| Major: |
International Politics and Economics |
| Hometown: |
Kingston, Jamaica |
| Favorites: |
Playing soccer; attending special lectures; reading |
| One thing I am: |
Co-chair of the Ross Commons Council |
Before I came here, my mom said to me, “I trust that you will do well academically; now I want you to develop your leadership capabilities.” That message has helped me. I didn’t see myself as open and thoughtful. I didn’t realize that I could do so many things in the world. I always knew I had a passion, but there was no direction to it. The mere fact that you can be devoted to a cause, organize an event to bring visibility to it, and 60 students will show up is amazing. I now see the difference between me and my friends back home — the difference between who I was and who I am becoming. I’m learning to take my growing level of civic engagement, seeing how people mobilize, and transfer it back home.
I’ve researched and presented about environmental justice in Africa. Next year, we are having our first-ever Middlebury student environmental retreat. And I will organize an activity to raise money and awareness to help in the global fight against malaria, the leading killer disease among pregnant women and children in Africa.
This level of activism is where I’ve made my closest friends. I presume they will be lifelong friendships.