“ If you don ' t devote your life to it, you ' re in the wrong spot and you ' re not going to make it,” Herberstein said.“ So, I gave my 100 % while I was in and once my service was up, I shifted my focus elsewhere.”
So, why Commerce?
A pressing question is how an Austrian soldier finds his way to East Texas in the first place. But Clemens was more familiar with the region than one might think.
“ My grandmother actually owns land in Roxton, Texas,” Herberstein said.“ So I had spent some time in East Texas before.”
He also had the lowdown on what campus life was like. ETAMU alum and fellow European Remy Schenk is a close friend of Herberstein. Schenk spoke with him at length about his education in Commerce and Herberstein even visited the campus as a teenager.
“ One of the first things that struck me is how accessible the campus is for any issue you have,” Herberstein said.“ Whatever you need help with, there ' s someone here to assist you. You feel like there are no roadblocks to success.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF CLEMENS HERBERSTEIN / EAST TEXAS A & M MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
8 GREENVILLE LIFE