Who is the nicest guy on campus? All should answer: Mr. Mark Polak. Polak, a senior, is majoring in elementary and middle school education at Monmouth College, and hails from Westchester, Ill.

Polak, who constantly smiles and waves as he crosses campus, says he will miss the people at Monmouth College, and the relationships he has made. The senior says, “Each person has left an imprint on my memory that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”

In his sophomore year, Polak remembers going on the Alternative Spring Break trip to Tulsa, Ok. “I met new people and made a lot of friends. It felt really nice to be part of something so good.”

Polak has a famous smile that he wears wherever he goes, and he says that, “I hope to be positive and really try to bring out the good in situations. I am always trying to give students the positives to look at.”

Fellow senior Abigail McLaughlin said that Mark always brings an “uplifting atmosphere.”

While at Monmouth College, Polak has become heavily involved. He has participated in Residence Life, and is currently a resident assistant in Graham Hall. Polak has also served on two Alternative Spring Break trips, and is very active as a student chaplain.

As Polak reflects on Monmouth College, he says, “A lot of it is the small size and really getting to know the people…It allows you to develop special relationships.”

After graduation, Polak is hoping to get a teaching job near his hometown. What he will miss the most is the people and the relationships that he has built with his friends, peers and the faculty of the education department.

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