David Leal ’26 sits down at the piano in the center of the Salter Hall stage. Hands shaking, he plays through Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Prelude in C Major” from “The 皇冠足球比分_澳门皇冠体育-在线|平台@ll-Tempered Clavier, Book I.” At the conclusion, he sighs—relief visible on his face. He stands, bows, and leaves the stage through the stage door. His second student recital is complete.

Born to Mexican parents near Indianapolis, David Leal ’26 is a first-generation citizen of the U.S. The second of five children, he is the first in his family to attend college. As a teen, Leal had multiple surgeries to lengthen his left leg. That process, and the subsequent rehabilitation, drives his desire to attend medical school to pursue orthopedics.

His Spanish-only-speaking parents supported his pursuing college, but could not help him with his search, applications, or financial aid. Fortunately, his employer at the Cicero, Indiana, Dairy Queen went out of his way to encourage and assist him, as did a frequent customer who happened to be a Wabash alum. The high medical school acceptance rate for Wabash pre-med students was appealing to the aspiring physician. 

Leal describes himself as a shy perfectionist. While he excelled in science courses in high school, he quickly learned that the liberal arts curriculum and small class sizes at Wabash would require him to stretch personally and academically.

“I’m one of those people who has the mindset that you are naturally good at something or you’re not,” Leal says. “The thought of not being good was terrifying. I also get really stressed and anxious speaking. It doesn’t matter if it’s a whole class or two people.”

The faculty of two discussion-based courses his first year, Freshman Tutorial and Enduring Questions, helped him open up and talk more.

“Fear of rejection is a real thing and it affects how you interact with people at all different levels,” says Associate Professor of Biology Patrick Burton who had Leal in his Biology 112 and Enduring Questions (EQ) classes the same semester.

“In biology lab he was chatty with his group, but it was very hard for him to talk in EQ, which is a discussion-based class. 皇冠足球比分_澳门皇冠体育-在线|平台@ spent a lot of time outside of class talking so he would be more confident,” Burton continues. “Slowly, he would start making a comment in class and nothing bad happened. He discovered, ‘Oh, I can do that,’ and went from this quiet kid to one of the guys who helped drive discussion. He credits me, but he should credit himself for figuring out how to find his voice in the classroom.”

Leal says an introduction to psychology course also expanded his understanding of how to overcome his fear.

“I fell in love with psychology. It taught me things I didn’t know about myself,” he says. “Psychology is about more than just mental health. It includes how the mind works and how it affects our behaviors.”

When he received a campus-wide email about piano lessons, he decided to try it.

“I wanted to learn to play the violin when I was in middle and high school, but I just never went for it. Because I was too scared,” he says. “But when I saw the email, I thought, ‘Why not?’ Like psychology, it was something new that was different from everything else I’d been doing. Plus, I thought it could be a cool party trick.”

His teacher, Diane Norton, humanities and collection development coordinator at Lilly Library and adjunct instructor of piano, has seen him grow technically and emotionally in a few short semesters.

“David has progressed beautifully,” Norton says. “He was thinking about it too much. But I’ve enjoyed seeing and hearing him open his heart and allowing himself to be expressive.”

“I’m a perfectionist so I get frustrated with the pieces, but that isn’t the point of playing an instrument,” Leal says. “The point is to get your emotions out. Emotions aren’t perfect so I shouldn’t strive to be perfect. I should strive to give what I’m feeling. I’m trying to play with my heart instead of my brain.”

Norton usually teaches advanced piano students. She delights in seeing the beginner take big steps.

“I was so proud of him last spring when he played for the first time in public. He was extraordinarily nervous,” she continues. “The look on his face when he was finished was like a gift. Not only was he happy, but he was a little bit proud of himself. I was very proud because that’s tough.”

Leal is taking life one note at a time. The member of Kappa Sigma, the Public Health Organization, and sh’OUT continues to seek ways to get involved and learn more about himself and others.

“皇冠足球比分_澳门皇冠体育-在线|平台@ are given these small opportunities. I am trying to put myself out there and be more than just a student,” he concludes. “I’m still working through it, but I try my best. I have become better.”