Alumni

click here to see profiles about other past HF members!

click here to read about the HF Alums at the 2016 "Living the Liberal Arts" for Honors Forum!

Leah Elliot, Class of 2006

The Honors Forum was never just a set of requirements for me; rather it was a community, and it was a conversation. I spent all my years at Skidmore living in honors housing, literally beginning and ending my days in the Forum. From the first day moving in, our shared membership gave us a bond that other floors lacked. The events specific 到我们这一层，就像每年的鬼屋，帮助我们真正了解彼此和 strengthen our community. In honors housing, I was surrounded by people who loved learning as much as I did. This went beyond quiet hours before midterms and finals; it was an atmosphere that encouraged us to discuss our thoughts on lecture topics after class, to keep up with and debate current events, and to share our academic and intellectual discoveries with each other. Whether I researched the intricacies of Japanese gift wrapping or gene transcription, I was but a few steps from others who would share my wonder. A friend's enthusiasm with the latest exhibit at the Tang led me to wander through the galleries. Chance encounters in the hallways led to extensive discussions of political philosophies, our favorite short stories, or even impromptu lessons on Romanian geography. Through the add-on Honors sections to my courses, I engaged in in-depth conversations on topics far outside of my Biology major. I gained the confidence to join in discussions about topics I was not expert on and not to be afraid to ask for the information I lacked. Co-curricular events like the Shades 格雷或拉姆齐系列讲座让我与更大的火博体育对话 community on all kinds of topics. The Honors Forum truly became my forum to discuss, question, and explore any topic I came across. By being a part of the Honors Forum, 我养成了讨论的习惯，这满足了我对各种学科的好奇心.

这是我从火博体育学院毕业后一直保持的习惯.  毕业后的一年，我发现我的求知欲是无价的 the year that I lived and worked in a small Japanese city. Starting conversations about Japanese culture, about the thoughts and experiences of those I met, opened doors into that community. What could have been an isolating experience became liberating and life-changing. As I have worked on my PhD in Biology at Cornell, I have learned how focused research can be, how deeply I can go into a topic. As I have delved into the unknown regions of scientific knowledge, I am aware of how important it is to explore everything and how conversations and discussions can unveil unexpected but important connections between seemingly unrelated topics. Getting another perspective 能给我提供解决方案，或者提出新的、令人兴奋的问题来研究吗. 我相信我培养了分享我的好奇心和与他人交往的动力 无论如何，这种动力将伴随我的一生 I do.

Adam Epstein, Class of 2008

During my time at Skidmore College (and what a time it was!), I was the primary author of the Service Requirement requirement for the Honors Forum and served as the HF's first Service Requirement Coordinator for the last two years of my college career. During my senior year, I also served as the HF Vice President. Throughout the course 在我在火博体育的头两年里，我逐渐相信高频学生 (if not all students) had a duty to use their academic gifts to promote the welfare of local and/or global communities. I believed--and continue to believe--that an honor appended to one's name, resume, or degree only has value insofar as it represents 才能:可以付诸实践为社会做贡献的技能、倾向或才能 in a positive way. Thus, I, with the support of fellow students and faculty, created 服务要求要求，以鼓励HF学生发现创造性 ways to turn their academic work into positive community service. In so doing, I was simultaneously attempting to echo Lucy Scribner's concept of "mind and hand"--that is, the balance of thoughtful, private study of theory/philosophy (mind) with the practical applications of such work (hand). The former means nothing without the latter. 我相信入籍要求成功地提升了一些优秀的人 在我的大学生涯中，学生们可能从未做过的项目: a children's creative writing workshop, a film showing and panel discussion on the 电动汽车的未来，本地(免费)音乐表演，社会正义的努力， voluntarism at medical and nursing facilities, the creation of useful databases for HF students, the creation of a nutritional information system for dining services, etc. I see on the website that new projects continue to take form, and I am proud that this legacy live on in the HF.

