Pepper Prize Nominee Jeffrey Wheeler © Chuck Zovko / Zovko Photographic llc April 12, 2015

Jeffrey Wheeler

First Major: International Affairs
Second Major:  Psychology
Thesis:  Western Intervention in Former Yugoslavia

300 Word Statement

Since arriving at Lafayette, I’ve been bombarded with stories of the Marquis’ famous words and deeds, most often his family motto “Cur non?” But one Lafayette quote has stuck with me in particular: “I read, I study, I examine, I listen, I reflect, and out of all of this I try to form an idea into which I put as much common sense as I can.” While “Cur non” rolls more easily off the tongue, I think this quote better captures the Lafayette ideal.

Lafayette’s praise for both critical thinking and common sense has helped me understand my own experience as a developing member and leader in the Lafayette community. From the very beginning, Lafayette has nurtured my love for learning and exploring. Since my first semester, I have taken advantage of opportunities to conduct research, to study abroad, and to be a mentor both in and outside of the classroom.

But Lafayette expects more of its students than just dedication to textbooks and research papers. My professors encouraged me to study the real-world problems that most concerned me and to think about them not just as a scholar but also as a human being. Meanwhile, my mentors in the laboratory, in residence life, on the quidditch pitch, and outside of Lafayette challenged me to develop interpersonal and leadership skills like clear communication, dedication, and integrity.

The final trick, as I pursue a career in migration policy and human trafficking prevention, is synthesizing what I have learned in class with what I have learned outside of it. I believe my well-rounded experience at Lafayette has taught me not only to study theory but also to implement and reflect on practice. I feel prepared to take part in the real world of human rights advocacy.

Academic Activities/Awards – Total Years Involved

  • Marquis Scholar 4
    I was awarded the merit-based scholarship when I applied to Lafayette. As a student, I have attended Marquis Scholar events and dinners every year. I have also helped run events for prospective students who have been offered the scholarship and their families when they come to see Lafayette. As a senior I served as a shepherd at one of the Marquis Fellowship days.
  • Excel Scholar 2
    I have worked as a research assistant and excel scholar in both the International Affairs and Psychology Departments. I helped Professor Von Wahl (IA) conduct background research for a book chapter she was writing on Germany’s third gender law, which was passed in 2014. Together we traced the roots of the new policy back through history. I also worked with Professor Nees (psychology) to design and run experiments on how people perceive and recall non-speech sounds. The knowledge we obtained was working towards designing sound technology for self-driving cars and learning software for the visually imparied.
  • Honors Thesis 1
    For my honors thesis in International Affairs I analyzed the rise of the Milosevic regime during the breakdown of Yugoslavia during the 1990s and the Western intervention strategies that aimed to weaken the regime. I concluded that Western intervention had unintended consequences that in part helped to strengthen the power of the Milosevic regime. Intervention strategies like bombs and economic sanctions not only made more people turn to Milosevic as their protector from the West, but they also disrupted daily life and made it harder for people to organize against the regime. My thesis advisor is Professor Fabian from Government and Law.
  • National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) 1
    I will be attending NCUR in Asheville, North Carolina, in April of 2016. I will be orally presenting the findings from my Honors Thesis.
  • Independent Study Project (Study Abroad) 1
    In the Spring of 2015 I studied abroad in the former Yugoslavia through the School for International Training (SIT). I was the first student from Lafayette to participate in this particular program. In April I conducted an independent study project in Serbia and Kosovo, interviewing university students who were planning to migrate to Western Europe or the USA in search of work or higher education.
  • Rexroth Prize in German 1
    I received this culture and literature studies award in the spring of 2014 for a project I conducted in the fall of 2013. As part of a 400-level German course, I translated a complete novella from German to English, which involved meeting and collaborating with the original author.
  • Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society in the Liberal Arts and Sciences.
    Inducted in the spring of 2015 (in absentia because I was abroad).
  • Sigma Iota Rho
    National Honor Society in International Relations. Inducted in the spring of 2015 (in absentia because I was abroad).
  • Psi Chi
    National Honor Society in Psychology. Inducted in the spring of 2014.
  • Delta Phi Alpha
    National Honor Society in German. Inducted in the spring of 2013.

Campus Service/Activities and Awards – Total Years Involved

  • Resident Advisor
    I was an RA for two years: sophomore year for first-year men in Watson Hall and then junior year for the upper-level special interest floor America through the Decades in Keefe Hall. In the summer between these years, I was the RA for ten incoming students who were taking part in the Summer Program for Advanced Leadership (SPAL). I then became a Head Resident for Watson Hall and Farber Hall, which made me the primary supervisor for eight other RAs. My HR position also stationed me as a role model and leader within the Victoire Commons.
  • Psychology Lab Assistant
    For two semesters I was a teaching assistant for introductory psychology students. I worked first with Professor Buckley and then with Professor Enz to prepare and distribute materials as well as grade coursework for 20 students in one lab section per semester. I also held my own office hours every week where I would meet with students to answer questions, to go over things we had covered in lab that may have been confusing, to help them prepare for upcoming assignments, and to provide guidance as they wrote their lab reports.
  • ATTIC Tutor
    Peer tutor for all levels of German (beginner through advanced).
  • Lafayette Drug and Alcohol Peer Advisor (LDAPA) 1
    I learned skills for helping other students address problems they may be encountering with the use or abuse of alcohol or drugs. I helped design and advertise survey materials for collecting data on students’ perceptions of alcohol use and abuse on campus. I also served as a member of Lafayette’s Standing Committee for Alcohol and Other Drugs (LSCAOD).
  • Lafayette College Ambassador Program (LCAP)
    I served as a college ambassador/tour guide for prospective students and their families. I also helped out with open houses and special visitations, including giving tours to middle and high school groups from New York City. I also served as a part-time tour guide over the summer between my sophomore and junior years.
  • Parent Orientation 2014
    I was asked to assist during parent orientation in August of 2014. I worked with Abby Williams to put on a couple skits to demonstrate how parents can encourage their sons and daughters to get involved on campus (without being too concerned or overbearing). Parents told us afterwards we were a hit.

Community Service – Total Years Involved

  • Alternative School Break
    Sophomore year I participated in an ASB trip over winter interim. The theme was improving education in inner city schools, and the location was Chicago, IL. My trip leader was Yanel Garcia and our faculty supervisor was Dean McKnight. We worked with the Northwestern Settlement House and the Noble Charter Network to help out in an inner city community and to spend time with kids from preschool age to high school age. We helped with extracurricular activities and talked to high schoolers about college life and how they could start preparing for their futures.
  • Lafapalooza
    Sophomore year my friends and I signed up to participate in Lafapalooza during the spring. We helped repaint the Easton Health and Rehabilitation Center.

Athletics Activity/Award – Total Years Involved

  • Club Quidditch 3
    At the activities fair freshman year I signed up to participate in Club Quidditch, and it was a blast. I have gotten to play at tournaments in Pennsylvania and Maryland. My position was a chaser.

Special Interest – Total Years Involved

  • Lafayette German Club 4
    Freshman year I served as treasurer; sophomore year as secretary/public relations; junior year as event chair; and senior year as president. Junior year I organized a month-long series of films and lectures to celebrate and reflect on the fall of the Berlin Wall 25 years ago.
  • Honorable Mention: Flash Fiction Contest 1
    Fall 2013, judged by Ruth Knafo Setton, published in The Marquis spring 2014.
  • Honorable Mention: Jean Corrie Poetry Prize 1 Spring 2014, judged by B. J. Ward, published in The Marquis spring 2014.