2012-Erika Stasakova

First Major:      International Affairs
Second Major:  Spanish
Minor:             Russian Studies
300 Word Statement

Recently, I was asked what I will miss most about Lafayette; however, I struggled to answer this question. There are too many things that I will miss, and I do not want to face that yet.

Lafayette has provided me a home outside my home, a support system filled with friends and professors, and many unforgettable memories. It is hard for a student to come to Lafayette and not see the immense opportunities and resources available to anyone who seeks them. For this reason, I tried new things, challenged myself, and pursued interests outside of my academic major. My time on the Cross-Country and Track and Field teams gave me the honor to wear a Lafayette uniform and run like a leopard! My classes provided me the opportunity to interact with some of the best educators in the country, while my job at the language lab taught me technical skills that enriched the qualitative nature of my liberal arts education. Outside the classroom and off the track, I tried to contribute to the Lafayette community and the world around me, by planning various campus events such as Fields of Faith through Fellowship of Christian Athletes, by studying abroad and working in Spain, and by traveling to Honduras with Engineers Without Borders to help implement a water system for impoverished communities. Moreover, the amazing individuals with whom I have worked in my athletic, academic and extracurricular activities have made my Lafayette experience invaluable.

The Lafayette ideal is a student who utilizes the resources provided by Lafayette to follow her dreams no matter the challenges, goes beyond her comfort zone, and seeks new ways to impact the community. Numbers, prizes, medals, and awards do not matter to the Lafayette ideal compared to the long-lasting impact of being truly involved in a community.

 

Academic Activities

• Phi Beta Kappa    1
  Elected to the national honors society as a senior for demonstrating both breadth and depth of liberal learning and academic excellence.
• Sigma lota Rho    1
  Elected to the International Affairs Society for meeting the challenge of education excellence in international studies.
• Dobro Slovo    1
  Elected to the National Slavic Honor Society for academic excellence in the study of Slavic languages, literature and history.
• Sigma Delta Pi   3
  Elected as a sophomore to the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society for academic excellence in the study of the Spanish language and Hispanic literature and history.  As a member of Sigma Delta Pi, I work with other members to coordinate the details for the induction ceremony and teach Spanish to children in the local community.
• Dean’s List    3
  Qualified for Dean’s List for the following semesters: Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011.
• Patriot League Academic Honor Roll    3
  Qualified for Patriot League Academic Honor Roll every season.
• Student-Athlete Bronze, Silver, and Gold Award
  From the Athletic Department, I have received 4 Gold awards, 2 Silver, and 1 bronze in recognition of being a student-athlete with academic excellence.
• Frank Kline Baker Spanish and Latin American Civilization Award,
  Awarded annually to students who attain the greatest proficiency in the study of Spanish and Latin American Civilization.
• Lafayette Leadership Institute    2
  I have participated in the Lafayette Leadership Institute two times, once in 2010 and once in 2012. I learned about different career options by speaking with alumni and about life-long leadership skills.

 

Campus Activities

• Cultural Team for Engineers Without Borders    3
  I have been on EWB for three years and served as a Cultural Team Leader for a year and a half. My team and I organized campus events to raise EWB awareness, translated manuals from English to Spanish, and created manuals on water sanitation.
• Language Lab Assistant    3
  This will be my third year working for Foreign Language Department where I help create web projects, videos, and assist students with any technical problems they may have. I produced my own academic e-portfolio for the language department.
• Fellowship of Christian Athletes    4
  I joined FCA in my firs year of college, and I  have served as a secretary and a team leader for three years. I help plan team meetings and organize our annual Fields of Faith event.
• Lafayette Christian Fellowship    3
  I have met my wonderful roommates and close friends through LCF, where I attended a weekly worship and prayer gathering.
• Senior Interviewer for Admissions    1
  I have the priviledge of interviewing prospective students, answer their questions, and write assessment forms about how they would fit in at Lafayette.
• Russian Tutor for ATTIC    1
  This semester I am tutoring a Russian student to help improve his grammar skills and language skills.

 

Community Service

• ESL Phone Tutor for Project Easton    2
  I served as a phone tutor for Project Easton for two years where I helped Spanish people improve their English skills.
• Lafapalooza    1
  Worked a ‘Day of Service’ at Lafapalooza in 2009 where I helped lead activities and games for children.
• EWB Honduras    3
  I have been on EWB for the past three years, and I had the opportunity to travel to a small impoverished community in Honduras to help implement a watershed system. During our two weeks in Honduras, we built a dam, established the base for our watershed system, and taught lessons on hygiene to children.
• Spanish Club for Landis Community Outreach Center    1
  In the spring of 2010, when I was injured and could not compete, I helped with an afternoon program for children in Easton. We did arts and crafts and played games.
• Volunteer in las Alpujarras, Spain
  I traveled with a group to las Alpujarras, Spain for a weekend and helped a local farmer plant tomatoes in the mountainous region outside of Granada.

 

Athletics

• Varsity Cross Country    4
  I have been a member of the Cross Country team for four years. I served as Co-Captain in the fall of 2011.
• Varsity Track and Field    4
  This is my fourth year on the track team and my first full season competing and without any injuries. My new challenge for the semester has been trying a new event, the steeplechase, which I love!
• All-Time Top Ten list for Lafayette
  Indoor Track in the 3000m with a time of 10:11, Outdoor Track in the 1500m with a time of 4:45.12, and the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 11:27.
• U.S. Track and Field and Coaches Association Academic Honors    2
  In 2009 and 2011, our cross country team was honored by the U.S. Track and Field and Coaches Association for running in the regional race and achieving a cumulative team GPA of 3.0 or higher. I led the team with a 4.0 fall semester of 2009 and was one of  four other teammates with a 4.0 in 2011.

 

Special Interest

 

• ‘Nicky’s Family’
  I designed, developed, and implemented a project to introduce a documentary film on raising Holocaust awareness. This event would not have happened if it was not for Lafayette’s Cur Non motto. Lafayette encouraged me to make my idea a reality, and without the help of the departments and resources at Lafayette, this inspirational film screening to commemorate Holocaust Remembrance would not have been possible.
• +421 Foundation Internship    1
  I interned for a non-profit in New York whose goal is to enhance relations between Slovaks and Americans through cultural events. I helped with research, grant writing, and event coordinating.
• World Bank Externship
  Oversaw the daily responsibilities of a World Bank Junior Professional Associate during a two day  externship program sponsored by Lafayette. Attended meetings regarding current projects in the  Africa region and listened to a conference call with a Director in Kenya. Attended brown bag meetings  and learned more about the World Bank, its current projects and international development.
• Don Juan’s Mexican Grill
  I had the opportunity to work for the kindest business owners ever when I worked part-time during the fall for the new Mexican restaurant near campus. I was responsible for running day to day operations of the restaurant and providing excellent customer service.
• IES Study Abroad- Granada, Spain
  I was completely immersed in Spanish culture by taking classes at the University of Granada, living with a host family, and participating in a variety of activities with local Spanish students. I decided to stay for the summer, and I served as an assistant to IES Abroad by planning events for a group of American students and leading them on several day trips.
• Internship for the International Economics Department at the University of Granada
  I assisted an International Economics Professor, worked one-on-one speaking Spanish, edited and translated articles from Spanish to English, submitted journals to major publications, organized the office, and helped administer exams.
• U.S. House of Representatives Externship
  I had an opportunity to shadow a press secretary for the U.S. House of Representatives for a week. I worked with the staff of New York Congressman, researched and tracked legislation, and managed phone calls during conference calls.
• Passion for Language Learning
  I love learning languages and hope to further improve my Slovak, Spanish, and Russian skills.