FINALIST - 2006

Colleen Walsh To me the Lafayette ideal describes an individual who exhibits the courage to pursue their passions and capitalize on opportunity. These principles guided me through my four years at Lafayette and allow me to look back without regrets. Throughout my time at Lafayette I have strived to balance academic, community, and social interests, pursing my passions while staying focused on my goals. I greatly appreciate the solid academic exposure I received at Lafayette. I was constantly encouraged to explore my intellectual curiosity and maximized my learning through independent research. Yet the true Lafayette experience embraces the learning and interaction that occurs outside the classroom or laboratory. Throughout my involvements I enjoyed working alongside gifted students, encouraging faculty members and a caring college staff. The leadership opportunities presented to me within the Greek community, with college staff, faculty members and members of the Board of Trustees taught me how to articulate viewpoints and add value to our campus experience. My experiences both on campus and off through studying abroad and Alternative School Break enabled me to reach beyond my cultural comfort zone to develop new insights through exposure to individuals of different backgrounds and ways of thinking. In return I used what I gained to give back through working with KIC Camp, the Boys and Girls Club, and volunteering at Easton Hospital. Henry David Thoreau once said, “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams and endeavors to live the life which he imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” This is the success I experienced at Lafayette. By taking advantage of opportunities to be involved, I have been rewarded with a love for learning, confidence in my abilities and a strong community of support for future endeavors.

 

Major: Biology
Thesis: “Antibiotic and Mercury Resistance in Environmental Bacteria Isolates” with Dr. Laurie F. Caslake, Assistant Professor of Biology (4)

Academic Activities/Awards

• Marquis Scholar (1-4)
• Dean’s List (1-4)
• Order of Omega – Greek Honor Society recognizing exemplary character, service, scholarship, and leadership (3,4)
• Sigma Xi – National Honor Society recognizing achievement in scientific research (4)
• Independent Research Project – Independent research on antibiotic and mercury resistance in environmental bacteria isolates with Dr. Laurie F. Caslake, Assistant Professor of Biology (3,4)
• Pennsylvania Academy of Science 2005 – Poster presentation,“Analysis of Antibiotic and Mercury Resistance in Environmental Bacterial Isolates”, at the eighty-first annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science (3)
• Pennsylvania Academy of Science 2006 – Presentation, “Conjugative Transfer of Antibiotic and Mercury Resistance in Environmental Bacteria Isolates”, at the eighty-second annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science (4)
• Abstract Published, 2005 – Published abstract “Analysis of Antibiotic and Mercury Resistance in Environmental Bacterial Isolates” in the Journal of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science, Vol. 78, March 2005 (3)
• Abstract Published, 2006 – Published abstract “Conjugative Transfer of Antibiotic and Mercury Resistance in Environmental Bacteria” in the Journal of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science, Vol. 79, March 2006 (4)
• Peer Tutor – Faculty recommended peer tutor for the Academic Resource Center in General Chemistry I and II (2,3)
• Study Abroad – Lafayette directed six week study abroad program in London, United Kingdom with Dr. Childs and Dr. Lammers. Included four week internship at Guys Evelina Children’s Hospital (3)
• Health Professions Brown Bag – Organized and presented a brown bag for sixty-eight Health Professions students entitled “Everything We Wish We Knew About Applying to Medical School” in conjunction with the Office of Professional Studies, Health Professions Advisory Committee and Matthew Saybolt ’06 (4)
• Research Assistant - Research Assistant – Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Endocrinology. Ten-week research assistant position focused on studying the biochemical mechanisms responsible for the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus (4)
• Externship – Three day externship shadowing a Lafayette alumnus now working as a pediatrician in private practice (2)
• National Dean’s List – Recognizes outstanding college students nationally for their academic and community achievements (1,2,3,4)

