Leija is a big fan of doing hard things. He was on the Varsity baseball team, robotics, honors classes, Boy Scouts, and now he’s raising the bar for Texas State’s physics department.
Will Leija, top row far right, and the Stelos Scholars cohort
“I always strive to do things that are difficult. I knew if I did that, it would make me a better person.”
When he was completing his Eagle Scout certification in high school, he was in charge of a cement truck and directing 20-30 men. It was a difficult project, but in the end he completed a giant rosary sculpture made from concrete.
“If you can do this, you can do anything,” Will said to himself.
Now as a junior physics major at Texas State, Will wants to raise TXST’s program to a higher standard. He joined the honors college and received undergrad research funding to start working on that goal.
Will Leija at Stelos Scholars team building 2021
Eventually, Will wants to get his masters, PhD, and then work at NASA as an astronaut.
“It sounds crazy to say,” Will said.
In addition to orbiting the planets, Will is passionate about his faith. He went to a Catholic high school in San Antonio and is now in a leadership role at the Catholic Student Center.
“It’s cool to get away from science and do something community driven,” Will said.