Tell us about a pivotal moment in your ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ career.
One of the most pivotal moments in my time at ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ was my experience as a pre-orientation leader for the Max A. Shacknai Center for Outreach, Volunteerism, and Education or COVE before the start of my sophomore year. My first year at ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ, I never felt I was truly on solid footing. That whole year, I only had one class that wasn’t entirely online, and every part of my life on campus was at risk of changing with the frequency of COVID-19 in our community. Even as I began my sophomore year, I felt extremely disoriented. To my great relief, as soon as pre-orientation began, I found myself adapting and becoming more confident in myself and my identity as a ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ student. The incoming first years were counting on me to answer their questions and quell worries about their entry into college, and no matter my own anxieties, I was going to do right by them. As a group, we traveled around Madison County, clearing overgrown paths, building playgrounds, working at soup kitchens, and volunteering with various community organizations. During this time, I was able to connect with students and community partners, and I finally felt secure with my place on campus.
What did you do this summer?
This summer, I worked as a research assistant for Rachel Dinero, visiting assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences, where we began a community-based research project concerning parent-child stressors, and child health and development in rural communities after the pandemic. I also worked as a book editing assistant for Associate Professor of Anthropology Elana Shever. Lastly, in early August, I went to Menorca, Spain, to participate in an archeological field school. This is going to be a very busy year for me, but I am so excited to see where it takes me.
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
My favorite place on campus is the Sociology and Anthropology (SOAN) lounge on the fourth floor of Alumni Hall. In my first-year seminar, the Anthropology of the Anthropocene, taught by Professor Ries, I realized how interested I was in anthropology. I have yet to spend a semester at ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ where I haven’t taken an anthropology class, which has led me to spend lots of time in Alumni Hall and, by extension, in the SOAN lounge. I’ve spent countless hours in the lounge studying, chatting with professors, spending time with friends between classes, and, more recently, building famous archeological sites with Jenga blocks. Now that I no longer live up the hill, the SOAN lounge has been my home base, and whether I walk up the steep stairs that are thirteen per flight (go ’gate) or take the elevator, I know I’ll always be welcome.
What advice would you give to future ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ students?
I would tell new students to take advantage of all the events at ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ and beyond. Checking my ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ email semi-consistently for events has taken me to the New York State Fair, an RV show, and several on-campus events. My favorites include ‘gate skate and trivia. I also recommend trying as many new things as possible. I would never have imagined myself as a DJ for WRCU, the campus radio station, until my sophomore year when I started jokingly discussing it with my Vibe Ultimate Frisbee teammates, Scout Carruthers ’24 and Robyn Landes ’24. Four semesters later, the show has become a key part of my ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ experience and something that I look forward to each week.
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