Hunter Brophy’s studies are in the stars, but his heart is in the sea
Hunter Brophy, a first-year astronomy major at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, has a special connection to the sea. He grew up on coastlines with a dad in the Navy, and he starts at USC as a Navy cadet himself. His admission essay was about his deep appreciation for the ocean and its preservation.
What are your greatest hobbies, passions and interests?
My greatest hobbies and interests are in fitness. I follow the bodybuilding scene relatively closely and love learning about ways to improve the body. I also thoroughly enjoy the ocean and nature and, as an ocean lifeguard in the Monterey area, I have a close relationship with the environment.
Was there an impactful experience in your life that really shaped who you are today that you can share?
What shaped me today wasn’t necessarily a single experience, but instead the experiences of moving every two to three years growing up. My dad was in the Navy, and moving around with him throughout my childhood allowed me to build my social experience, and to understand myself to a greater extent as I met hundreds of people and decided which of those people to stay by as positive influences.
What do you think is the greatest achievement/or highest point of your life so far?
My greatest achievement so far has been becoming a Midshipman 4th Class in the Navy at USC. It had always been my dream to join the Navy and serve my country, following the footsteps of my family before me. It was my first large step into a meaningful life, and a step that I had been building to get to since developing that dream as a very young kid.
Why did you choose USC and what did you do when you found out you got in?
I personally chose USC for the family-type relationship everyone who goes to USC seems to have, and the idea that our excitement in our privilege to go to USC isn’t a cocky one, but an honored one. The story of my acceptance is a funny one: I was sitting around with my best friend and his brother during a trip to Tahoe to ski, and I got the email that I had been accepted. I said, “No way! I just got into USC!” and my friend simply goes, “So?” I was later attacked by snowballs outside as the rest of the group got the news, but the initial reaction was quite lackluster — but hilarious.