Brett Hutira

When looking at colleges, Brett Hutira knew that he wanted to attend a school where he could grow, play football and be part of a strong engineering program. After visiting Geneva College, he knew right away that he was in the perfect place to pursue these goals. And, he felt that the people on campus truly cared for his well being and wanted him to succeed.

Growing up in the Greater Latrobe area, Brett was always into sports, including having active roles on his high school’s baseball and football teams. And that passion for athletics has continued to Geneva, where he is the starting safety for the Golden Tornadoes.

During his campus visit, Brett met the football team’s head coach, Geno DeMarco, and was immediately impressed with his caring nature. “He was very attentive to what I needed and very supportive.” Coach DeMarco’s support has continued throughout Brett’s college career. “He helped me achieve my academic potential by being so adamant about putting school first.”

Brett says that Coach DeMarco’s example has influenced the approach of entire football staff, which has be extremely cooperative with his challenging academic schedule, allowing him to reach his full potential, not only on the field, but also in the classroom.

His inspiration for pursuing a degree in civil engineering came from family ties. With everyone in Brett’s immediate family a part of the construction business, he attributes his passion to what he grew up around. “I have an interest in all my major classes. It’s real-life learning, and this is exactly what I wanted.”

Brett says that the team atmosphere at Geneva goes beyond the playing field and into the classroom. And he appreciates how this has allowed him to learn from others how best to apply his talents. “You don’t do engineering by yourself; everything is a team and you need those people to learn and check everything.”

This classroom experience prepared him for a summer internship with PennDot, where he validated his decision to come to Geneva. “I know I’ll apply all my knowledge and skills from classes in the workforce.” And after graduation, Brett plans to work in the field of construction management as a structural engineer, designing homes and buildings.

 Despite his hectic schedule, Brett will be able to achieve his goal of graduating in four years. And how does he feel about accepting the challenge of being a student-athlete with the rigorous academic workload of an engineering major? “It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.”

-Julia Schademan ’13