易胜博官网

Saying goodbye to graduating seniors is bittersweet. Among the class of 2022 are nine students who particularly tug at the heartstrings: the College of Liberal Arts student fellows. These scholars served as stellar ambassadors for the college in their final year of study. As they take their leave, we give you a glimpse into their 易胜博官网 experiences. We thank them for their service and wish them well on their journeys.

Bryson Badeau Kasey Birth Elza Brechbuhl Taylor Donnelly Riley Espat Nathaniel Hunt Thomas McDonough Camden Roy James Silveria

Bryson Badeau

Theatre and performance were Bryson Badeau鈥檚 passion long before he came to 易胜博官网. 鈥淚鈥檝e been performing since I was three years old,鈥� the Dedham, Mass., native says. 鈥淚鈥檝e always been passionate about theatre.鈥�

Badeau is pursuing a degree in secondary theatre education, one of the reasons he chose 易胜博官网. 鈥淚t isn鈥檛 offered at a lot of other schools,鈥� he says. Originally a pre-law major, Badeau switched to secondary theatre education because he believed he鈥檇 be happiest studying theatre. He added a second major, design and theatre technology, with an emphasis on lighting design, after learning more about the tech side of productions. 鈥淚 love the connections and opportunities that being a theatre major offers,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t allows you to work with so many different people in so many different areas and allows you to explore your creativity in ways you can share with an audience.鈥�

Active in all things theatre on campus, Badeau is a member of WildActs, 易胜博官网鈥檚 social justice theatre troupe, and is president of the Mask and Dagger Dramatic Society, a student organization that produces live theatrical productions and provides opportunities to explore various areas of theatre. The Society fully funds and produces its own shows, which has helped Badeau further strengthen his leadership and communication skills. He also works as a technical assistant in the Department of Theatre and Dance scene shop, working on all areas of the school鈥檚 mainstage theatre productions, from lighting and sound to set design and costumes (one of his prop designs was nominated for an award from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival).

Thanks to support from Raina Ames, Theatre and Dance Department chair and Badeau鈥檚 advisor, he has secured a position after college as artistic director at Village Nest Cooperative, an outdoor school where he currently serves as a substitute teacher. His ultimate goal is to become a high school theatre teacher. 鈥淚 fell in love with drama in high school so I want to help other high school students feel the same passion,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y liberal arts education has helped me make connections with surrounding schools and theatres in 易胜博官网.鈥�

Kasey Birth

During her time in COLA, Kasey Birth has parlayed her passion for World War II history into a multi-year internship, fascinating research opportunities, academic recognition and more.

The history major interned for a full year at the Wright Museum of World War II in Wolfeboro, N.H., her hometown. The research and information she gathered about women in the military during her time at the museum inspired her senior capstone paper as well as her honor鈥檚 thesis. 鈥淚鈥檓 focusing on the experiences and different perceptions faced by the Women鈥檚 Army Corps, the Women鈥檚 Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) and Army and Navy Nursing Corps during World War II,鈥� she says. A theoretical interactive museum exhibit about the WASPs that Birth created for a museum studies course won her the History Department鈥檚 Harris Paper Prize. She鈥檚 also a member of Phi Beta Kappa and a recipient of the Edmund G. Miller Award, presented annually to a new Phi Beta Kappa member with the highest GPA.

Birth knew she wanted to study history before coming to 易胜博官网; classes with faculty like associate professor Molly Dorsey convinced her she was in the right major. 鈥淗er teaching and concern for her students鈥� education assured me I made the right decision majoring in history,鈥� Birth says. 鈥淚 also have always enjoyed the skills and tasks associated with history, including reading, analytical thinking and writing.鈥� Through COLA, Birth has explored a variety of courses inside and out of her major that capture her interest. She hopes to attend law school after graduation this May.

In addition to her academic interests, Birth is a member of Chi Omega sorority, the Pre-Law Society and the undergraduate History Department committee. 鈥淎n important lesson I learned at 易胜博官网 is to branch out and take interest in the community around you to the fullest extent possible,鈥� Birth says. She also enjoys the flexibility of being in COLA. 鈥淚鈥檝e had the opportunity to explore so many different topics and interests. The staff is great at encouraging students to follow their passions and trust in that to help them find future career paths.鈥�

Elza Brechbuhl

With a dual major in communication and women鈥檚 and gender studies, Elza Brechbuhl is excited by the possibilities her courses offer inside and outside the classroom. Her discussion-based classes address complex issues and enable 鈥渉onest, very personal鈥� conversations with her peers. 鈥淚 love my majors because they hug and slap me at the same time,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 often invited to events in the community and engage with people outside our college. That pushes me to apply what鈥檚 in textbooks to the real world and really reflect on my work.鈥�

