FINALIST - 2006

Lori Weaver After much soul-searching and mulling over my own experience of the past four years, I have come to the conclusion that “the Lafayette ideal” can mean many things to many people, but is undeniably one that puts his or her best into every day, every action, and every goal. With that definition in mind, I feel that I and my accomplishments while here have brought me to a point where I do “nearly represent” the things that this Prize and College stand for. From the first day that I set foot on campus, I have constantly sought to work to the best of my ability both in and out of the classroom. I have successfully taken classes in a variety of areas—studying everything from the Russian language to the poetry of Lord Byron. By being a part of and leading groups such as College Democrats and Amnesty International, I have learned the importance of using one’s skills from the classroom to make an impact upon the world. Through the wonderful fusion of striving to learn and striving to act, my tenure at Lafayette has taught me that there is no undertaking too large if one seeks to do his or her personal best. In every effort that I have undertaken, I have tried to live by this motto and I feel that, by doing so, I have come close to representing the things that Lafayette stands for. Now, as I look ahead to law school at Penn and eventually putting my intellectual faculties to work as an attorney for the underrepresented, I know that I will continue to challenge myself to reach higher and work harder. One may never fully grasp the subjective standard of becoming the “Lafayette ideal.” That does not, however, mean that one should ever stop trying.

 

Majors: History and Government & Law
Thesis: Title: “The Czechoslovak Velvet Divorce: A Causal Analysis”
Government and Law, with Professor Ilan Peleg (Year 4)
Description: Researching trends behind the unusually peaceful division of Czechoslovakia in 1993. Interviewed high-ranking political officials in Prague through a research grant, including the former Czech ambassador to the U.S., a former cabinet member of President Vaclav Havel, and a renowned scholar and presidential advisor, in June 2005. Final work will describe why the divorce happened, why it happened nonviolently, and the lessons that can be learned for other multiethnic nations in conflict. To be completed April 2006.

Academic Activities/Awards

• Trustee Scholar (Years 1-4)
• Dean’s List, all semesters (Years 1-4)
• Charles A. Dana Scholar (Years 1-4)
• Truman Fellowship Nominee (Year 3)
• Pi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society (Years 3,4)
• Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society (Year 4)
• Novak Prize in Government & Law (Year 4)
• Class of 1910 Prize in History (Year 4)
• Kirby Government and Law Society member (Year 1)
• Mock Trial Team (Years 1-4); Captain (Year 4)
  Responsibilities: Act in roles of both witness and attorney at invitational, regional, and national competitions. Formulate case theory, learn applicable legal principles. As Captain, plan meetings, assign roles, and structure arguments. Awards: Yale University Invitational Best Witness (Year 1)
  Brown University Invitational Best Witness (Year 2)
  Lafayette College Invitational Best Witness (Year 4)
  Cornell University Invitational Best Attorney (Year 4)
  Regional Competition Best Witness (Year 4)
• Study Abroad - College Year in Athens; Athens, Greece (Year 3)
• EXCEL Scholar with Professor Josh Sanborn (Year 3,4)
  Topic: “Gender History in Modern Europe” Responsibilities: Worked toward completion of book by conducting in-depth bibliographic research, abstracting books and articles, brainstorming with professor, etc. Also presented research to faculty panel.
• History Club member (Year 3,4)
• EXCEL Scholar with Professor Bruce Murphy (Year 4)
  Topic: “The Judicial Lifecycle of Antonin Scalia” Responsibilities: Research/ briefing of Court of Appeals and Supreme Court cases, tracing trends in rulings, making predictions about Scalia’s future rulings, finding and analyzing law review articles and speeches, etc.

Campus Service Activities

• The Lafayette News Reporter/Opinion Columnist (Years 2,3)
  Wrote several opinion columns on political and current issues. Researched and conducted interviews for weekly news articles on campus and community events.
• Tour Guide/Admissions Office Panel Speaker (Years 1-3)
  Gave weekly tours to prospective students. Sat on various panels to speak to prospective students, as well as alumni, about life at Lafayette.
• Residence Hall Council - Ruef Hall Secretary (Year 1)
  Helped to plan activities for Ruef Hall residents, recorded minutes of RHC meetings.

Community Service Activities

• Habitat for Humanity volunteer (Year 1)
• Hospice Community Care volunteer (Year 1)
  Weekly visits with terminal patients in the cancer ward of Mercy Hospital in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
• Lupus Foundation of America volunteer (Year 1, 3)
  Distributed literature on the autoimmune disease Lupus at various events throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania.
• Prison Inmate Tutor (Years 1-4)
  Work weekly, one on one, with an inmate in Northhampton County prison in math, science, English and various other subjects to prepare for the G.E.D. exam.
• Mike Fleck for Mayor of Easton Campaign District Coordinator (Year 2)
  Planned visits and speeches on campus, set up College Hill campaigning activity including phone calls and door-to-door visits.

Athletics

• Activities include skiing, fly and bass fishing, and rifle shooting.

Special Interest Group Activities

• College Democrats; Membership Director (Year 1), Vice President (Year 2) President (Years 3,4)
  Responsibilities: As Membership Director, attempted to retain and gain members. As Vice President, assisted in meeting running and activity planning. As President, plan and run meetings, plan and arrange activities (such as trips to Protests, campaign work, lectures, and information drives).
• Amnesty International Co-founder/Co-chair (Years 3,4)
  Responsibilities: One of three students who founded Lafayette chapter of Amnesty International. Through Human Rights and Modern War class and Amnesty, worked to assist victims of genocide in Darfur through holding and speaking at informative lectures on campus, created a successful letter writing campaign and petition signing, and lobbied Senators and Congressmen on Capital Hill to sign the Darfur Accountability Act. Currently work with other students in Amnesty meeting and activity planning.