Honors Day

Student Perspective

Laura Oliver '09
May 1, 2009

Good afternoon. President Anderson, thank you for the kind introduction. Again, I would like to welcome the scholarship donors, their families, scholarship recipients, members of the Board of Regents, faculty, staff, and friends of the College. I am pleased to be here today as it is an honor to have the opportunity to say “Thank you” on behalf of all of the endowed scholarship recipients. For those of you returning to Manitou Heights today, I hope this visit brings back great memories.

One thing President Anderson didn’t mention in my introduction is that I am an ordinary St. Olaf student. But since St. Olaf is an extraordinary place, all St. Olaf students are extraordinary. So when I introduce myself to you as an ordinary St. Olaf student, I do so with pride.

When I reflect on academic and personal growth experiences I have had at St. Olaf, and especially as a student with three majors, it is clear to me that my college experience could not be duplicated at another college—it’s far too extraordinary. Since each of my days here is characterized by a varied set of activities, no day is truly ordinary. In fact, every one of my “ordinary” days is extraordinary! But let me emphasize what has been truly incredible at St. Olaf, and that is the people I interact with during my extraordinary ordinary days. They have inspired me and have contributed strongly to who I am today.

First, I think you need to know what an ordinary day is for me. On Tuesdays, my alarm goes off at 5:15 a.m., and knowing that I haven’t given myself much time to prepare for my day, I hustle out of bed. At 5:40 a.m. I arrive at Skoglund Center for track practice. I lift weights and do core strength drills, and then I put on a waist-floatie and hop in the pool. Tuesday track practice consists primarily of “aquajogging,” which means running in the water. Breakfast never tastes as good on any other day of the week. After attaining the proper nutrition to start the rest of my day, I would typically go to Dittmann Center to work on my paintings for the senior art show, but now that they’re finally complete, you can find them in the galleries there. In the morning I also work on my readings for my economics classes, Money & Banking, and Labor Economics. I eat a sack lunch during my afternoon photography class, and then I go to work at the Center for Experiential Learning as a peer adviser. While there, I get to have directed conversations with my fellow students to help them determine their vocational interests. I contribute to the achievement of experiential learning goals by helping students with their resumes and cover letters. If I am not working with fellow students, I get to learn from my mentors, the CEL staff, as we prepare materials or plan events for students together.

After work, I meet one of my friends for dinner. After enjoying a great meal and time spent with a close friend, I might send some emails on behalf of Ole Ventures to invite entrepreneurs to speak here at St. Olaf. I then return to the athletic center for my shift at the climbing wall, where I feed my passion for rock climbing and share it with other students. Eventually I find my way back to my dorm room and study myself to sleep. The cycle begins again the next morning, but not until 6:30 a.m. because track practice isn’t until 3:15 p.m. most days.

In telling you about an “ordinary” day, I have given you a snippet from my St. Olaf story as it’s being written. Clearly, it’s the story of an uncommon mix of academic subjects and activities. Now I’d like to go back to the beginning of the story as a means of explaining how I became a triple-major with an extraordinary schedule.

My parents and I first visited the breathtaking St. Olaf campus during the summer before my senior year of high school. The verdant grass and leaves of the trees on the quad were illuminated by the sun and animated by the light breeze that day. As our tour guide pointed out Old Music Hall, the lovely sound of singing reached our ears from a distant practice room. So the element of sensory attraction to the College was there.

After that visit, my parents and I had lunch at Hogan Brothers, and I don’t doubt that its excellent sandwiches and the charm of downtown Northfield had an additional effect on my decision attend St. Olaf. As we sat in the booths and discussed the morning’s visit, I thought of my favorite high school teacher, Mr. Lubeck. Mr. Lubeck taught AP U.S. History, a subject I at first didn't find nearly as useful as math or English. Yet when I took his class, Mr. Lubeck brought the subject to life. He gave the most passionate lectures of any teacher I'd ever had the privilege of learning from, and he taught with lectures, not lesson plans. Based on the engaged students, energetic administrators, and friendly professors I had met earlier that day, I felt that I would get the chance to learn from many Mr. Lubeck types at St. Olaf. I shared my thoughts with my parents, and from that point, I wasn't truly considering attending any other colleges.

I am pleased to report that I was right about the professors at St. Olaf, and I found that out rather quickly. My first college class was Honors Calc II with Professor Paul Zorn at 8 a.m., and before that class, I wouldn’t have guessed that math and poetry had much in common. Yet Professor Zorn made the equations he wrote on the board flow like verses in a ballad. From that moment, I became hooked on math. When I study math, I continually wrap my mind around new concepts and apply them. Upon mastering a skill, I approach a more difficult one with my enthusiasm for challenges. Now, that by itself is enough to make a day extraordinary! At least for me!