One of Brechbuhl鈥檚 most powerful experiences at 易胜博官网 was co-organizing the Black Lives Matter protest during summer 2020. After watching other protests pop up across the U.S., Brechbuhl and several friends decided to organize one on campus, balancing keeping people healthy during a pandemic while sounding a call for change. 鈥淲e brought about 1,000 people on to campus to listen to Black students speak about their experiences,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t was the first time I saw so many people care about a problem in our community. I was thankful for being a Wildcat.鈥�

Brechbuhl鈥檚 passion for social justice has earned her several accolades. She was named a McNair Scholar and worked last summer on a research project she hopes will lead to options for graduate school. She also received the Social Justice Research Fellowship last summer to study issues related to minority groups and barriers to attending and/or succeeding in higher education. In addition, she received the 2022 Gilman International Scholarship to study sex trafficking and modern slavery in Europe after graduation. She chaired the Community Development Council in the Student Senate for two years, formulating policies aimed at underrepresented student groups such as the Diversity Support Coalition, non-traditional students, commuters and athletes. And she鈥檚 involved with Mosaico, a Latinx student organization. Participation in the Civil Discourse Lab, a Communication Department organization, strengthened her ability to talk with others about important issues.

Her COLA experience has helped Brechbuhl become more analytical and sharpened her critical thinking skills. 鈥淚鈥檝e learned that society is not a world of exactitudes,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e can find different perspectives within a story and recognize problems in what seems to be the right answer.鈥�

Taylor Donnelly

Not every student arrives at COLA with a plan. Taylor Donnelly wasn鈥檛 sure she wanted to attend college; she decided to try 易胜博官网 for a year, believing it would help her step outside her comfort zone and grow emotionally and academically. That self-motivation has helped make her stand out.

Donnelly took classes in human development and family studies as well as courses in political science, justice studies and psychology. 鈥淚 wanted to learn about people and how we conform to society,鈥� Donnelly says. Meeting with Cesar Rebellon, chair of the Sociology Department, and taking an introductory sociology course during a January Term convinced her that the major was a good fit. She graduates this spring with a dual major in sociology and justice studies. 鈥淚 love that I could participate in various programs within my majors,鈥� she says. Interested in juvenile justice issues, Donnelly interned for Build a Movement 2022 as part of 易胜博官网鈥檚 Washington Center program and studied abroad at Cambridge University. She wants to pursue a career in juvenile law after graduation.

Most importantly, though, 易胜博官网 helped Donnelly recognize that her mental and physical health came first. Forging a bond with her fellow freshmen women on 10A in Williamson Hall, she discovered a support system and everlasting friendships. 鈥淲e鈥檝e continued to grow and support each other through college鈥檚 best and worst moments,鈥� Donnelly says. She also joined the Mock Trial team freshman year where she discovered multiple opportunities for leadership, networking and adapting to stressful situations, first as a team member, then as captain and tournament director. On campus, Donnelly is a Career and Professional Success Ambassador, COLA Peer Advisor, a member of Alpha Phi Omega, an orientation leader and a member of Alpha Phi Sigma, the criminal justice honor society. 鈥淧eople may be surprised to learn that I have to push myself to participate and be involved,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 realized that to make 易胜博官网 an experience that I was proud of, I had to push my boundaries and put myself out there, which was overwhelming and uncomfortable. College is where I learned to put myself first.鈥�

Riley Espat

Many COLA students are appreciative that they can explore a variety of subjects as liberal arts majors. Riley Espat took that one step further and pursued three minors in addition to her dual major in political science and justice studies. 鈥淭he (justice studies) professors were so passionate about their work and their students鈥� educations,鈥� says Espat. 鈥淚 have amazing professors who influenced me to pursue minors in sociology, forensics and security studies.鈥�

Although winter and the opportunity to enjoy sports like snowboarding and ice skating initially drew her to 易胜博官网, Espat, who is from East Greenwich, R.I., was intrigued by COLA鈥檚 pre-law track. 鈥淚鈥檝e always been interested in law and knew that if I was going to attend law school, I would need a major that was reading and writing intensive,鈥� she says. 易胜博官网鈥檚 significant role in presidential primary politics during national election cycles and the flexibility of 易胜博官网鈥檚 Justice Studies Program were also draws. Extracurriculars including Pre-Law Society, Mock Trial and an internship with the Chubb Law Group, an intellectual property law firm in Dracut, Mass., are among many of the 鈥済reat experiences鈥� Espat says she鈥檚 had at 易胜博官网. She continues to work for Chubb as an administrative assistant. 鈥淚t鈥檚 helped further my interest in the legal field and attending law school,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 learned that being an experienced attorney is helpful in running a successful law firm, but I also understand that it鈥檚 a business.鈥�

