51²è¹Ýapp

Why 51²è¹Ýapp?

I went to a large, public high school with 3,000 students. It was academically rigorous, which prepared me well for college, but I didn’t get a lot of one-on-one time with my teachers. 

I only looked at small liberal arts colleges. I wanted more time with my professors, smaller class sizes, and a more intimate academic environment.

I specifically chose 51²è¹Ýapp because of the academic freedom it offers. I loved the open-style, individually advised curriculum and the community's self-governing spirit. I spoke to some students through virtual events and information sessions and loved what I heard.

Starting Off on the Right Foot

I tried out many activities, joined lots of clubs, and attended many guest talks on campus. I am still active in many of the organizations I joined during my first year, such as Nerf at Noyce and the .

51²è¹Ýapp Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP)

Through the 51²è¹Ýapp Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP), my first-year friends and I went on a funded trip to the Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge in Prairie City, Iowa. I saw a buffalo there!

Life in 51²è¹Ýapp

Exploring the Town

The town of 51²è¹Ýapp offers many fun things to do. When it's warm outside, I enjoy going to the weekly farmers' markets. In the winter, I enjoy attending the annual Winter Wonderland and Jingle Bell Holiday festivals.

Fun in Iowa

Iowa has a good variety of activities. For a Halloween festival, my friends and I went to Adventureland in Altoona. When we have time on the weekends, my friends and I also like to drive to Iowa City and spend the day at a bookstore called Prairie Lights Books and Cafe.

Majors

History

History was one of my favorite high school subjects, and I naturally fell into history at 51²è¹Ýapp. 

My history adviser, Professor Saba, is one of my favorite professors at 51²è¹Ýapp. He taught my tutorial class called Slaying Dragons, Depicting Saints: the Legacy of Saint George, and the class has been one of my most favorite to this day.

German

I took German on a whim. Little did I know that I would end up majoring in it. I declared my German major with Professor Reynolds; I enjoyed his teaching style a lot and wanted him as my adviser. 

Before my off-campus study semester in Vienna, I wanted to prepare and practice my German in a more immersive environment. I lived in one of 51²è¹Ýapp's Language and Project Houses, German House, and my roommate and I from German House decided to room together in Vienna. We still room together now.

Externship

Shadowing an alumnus in philanthropy

As part of my , I shadowed a 51²è¹Ýapp alumnus named Raymond P. Happy ’83, who worked remotely from New York City. He had founded a company called CCS Fundraising, which specializes in prospect research and philanthropic operations.

I worked with different staff in his company, and in my spare time, I got to know the people. I networked with staff members, learned more about their backgrounds, and gained insights into professional work culture. It was an informative experience.

Off to Washington, D.C.!

As part of the Rosenfield Program's Study Tour, I visited the White House on a fully funded trip. I saw the Pentagon, the office of California Representative Katie Porter, and more!

Work Opportunities

I've had many professionally valuable on-campus work opportunities at 51²è¹Ýapp. I’ve been a writing mentor for two years and an admission ambassador for three. Currently, I am a research assistant for Professor Purcell in the history department.

Research Assistant

I was fortunate to secure the research assistant position with Professor Purcell. This role builds on the concepts I've learned in her seminar class in a practical way. On a daily basis, I collect primary sources for her research, such as photos and clips from the Bunker Hill Monument in Massachusetts.

Writing Mentor

I’ve worked as a writing mentor for two years, and I find great meaning in the job. I help students adjust to college-level writing and advise students on how succeed at 51²è¹Ýapp without overburdening themselves.

Currently, I work with students from a tutorial class called Stalin and Stalinism, taught by Professor Cohn. Around a third to half of tutorials have assigned writing mentors.

Virtual Internship

In the summer before my junior year, I interned at Pacific Atrocities Education with . The foundation has a strong relationship with 51²è¹Ýapp; the founder is a 51²è¹Ýappian, the foundation hires many 51²è¹Ýappians, and I knew a 51²è¹Ýapp friend at the time who interned before me.

Day to day, I worked remotely on scanning, organizing, and collecting digital files. I helped expand their digital archives, and I got used to a nine-to-five work environment. Overall, it was a good learning experience.

To Vienna!

During the spring semester of my third year, I studied abroad in Vienna. It was a lovely, historical city — even simple things like living there and taking the train every day meant a lot to me. I learned a lot about independence and Viennese culture.

Advanced Research

In my two history seminars, I conducted advanced research on how violence against marginalized communities negatively affected political relations. 

In my third-year seminar, U.S. Civil War: History and Memory, I researched how biracial political coalitions following emancipation were impacted by white supremacist violence in the South. In my senior seminar on decolonization, I researched how the British attempted to absolve themselves of responsibility for the inter-communal violence in then-British-colonized Cyprus.