Another one of my courses during my first semester was Honors Foundation Drawing. For one of our first assignments, Professor Jill Evans asked my classmates and I to draw emotions. Although this type of art assignment was new for me and challenging at first, I came to realize that art can be used for conveying images and emotions equally. It’s not just for making pretty pictures. Over time and with the help of excellent faculty such as Wendell Arneson, John Saurer, and Meg Ojala, I found my voice in art. It is a means for me to share with others the way I see the world and how I feel about it. Through making art, I gain personal confidence and some of the greatest satisfaction I have ever worked toward.

I took my first economics course during my second semester at St. Olaf. Professor Mary Emery used different paintings of horses to show the varying degrees of complexity one can use to paint a horse, which are analogous to the degrees of complexity one can use to model an economy. My fields of study had converged. Learning about economics and management studies allows me to apply both my creative and analytical problem solving skills. I routinely solve real-world math problems and look for the most creative solutions to business tasks, and I look forward to continuing this problem solving after I graduate. I will be working at General Mills in Minneapolis, where I have been hired as a financial analyst.

My experience on the Hill has been complemented by a number of extraordinary experiences off the Hill. I have studied abroad for three interims. During my sophomore year, I studied math in Budapest, Hungary. My friend Sarah and I navigated the city, saw its magnificent sights together, and acquired a passion for exploring. The next January, I went to Peru to study art and archeology on an interim exchange program with Augustana College Sioux Falls. I spoke Spanish with native Peruvians, made and flew kites with children at an orphanage, went paragliding, created watercolor paintings of Incan ruins, and spent four days backpacking the ancient Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. This past interim I studied the history and economies of eight European countries surrounding the Baltic Sea. And I can’t tell you which experience was my favorite because they were each so incredible.

Another unparalleled experience was my summer interning in New York City, and I’d like to extend a special “Thank You” to Professors Rick Goedde and Mary Emery for making that experience possible. They recommended me for an internship in IRA product management with OppenheimerFunds in New York City, an opportunity I wouldn’t have found on my own. I am grateful to Rick and Mary because without that experience on my resume, I am not sure I would have had so much success in finding a job in today’s tough economy. While in New York, I worked with two St. Olaf alumni and gained valuable business experience. I also used my navigation skills gained in Budapest and satisfied my passion for exploring. I did some of my favorite exploring in the myriad art galleries New York City has to offer.

Now that you know about my college experience, which is extraordinary when compared to those of college students across the nation, let me remind you that it is not out-of-the-ordinary as a St. Olaf experience. For proof, I’d like to tell you about a few of my best friends:

Katie Parent is from Mats Mats Bay, Washington. She majors in political science, Norwegian, and art. We met in Honors Foundation Drawing and have taken several art classes together since. She inspires me with her strong faith, passion for learning, love of storytelling, and her commitment to creating colorful art that tells her imaginative stories. She plans to volunteer in Norway this summer, and in the fall, she plans to pursue studies in mission theology and humanitarian work at a Norwegian school.

My friend Sarah Hendrickson is a biology and mathematics double major with a biomedical studies concentration, from Lafayette, Colorado. We met our freshman year when we both ran cross country and became close friends when we studied in Budapest together. A brilliant self-starter, Sarah continually impresses me with her adventuresome spirit and ability to balance her busy schedule. She will study tuberculosis in India next year on a Fulbright scholarship.

Annie Knutson is a Spanish and political science double major from Apple Valley, Minnesota. She has been involved with the St. Olaf student government and as a team captain, she has led the cross country and track teams to success. Annie has been named an All-Region athlete twice and raced at D3 Nationals, among other excellent athletic accomplishments. Her leadership skills, mentoring abilities, and work ethic have inspired me to be a better teammate and athlete. She will study at William Mitchell College of Law next year.

So, as you can see, I am a product of the St. Olaf community of passionate professors, engaged students, and energetic and caring administrators. Thanks to you, and others like you, that give to the college, this extraordinary community prepares its students for success after they leave the Hill. And from what I have seen, no one seems to leave the Hill for good. Your generosity is a part of a relay of giving back to this special community, and one day, I hope to return to be a part of the Honors Day luncheon, but as a donor. I’d like to thank you one more time for supporting the opportunities I have had and for the inspiration you provide.