The first generation American has racked up academic honors at 易胜博官网 as well, including membership in the Alpha Phi Sigma criminal justice honors society, the Pi Sigma Alpha political science honors society and Phi Beta Kappa. Her post-graduate plans include completing an accelerated master鈥檚 degree in 易胜博官网鈥檚 Justice Studies Program and attending law school.

Espat believes her liberal arts education has set her up for success in her future career. 鈥淚t鈥檚 allowed me to explore several related areas of study that will allow me to have an abundance of resources to utilize in my future career as well as perceive situations from various lenses,鈥� she says.

Nathaniel Hunt

Nathaniel Hunt transferred to 易胜博官网 ready to dive into philosophy. At his last school, he had the intention of becoming an occupational therapist. But he changed his major after his first week of classes. 鈥淕oing to my health science classes felt like a chore,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y philosophy classes were fun. I felt like I was in another world for those 90 minutes.鈥�

Hunt, a lacrosse player, believes philosophy enables him to think differently. Embracing creative thought may have helped him win the 2021 Holloway Prize Competition. Together with College of Engineering and Physical Sciences students Nicolas Camara 鈥�21, Brayden Esmaili 鈥�23 and Joey Neleber 鈥�22, he developed a concept for a lacrosse diagnostic tool that tracks data such as reps, shot speed or shot angle. 鈥淚 never thought I would stand a chance (in the competition) because I鈥檝e never taken a business class before,鈥� Hunt says. 鈥淏ut with the coaching of the E-Center, my amazing cofounders and my passion for my company SPAITR鈩�, we were able to win.鈥�

The Rochester, N.H., native had visited the 易胜博官网 campus several times before he became a student. But it was meeting Professor Nick Smith, chair of the Philosophy Department, that convinced Hunt to come to 易胜博官网. 鈥淭he Philosophy Department is a family that makes you feel supported even when you struggle with the content,鈥� Hunt says. 鈥淧hilosophy allows you to think in a way you never have before, which is refreshing.鈥�

Hunt has prioritized having as many experiences as possible on campus and off. 鈥淭hat enabled me to start my business and learn things that didn鈥檛 necessarily pertain to class material,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 am still looking for my 鈥榗alling.鈥欌�� He鈥檚 studied Buddhist philosophy and art in India as well as interned with ecoText, a 易胜博官网-alumni-run company, and also helped start a student leadership institute based on philosophy and leadership at Souhegan High School in Amherst, N.H. Other organizations he鈥檚 joined include The 易胜博官网 Gentlemen acappella group, the Socratic Society and the Indigenous NH Collaborative Collective. He also won the Philosophy Department鈥檚 Neil Lubow Memorial Scholarship Award in 2020 and 2021.

Hunt received his bachelor鈥檚 degree in philosophy in December, along with a minor in international affairs. He and the SPAITR鈩� team are building a prototype of their product and already have lacrosse teams interested in using it; he plans to focus on building the company after graduation. One thing he knows for sure: 鈥淚鈥檓 a completely different person since coming to 易胜博官网,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the best decision I ever made.鈥�

Thomas McDonough

Originally from Lowell, Mass., Tom McDonough selected 易胜博官网 for its inviting sense of community. A political science and international affairs major, he will also be pursuing a master鈥檚 degree in political science at 易胜博官网. 鈥淚 decided to study political science and international affairs because they complement each other very nicely, and added minors in economics, philosophy and American studies to supplement my majors and add focus in areas I was interested in,鈥� he says.

An aspiring diplomat, McDonough learned to stretch himself socially and academically at 易胜博官网, making connections with other students and faculty and discovering professional opportunities that expanded his career possibilities. Last fall, he interned in 易胜博官网鈥檚 Semester in the City program, working in Boston for Leading Cities, a nonprofit organization connecting 鈥渟mart cities鈥� around the world. McDonough has also been a member of 易胜博官网鈥檚 Student Senate, the Socratic Society, the Outing Club and worked on campus for Admissions, Residential Life and MUB operations.

COLA gave McDonough an opportunity to explore different courses outside his political science major, classes that encouraged exploration and creativity (and, more tangibly, improved his writing, reading, analytical and public speaking skills). 鈥淚n my studies, there has been great room for exploring, between trying new majors and minors, a breadth of electives, and support from advising staff to explore new subjects,鈥� he says. 鈥淐OLA is perfect for those with great ambitions and a thirst for knowledge.