Campus Service Activities

• Board of Trustees Committee on Educational Policy – Student representative to the Board of Trustees Committee on Educational Policy. Responsibilities include attending and participating in all Board of Trustees Educational Policy and other general board meetings and events (4)
• Board of Trustees Ad-Hoc Committee on Student Social Patterns – Student representative to the Board of Trustees Ad-Hoc Committee on Student Social Patterns. Responsibilities include attending all committee meetings, serving as moderator for student focus group sessions, surveying current students on social practices and perceptions, and traveling to other institutions to observe and compile best practices reports (4)
• Student Government Associate Representative – Student government associate representative to the Faculty Committee on Teaching and Learning. Responsibilities include attending general faculty and Teaching and Learning Committee meetings and reporting minutes to the Vice President of Student Government (4)
• Presidential Committee on Commencement – Student representative to the Presidential Committee on Commencement. Responsibilities include attending committee meetings to determine commencement speaker candidates and honorary degree recipients to be presented to the Board of Trustees (4)
• Student Leadership Intern 2006, Lafayette Leadership Education Committee – Served as the 2006 Student Leadership Intern for the Lafayette Leadership Education Committee. Responsibilities include minute taking, brown bag and other leadership programming, assistant to the 2005 Student Leadership Intern for the 2005 Lafayette Leadership Conference, and lead role as student intern including working on campus during the 2006 interim session to plan and execute the 2006 Lafayette Leadership Conference. (2,3,4)
• 2005 Aaron O’Hoff Awards, Committee Chair – Served as Committee Chair for the 2005 Aaron O’Hoff Awards as the LLE 2006 Student Intern. Responsibilities included forming 2005 O’Hoff Awards Selection Committee, receiving and compiling all nomination and award information, and planning and executing the 2005 Aaron O’Hoff Awards (3)
• Third Street Planning Session – Served as a student representative to the Third Street Planning Session. Responsibilities included brainstorming for and assessing properties which the college has purchased in the Third Street Corridor (4)
• Overnight Student Host – Hosted prospective students as an overnight student host with the Lafayette Office of Admissions (1)
• Family Weekend Volunteer – Registered families as a volunteer for Family Weekend (4)

Community Service Activities

• Alternative Spring Break – Served as Team Leader for the Fall Break 2005 ASB team. The team traveled to Washington D.C. and volunteered with the Food and Friends organization, preparing and delivering meals to individuals with HIV/AIDS and other life challenging illnesses in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area. The team also participated in an ‘Urban Plunge’ activity, and attempt to experience and interact with the homeless population of Washington D.C. Team leader responsibilities included scheduling and presiding over all team meetings, contacting all volunteer and lodging sites, serving as a liaison to the ASB executive board, attending general ASB meetings, and participating in the Fall Break team brown bag (4)
• Hospital Volunteer – Served as a volunteer in the Medical and Surgical Intensive Care Units of Easton Hospital through the Landis Community Outreach Center (2,3)
• Kids in the Community Pre-Orientation Service Camp – Returned to campus a week early to serve as a counselor for the Kids in the Community Day Camp. Children of Easton were brought to campus for three consecutive days to participate in the Lafayette sponsored Day Camp program. Also helped to orient first year students to Lafayette through the Landis Community Outreach Center (1,2)
• Blood Drive Committee Volunteer – Served as a volunteer for the Blood Drive Committee, helping to publicize, register, and remind people to donate blood through the Landis Community Outreach Center (2,3)
• Lehigh Valley MS Walk Volunteer – Served as a volunteer at the 2004 and 2005 Lehigh Valley MS Walks (2,3)
• Lehigh Valley AIDS Walk – Participated in the 2004 Lehigh Valley AIDS walk to raise money for AIDS related charities (3)
• Relay for Life 2005 – Participated in the 2005 Relay for Life to raise money for the American Cancer Society (3)
• College Hill Clean-Up – Volunteer in the Panhellenic sponsored 2005 College Hill Clean-up.
• Boys and Girls Club Tutoring – Served as a tutor for children from the Easton Boys and Girls Club through the Landis Community Outreach Center (1)

Athletics

• Crew Club (1,2)
• Women’s Novice Four – Dad Vail National Regatta – sixth place finish
• Women’s Novice Four – Head of the Schuylkill Regatta – second place finish
• Women’s Novice Four – Patriot League Challenge – first place finish
• Various Intramural Sports Participation – (Indoor Soccer, Volleyball, Flag Football, Softball) (2.3.4)

Special Interest Group Activities

• Panhellenic Council, President – Served as President of the Panhellenic Council, the governing body of the six sororities on campus, during the 2005 term. Served as chair of both the Constitution and Bylaws Committee and the Greek Awards Committee while working as a liaison between the Greek community, faculty/staff, administration, Easton community, and Lafayette community as a whole. Responsibilities included calling and presiding over all Panhellenic Council meetings and events, planning events with other campus organizations, working closely with Lafayette administrators in Residence and Student Life, and attending Presidents Council meetings. Also represented Lafayette College at the 2005 Northeast Greek Leadership Association Conference (3,4)
• Alpha Phi – Member (2,3,4)
• Alpha Phi, President – Served as Served as President of Alpha Phi during the 2004 term. Served as chair the Constitution and Bylaws Committee. Worked as a liaison between the Greek community, faculty/staff, administration, Easton community, Lafayette community as a whole, and national organization. Responsibilities included calling and presiding over all Panhellenic Council meetings and events, working closely with Lafayette administrators in Residence and Student Life, and attending Presidents Council meetings. Also represented Lafayette College at the 2004 Alpha Phi regional conference (3,4)
• Brown Bag Panelist – Served as a panelist for the AYA sponsored brown bag ‘Greek Life and Diversity’ (3)