WINNER - 2008

Nathan Parker Trying to wrap my mind around the "Lafayette Ideal" and thinking about past and present Pepper Prize nominees, I am both humbled and intimidated. Swept up in the whirlwind of senior year, I had been thinking that having solid post-graduation plans would be ideal. But as I think about my opportunities at Lafayette and what I’ve made of them, I am immensely proud. If I had to define “ideal,” it would be just that—making the most of opportunities and utilizing them to bring about positive change. I benefited from many academic opportunities on campus, including challenging coursework, close relationships with dedicated and inspiring professors, advisors, and students, and conducting and presenting research. Liberal arts complemented hard science, opening my mind and encouraging me to seek and appreciate diverse experiences. Especially important to me was my participation in the Landis Community Outreach Center, which allowed me to witness the power of community. My personal, 4-year relationship with my Best Buddy in Easton has exposed me to social issues and realities I had never imagined. Looking past labeled “disabilities” and developing my Buddy’s abilities, I learned that my blessings allow me to make a difference for others. I worked to spread this ideal on campus, creating and fostering a sustained partnership between Delta Upsilon and the Spring Garden Childcare Center to provide positive male influences for Easton youths. While spending a semester in Kenya, I was able to combine my Lafayette education with civic engagement working with a rural community to assess barriers to malaria prevention and control. Learning experiences on and off campus have led me to consider one’s situation in life a simple role of the dice. My roll has included an invaluable Lafayette education, putting me in a great position to continue taking action for positive change.

 

Major: biology (B.S.)

Academic Activities

• Study Abroad (3). Program in Development, Public Health and Society through the School for International Training in Kenya. I lived with families in rural and urban settings, took classes in Kiswahili, public health, and development, and conducted public health research on barriers to malaria prevention in a Western Kenyan village (see NCUR below for research description). I also traveled through Uganda, visiting and studying various development-related organizations, and Rwanda, studying post-Genocide development.
• National Conference on Undergraduate Research (3). I will be presenting the public health research I conducted in Kenya during my semester abroad in spring 2007. The project is entitled 'Inexcusable Infections: Children, Malaria, and Barriers to Prevention in Nyahera Village, Kisumu, Kenya.'
• EXCEL Scholar Program (3). I conducted research in microbiology with Dr. Laurie Caslake on the project entitled 'Is Quorum Sensing Involved in the Pathogenesis of Columnaris Disease?' (summer 2006 and summer 2007). I presented my research at the Regional Microbiology Educators' Network Annual Student Research Symposium at Swarthmore College in July 2007.
• Nalven Summer Research Grant (2). A grant for students interested in environmental science research, provided funding for EXCEL research during the summer of 2006 to work with Dr. Laurie Caslake on the project 'Is Quorum Sensing Involved in the Pathogenesis of Columnaris Disease?'
• Truman Scholarship Finalist (3). 200 college juniors were selected as finalists for the Scholarship in 2007.
• Marshall Scholarship Finalist (4). Approximately 150 individuals were selected as finalists for the Scholarship in 2007.
• Trustee Scholar (1,2,3,4)
• Dean's List (1,2,3)
• Brown Bag Presenter (4). I presented 'Matatus to Malaria: Living and Learning in Kenya' in September 2007 to spread awareness about lesser-known study abroad opportunities.
• American Society for Microbiology Undergraduate Research Fellowship (3,4). This Fellowship funded my EXCEL research during summer 2007. I will be presenting my microbiology research with Dr. Caslake at the American Society for Microbiology General Meeting in June of this year.