Having graduated over four years ago, I still try to live the value of "mind and hand." After finishing my BA in Religious Studies and South Asian Studies at Skidmore, I earned a Master of Music degree at The Boston Conservatory. Now, I am a licensed, 马萨诸塞州萨默维尔公立学区的专业公立学校音乐教育家. In my job, I constantly have to stay in tune with the latest research in my field and think very deeply about curriculum and educational philosophy. At the same time, 我需要能够通过设计和执行将这些大想法直接付诸实践 quality lessons for my students at every level.  My Skidmore and HF education acted as great practice for this kind of thinking. Creative thought DOES matter, it turns out. 此外，作为Skidmore的HF成员，我感到受到鼓励去追求自己的兴趣 and goals, no matter how difficult they might have seemed. The independent studies I did and co-curricular events I designed with HF support were particularly useful in this regard. When I came to the HF with an idea, the answer was always, "cool, how can we support you?" This positive attitude of finding ways to make my interests and motivations a reality has been a great model for me to continue to do this in my professional life and also to find work settings where that kind of attitude is the norm. I am honored to have been an HF member during my time at Skidmore College.

Jessada Mahatthananchai, Class of 2009

For me, HF experience has been an enriching one. I was a chemistry major/english minor at Skidmore so I was interested in the humanity side of science. Luckily through HF independent study and citizenship project, with the support of Prof. Giguere at the 在化学系，我帮助组织了一个名为“重要的分子”的博物馆展览， which showcased the top ten molecules of the 20th century that changed the course of humanity. The exhibition at the Tang Museum and later at the Chemical Heritage 基金会讲述了分子的神奇故事，比如阿司匹林、滴滴涕、黄体酮、 and DNA. Here I learned to communicate my passion in science to the public by being 在展览现场做一个“导游”，并在开幕前创建一个初步的网站 of the exhibition. I had also taken several HF courses in chemistry and math, which are more demanding and challenging but satisfying to my desire to learn more. In addition to that, I had a great time with Prof. Catherine Golden during a travel seminar (an HF course) on the topic of Jane Austen in Bath, England. These opportunities truly made my Skidmore experience unique and truly interdisciplinary. And this is exactly what I had expected when I joined the HF! HF really did "add more to my Skidmore," as I once heard. In term of my current career path, what HF instilled in me is the desire to challenge myself. This was what led me to pursue a graduate degree in chemistry, in which I started at University of Pennsylvania. What I didn't foresee was that I would be moving to Europe to continue my doctoral degree, which I was very uncertain in the beginning. But in the end I moved to my current position as doctoral student in Switzerland in large part due to the HF experience that taught me not to fear new circumstance in life and to excel in any new situation.

Annie Potish, Class of 2011

At Skidmore, there’s so much emphasis on learning as a rewarding process in itself, rather than as a means of securing a degree or satisfying requirements. I was encouraged to take classes that challenged me and opened my mind, and I try to keep that sense of inquiry with me today. I’ve always loved reading and writing, and my work allows me to share that passion every day with young people. There’s something amazing about 看到我的学生努力理解一篇文章的意思，通过有力地表达自己 writing, or simply learn about themselves and the world around them.

火博体育的英语系绝对是令人难以置信的，我的积极经历 in those classes definitely contributed to my desire to teach English; I am currently a middle school English Teacher at a charter school in the South Bronx in New York City. Being a Head Tutor at Skidmore’s Writing Center further solidified my passion for education, where dedication, inquisitiveness, and enthusiasm go a long way. Problem-solving and willingness to try new things are also important, as well as communication and organization skills.

My advice is that while you’re at Skidmore, take classes that interest and excite 在你的四年里——不仅仅是在你完成文科要求的时候. 这可能听起来直截了当，但我认为很容易陷入需求中 or classes you feel you “should” take. I love English and history, but while I was at Skidmore, I found myself unexpectedly interested in psychology classes. These classes didn’t count towards my major or minor, but they inspired me to think in new ways and enhanced my overall college experience.

I still see how much creative thought matters every day of my career. Whether I’m planning out an entire unit or a short-term project, it’s so important for me to be as creative and purposeful as possible. Creativity leads to student engagement. When students are engaged, they put in the most effort and show the most academic growth. As an educator, it’s my responsibility to foster creativity in my students, which means taking a look at how creative I’m being myself. 

Phoebe Pundyk, Class of 2012

Phoebe Pundyk is a Skidmore graduate. She is currently an Assistant of Advertising and Promotions at the New York City Ballet. At Skidmore, she was a Studio Art Major, Business and Honors Forum minor. Here are a few words from Phoebe herself.

I work in the Marketing Department at the New York City Ballet, whose summer home is the Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center, a stage I proudly walked across not too long ago. My job requires innovative critical thinking, teamwork, and creativity. Skidmore and participation in the Honors Forum were key to building a strong work ethic that I maintain each day in this intellectually challenging environment. Similar 在火博体育的创意环境中，我感到很幸运能够度过我的日子 at Lincoln Center, a place that is bursting with ingenuity and artistry.

