Hart Feuer

Being from Oregon and studying in Pennsylvania is like holding two passports. Both states resound with the majestic beauty of forests, waterways, and hillsides. They share a common identity as places where one can find a quieter, more relaxed, and possibly better quality of life than in the cosmopolitan bustle of neighboring states. Californians flee high taxes and property values into the welcoming arms of Oregon, while New Yorkers can fulfill dreams of a backyard and solitude here in Pennsylvania. Coming to Lafayette, and specifically getting involved with the environmental and social justice movements here helped slowly open my eyes to the gravity of the environmental problem and the grim social dilemmas facing my two homes. Through learning, experiencing, researching, traveling, and living on Lafayette’s campus and abroad, my ability to reason with and become aware of social problems and their roots has grown immensely. For this reason, I owe Lafayette a debt of gratitude.

I studied economics as it truly should be studied—as another science of human behavior and not as a means toward a job in investment banking. I studied German to expand my communications ability and understand another culture, ultimately in order to help understand my American culture and therefore my own identity.

In Oregon, I began to see the degradation of my forests, the collapse of the wild salmon in my waterways, and the unemployed and destitute on my streets. I began to understand why and how the landscape of Pennsylvania is scarred with open anthracite mines, poisonous incinerators, nuclear power plants, and Wal-Marts. But I also began to see the hopeful campaigns of grassroots activists and concerned citizens. As a member of Lafayette’s Technology Clinic, I worked with passionate Easton citizens and politicians to shape and bring about sustainable urban renewal. As a member and leader of the environmental club, LEAP, I helped engender appreciation for Pennsylvania’s nature and advance the progressive fighting spirit of our students.

When I studied in Germany and traveled in Europe, I gained a critical and expanded worldview, seeing Pennsylvania, Oregon, and the United States as part of a broader entity, each with their special contribution to or detraction from the mechanism of human advancement. My experiences culminated when I was given the opportunity to research and study in Siem Reap, Cambodia, under the guidance of a phenomenal faculty at Lafayette and abroad. The inspiration I derived from that experience helped me write a rewarding and powerful thesis on the topic of rural development in the Third World and gave me the tools and drive to begin a meaningful career in social change.