Campus Activities

• Landis Community Outreach Center Program Coordinator (2,3,4). As a sophomore I coordinated the Best Buddies and Equi-librium programs, as a junior (fall semester) I coordinated the Habitat for Humanity/West Ward Partnership Program, and as a senior I again coordinated Best Buddies. Best Buddies Pennsylvania awarded me 'College Buddy Director of the Year' in 2006. I served as Team Leader for the Building Inclusive Communities (BIC) Team in fall 2006, leading a group of students coordinating related service programs.
• Lafayette Committee for the Middle States Reaccreditation Process (4). I served on the working group evaluating the College Writing Program for the upcoming reaccreditation process.
• Trustee Committee on External Affairs (4). Student associate member.
• Pre-Orientation Service Program (POSP) Staff (3,4). I directed the Habitat for Humanity camp for incoming first-year students in 2006 and served as Assistant Director for POSP in 2007.
• Lafapalooza Co-Chair (2). I helped to recruit volunteers, fundraise, and worked with community partners to set up service projects.
• Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week Chair (3). I led the Building Inclusive Communities Landis Team in coordinating the fall 2006 Awareness Week. Events included a Safe Harbor Brown Bag, food delivery to Philadelphia's homeless, a food drive, an interactive Oxfam Hunger Banquet, and the Hut-a-thon.

Community Service

• Best Buddies (1,2,3,4). I served as College Buddy to an Easton man with an intellectual disability, spending time with him at least once per week, including summers. As College Buddy Director in '05-'06 and '07-'08, I was responsible for recruiting volunteers, forming and monitoring matches between students and community members, organizing monthly group events and meetings, and maintaining communication with the Best Buddies International Office in Philadelphia. I was awarded 'College Buddy Director of the Year' in 2006, and our chapter was awarded 'Chapter of the Year' in 2007 (under Steve Roe's leadership) by Best Buddies Pennsylvania.
• Spring Garden Childcare Center Mentoring (3,4). I established the Delta Upsilon mentoring program and served as a mentor for children ages 5-10, helping with homework, computer skills, and play performances. In addition, I helped to coordinate fundraising efforts in fall 2007 to help offset the costs of a conference Spring Garden hosted for regional childcare workers. I am co-chairing a 'Spring Garden Day' on April 18th, during which children from the Center will come to campus and cycle between academic, athletic, and arts activities. Following the on-campus program, DU and Soulfege will be co-hosting a dinner at Spring Garden for children, parents, and staff.
• Habitat for Humanity/Easton West Ward Partnership (3,4). I volunteered with various builds in Bethlehem and Allentown with Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley, through the Landis Program and POSP (fall 2006, fall 2007), and in Easton's West Ward on Pocket Park renewal projects (fall 2006).
• Midnight Run (3,4). I helped to make bagged dinners and distribute them to Philadelphia's homeless. I organized the event during the fall 2007 Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.
• Alternative School Break (2). I served on the team working with a Navajo youth after school program and home for the elderly in Gallup, NM in spring 2006.
• Alternative School Break (4). I led and served on the team traveling to La Fortuna, Honduras with Engineers Without Borders to help install sustainable water systems during winter interim 2008.
• Make a Difference Day (3). I served as project manager for a group volunteering with elderly individuals at Easton Nursing Center.
• Literacy Day (4). I was matched with a child from Easton and participated with him in a variety of literacy-related activities.

Athletics

• Varsity Tennis (1). I walked onto the varsity squad in fall 2004 and played for one semester.
• Club Tennis (2,3)
• Intramural Floor Hockey (1,2,4)
• Intramural Whiffleball (3,4)
• Intramural Kickball (3,4)
• Intramural Dodgeball (2,3,4)
• Intramural Softball (2,4)
• Intramural Baby Biathlon (2)

Special Interest

• Delta Upsilon Brother (2,3,4)
• Philanthropy Chair for Delta Upsilon (3,4). I served as the Fraternity's Philanthropy Chair and established our mentoring partnership with the Spring Garden Childcare Center on Easton's South Side. My responsibilities included maintaining communication with the Center's staff, fundraising for the Center, and motivating Fraternity members to volunteer as mentors.
• American Society for Microbiology (4). Lafayette Association of Rovers Fans (LARF) (2,3,4). I supported Easton Area High School athletics with fellow Lafayette Students through this highly unofficial club.
• Order of Omega Greek Leadership Honor Society (4)
• ACACIA Conference Panel (4). I served as a student panelist for a discussion about the role of youth in Africa's progress for ACACIA's conference themed 'Urbanization in Africa.'