Andrew Hamm
Spring 2021 John Jay Fellow
Hometown: Jacksonville, FL
College: Jacksonville University
Degree: B.S. Marketing and Management
Andrew graduated summa cum laude from Jacksonville University with a B.S. in Marketing and Management, with a specialization in Philosophy. Through his years of service in the Jacksonville University Honors program, Residential Life, and Rotaract, Andrew realized that although faith wasn’t missing on his campus, academic representation of the Christian faith was. Thus, he launched Ratio Christi, an apologetics organization that served as a medium for students of all backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures to take on life’s challenging questions through a Judeo Christian perspective. With this platform, Andrew hosted weekly teachings and organized several campus-wide events featuring faculty members and renowned apologists including a panel discussion on the topic “Does the Bible Support Slavery?”, a guest lecture on “Faith and Science: What’s the Conflict?” and a debate on the question “Do We Need God for Morality?”.
In addition to founding Ratio Christi, Andrew served as a Resident Advisor for three years and held a Community Leader position his senior year, affording him the opportunity to mentor students and build lasting relationships. Throughout his junior year, he also served as president of the Rotaract Club, where he led donation drives for charities such as Hope’s Closet, Operation Christmas Child, and Hunger Fight. Maintaining academic excellence, Andrew was initiated into the Green Key Honor Society, Jacksonville University’s top 1% of student performance in academics and campus leadership, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, and the Davis College of Business’s Top 40 undergraduate students.
During his studies, Andrew found himself using business research projects to explore the connection between faith traditions and societal flourishing. For his honors capstone project, he analyzed the importance of religion in a globalized world. Realizing his passion for first amendment legal protections, he later conducted his senior research project on the tension between free speech and anti-discrimination laws. Andrew now hopes to blend his passions for apologetics and business in a career in law and public policy that defends first amendment rights for individuals and corporations.
Andrew’s non-academic interests include painting, refinishing furniture, lifting weights, and going to concerts. He is excited to grow in community with the other fellows at the Institute, develop his personal character, and explore new topics of study and career opportunities.