Washington and Lee University
Major: Geology
Minor: Shepherd Poverty Program
Alliance Internship: Boys, Girls, Adults Community Development Center in Marvell, AR
I became interested in the Shepherd Program in high school, and it was part of the reason I came to W&L. The Shepherd Program determined a lot of the classes I took-poverty is not a topic that is discussed a lot at W&L, but I saw an increase in awareness just in the four years I was there, and I think that is mostly due to the efforts of my peers in the program.
I studied geology, so it was a struggle to figure out a capstone topic that involved both poverty and earth science; however, researching topics made me realize that the ways in which we exploit natural resources often benefit some at the cost of whole communities. The Shepherd Program complemented my study of geology by equipping me to look at world events analytically. Whatever I end up doing professionally, I want it to benefit the least well off.
Capstone Paper Topic: Arsenic Contamination in Bangladesh Groundwater
Community Service at W&L:
• Poverty 102 placement at the Magnolia Center
• WyldLife leader at Lylburn Downing Middle School
Other W&L Activities:
• Co-Captain, Cross Country and Track
• Archivist Kappa Alpha Theta