我在火博体育的课程最精彩的部分当然是荣誉论坛的课程 that I took. I fulfilled many HF course requirements through one-credit add on classes to an existing course. Rather than settling for a course that I was less interested in, I was able to work with the professor and often a smaller group of like-minded students to learn about a specific topic. This customizable curriculum allowed me to dive deeper into subjects of interest. This encouraged me to follow my curiosity. 在林肯中心，我遵循着类似的道路，这条道路对我来说很熟悉，也很容易驾驭 as a result of my time at Skidmore.

Melissa Rampelli, Class of 2006.  Doctoral Fellow and Adjunct Professor of Literature at St. John’s University

荣誉论坛不会留下不可磨灭的印记，如果它只是为了获得 a 3.4 GPA and having one’s name printed on a list. For me, HF came to be about a sense of community, engagement in an intellectual life outside of the classroom, and new challenges.  By living on the Honors Floor in, then, Weicking Hall and attending the HF活动——灰色阴影、周五下午4点、实地考察——我在一个社区里找到了朋友 of likeminded learners. And the plethora of these academic lectures and discussions organized by the HF—often outside my own discipline—encouraged me to have a life of the mind outside of my English Literature novels and gave me the opportunities to do so (a daunting pursuit to shape on one’s own at that age!).  

但荣誉论坛留下“不可磨灭”印记的最显著特征是 the new challenges it allowed me to tackle. Two rigorous seminar and practicum experiences—Dr. Boshoff’s ENG303H “Peer Tutoring Project” and Dr. Golden’s HF201 “Junior Great Books”—confirmed my desire to teach secondary English and earn an MAT at Brown University; writing 我的毕业论文和在学术节上展示这项工作提供了研究生水平 experience in a supportive undergraduate setting and shaped the doctoral research I would come to do six years later.

We often learn to swim in the winter and ski in the summer; and so it goes, through 经过反思，我认识到基金会最初要培养的品质——自我主动性 and a willingness to be in dialogue—are those I’ve come to value in myself and my students. 

David Steinberger, Class of 2009

当我来到火博体育学院时，我知道我想要在智力上受到挑战， but I also knew that I wanted to connect with my community.  As a native of the Saratoga 地区，我与周边地区有很强的联系，并参与了众多 community-based projects in Middle and High School.  I wanted to continue this service 而荣誉论坛为我的抱负提供了一个完美的出口.  其核心重点是将高度严谨的学者与社区外展联系起来 and leadership, the Honors Forum was a natural outlet for my passion.

Within my first year in the Honors Forum, I began my community service by embarking on my Service Requirement.  As an avid birder studying biology and ornithology at 火博体育，我想与他人分享我对鸟类的知识和热情，并做出贡献 to science through the process.  I was able to do this by organizing the Great Backyard “鸟类统计”是一个由康奈尔鸟类学实验室创立的公民科学倡议 aimed at engaging everyday people with bird counting, while simultaneously helping conservation scientists.  Participants count birds in their backyards and neighborhoods, 并将结果提交给鸟类实验室进行分析，在那里鸟类学家 track the movement and population shifts of various wintering bird species.  As the 在火博体育，我是这次活动的负责人，我能够得到我的几个同龄人和社区 对观鸟和保护鸟类感兴趣的成员，我继续进行这项工作 Count和其他许多以社区为基础的鸟类散步和讲座 of my undergraduate career.

除了为我的本科努力提供一个社区意识的出口， 荣誉论坛对我的智力提出了前所未有的挑战 otherwise in my undergraduate studies.  My honors-level classes demanded the highest 我在学习上的投入程度，挑战我的观点，并要求我思考 critically and innovatively.  Vigorous discussions and debates were a daily staple 在这些课程中，以及高度结构化和富有洞察力的演讲和文学作品 compositions.  I owe a great amount of my academic and professional abilities today to the time spent in my honors classes.  And my serve as Trip Coordinator and Vice President on the Honors Forum Committee taught me the invaluable skills of teamwork, compromise, planning, and organization.  All of these skills have proven invaluable in my post-Skidmore life, including the numerous collaborative projects required of 我在研究生院的日常管理、团队合作、文件编制、组织工作 我目前的工作是在一家环境顾问公司做助理 and management firm.