鈥淚鈥檓 a completely different person now than I was in high school,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y time at 易胜博官网 has helped me to become a lot more comfortable being social and vulnerable, and I am so grateful for all of the connections I鈥檝e been able to make.鈥�

Camden Roy

Camden Roy entered 易胜博官网 as an English literature major because he loved to read (fun fact: he鈥檚 read at least one novel a week for the last four years). But after exploring more of COLA鈥檚 courses, he settled on a dual major in classics and Italian studies. 鈥淚 ended up in these majors because of the intellectual freedom that the CHI (Classics, Humanities and Italian Studies) Department promotes,鈥� says Roy. 鈥淭hanks to great mentors, I鈥檝e been able to pursue my own interests in the Department.鈥�

Those mentors include 易胜博官网 lecturer Paul Robertson. In addition to participating in several independent studies and research projects under Robertson鈥檚 supervision, Camden helped him produce his most recent book, 鈥淭he Cyclops Myth and the Making of Selfhood鈥� (Gorgias Press, 2022). 鈥淚 had three major roles for the book: securing image permissions from various museums around the world, providing an index and editing,鈥� says Roy. 鈥淚t was a great learning experience.鈥�

Roy finds both his Italian studies and classics programs collegial. 鈥淭he relationships forged in classical language class are like no other,鈥� he says. 鈥淪o much of our culture interacts with classical material. Understanding those interactions has reshaped the way I think.鈥� One of Roy鈥檚 most memorable experiences has been helping organize Il Cinema Ritrovato, an Italian film festival produced each spring by CHI and the Music Hall in Portsmouth, N.H.

Taking advantage of 易胜博官网鈥檚 opportunities for undergraduate research, Roy received a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) for independent study on the religious outlook of Irish writer George William Russell (Camden鈥檚 research was subsequently accepted for presentation at an annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature). 鈥淭he opportunity to work on my research full-time was invaluable, both for my career and as a learning experience,鈥� says Roy. In addition to membership in Phi Beta Kappa and Eta Sigma Phi, the classics honor society, Roy鈥檚 honors include first and second year Greek awards and the Cereta Award for Excellence in Scholarship in Italian Studies.

After graduation, Roy will pursue a doctorate in Rice University鈥檚 religion program, focusing on New Testament studies as well as a certificate in gnosticism, esotericism and mysticism.

James Silveria

James Silveria felt at home the first time he stepped onto the 易胜博官网 campus. Thanks to a friend, a resident assistant at Stoke Hall, who showed him around campus, Silveria was introduced to 鈥渟ome of the nicest people I鈥檝e ever met while showing me everything 易胜博官网 had to offer.鈥� He knew immediately he wanted to be a Wildcat.

Silveria came to COLA as a Spanish major; he鈥檚 studied the language since he was six. 鈥淚 had some amazing Spanish teachers who opened my eyes to the bigger world and all the people I could meet by learning another language,鈥� the Foxborough, Mass., native says. An aspiring Spanish teacher, he鈥檚 also majoring in educational studies because he wants to share his knowledge with the next generation of students.

Silveria tested his education skills last summer as a teaching fellow in the Breakthrough Collaborative, a summer-long, pre-professional teacher training program pairing college students with college-bound, underrepresented youth. It was Silveria鈥檚 first experience teaching; he taught ninth grade literature as well as a sports class. 鈥淚t was incredibly rewarding and so fun,鈥� he says. 鈥淭here is nothing like seeing a student who was struggling finally understand and apply the concept you鈥檝e taught them, or meet their parents and families and hear 鈥榤y kid loved your class.鈥欌��

Studying Spanish also motivated Silveria to study abroad in Granada, Spain, for part of his sophomore year. In addition to trying out his Spanish skills, he connected with new people in a new culture, one of his personal passions. With the encouragement of his advisors and mentors Judy Sharkey, chair of the Education Department, and Lori Hopkins, associate professor of languages, literatures and cultures, he has applied for a Fulbright scholarship to be an English teaching assistant in Mexico after graduation.

COLA has broadened Silveria鈥檚 world perspective and made him an independent thinker by offering him access to many different experiences. 鈥淚鈥檝e spoken at a conference, gotten an internship, interviewed professors and built professional relationships with people from across campus,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 feel there is no other college that prepares you to see the world the way COLA does. My perspective on the world is so much broader now than it ever was before I came here.鈥