2019-Amanda Baildon

Amanda Baildon

First Major: Psychology

Minor: Economics

300 Word Statement

“What are you passionate about?” my orientation leader asked me on my second day at Lafayette. I thought for a moment about the things I had accomplished as an 18-year-old, and I replied, “I have no idea.” At the time, that was the truth. However, my answer to this question has grown and evolved over these four years. In that time, I have come to realize that the “Lafayette Ideal” goes beyond simply what you are passionate about and asks how you use that passion to make yourself, Lafayette, and this world a better place.

My passion is about the power of connecting. I love to connect research questions with empirical data. My honors thesis in Psychology about bystander behavior is just one example of this. Bystanders who choose to intervene are instrumental to the health and safety of any community, and my research was driven by a desire to know when and how students choose to intervene in emergencies.

I also love to connect people with resources. My desire to promote healthy living among students extends to my role as a Head Resident, President of the Marquis Players, and previously as a LiveWell advisor and President of the Panhellenic Council. I provided existing resources to members of the community and I am fortunate to have created my own resources about alcohol safety as well.

Most importantly, I love to connect ideas with actions. I believe that a group of motivated young people can make any dream a reality, and indeed I am lucky to have proof of that in my campus involvement.

To me, the ideal Lafayette student uses their passions to grow from their experiences, learn from others, and change themselves or their environment for the better. So Lafayette, how will you use your passions?

Academic Activities/Awards – Total Years Involved

  • Honors Thesis in Psychology (1)

My honors thesis uses first-person perspective videos to study bystander behavior in emergency situations. Working with Professor Shaw, the goal of my research is two address two questions. First, are POV videos an effective method for studying bystander behavior? Second, do people intervene more often when they feel like they belong and when they are personally implicated by the emergency?

  • PhD candidate at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

I accepted an offer from the University of Nebraska to pursue of doctoral degree in social psychology. I will be working in the Subtle Prejudice Lab studying the impacts of alcohol use and objectification on sexual assault and rape occurrences. My ultimate career goal is to use an applied perspective to create and implement prevention programs for high risk drinking and sexual assault.

  • EXCEL Scholar (1)

Under Professor Myers’ guidance, I am writing a paper for publication about Theory of Mind development and play behavior in preschool children.

  • Independent Study (1)

During my sophomore year, I completed an independent study with Professor Shaw about what colleges and universities are doing to combat high-risk drinking. This research was the catalyst for my involvement in alcohol education efforts on campus.

  • Marquis Scholar (4)

The Marquis Scholarship, valued at $100,000 over 4 years, made it possible for me to attend Lafayette and pursue my intellectual curiosities. The additional $4,000 stipend helped pay for my interim trip to Russia and Latvia.

  • Psi Chi International Honors Society (2)

Inducted April 2018.

  • Omicron Delta Epsilon Honors Society (1)

Inducted April 2019.

  • Student Research Poster Session (1)

I presented in the Fall of 2018 on my summer research from the University of Pittsburgh and am scheduled to present two projects at the end of this spring semester. I will present my honors thesis and the results from a class project with my project partners.

  • Dean’s List (4)

I have qualified for Dean’s List for 5 semesters (6 anticipating this spring).

  • Career Services Externship Participation (1)

I participated in the Career Services externship program with the YWCA in Hartford, CT.

Campus Services/Activities and Awards – Total Years Involved

  • Unsung Hero (1)

The Unsung Hero is one of the Aaron O. Hoff awards that goes to a student who works without regard for personal reward to better the Lafayette community. I received this award in May 2018.

  • Head Resident (2)

Last year, I supervised the Watson, Farber, Ramer staff, and my eleven RAs and I won Staff of the Year. This year, I supervise fourteen RAs, including the Greek houses, Reeder Street, Grossman House, and McKelvy House. My role is to act as a liaison between Office of Residence Life, the student staff, and residents of our halls. I attend weekly meetings with the Head Residents and Professional staff, lead weekly meetings with my own staff, review and write reports, and assist my RAs in any way necessary.

  • Resident Adviser (1)

I started my career in residence life as a Resident Adviser in Kamine Hall. During this year, I served on the programming committee to improve the office’s programming model and won Programmer of the Year. As a Resident Adviser, I organized programs, wrote weekly reports about community happenings, led community meetings, enforced policy, oversaw facilities, and made the community as comfortable as possible for my residents.

  • President of the Marquis Players (4)

The Marquis Players is Lafayette’s student-run not-for-profit theater organization. I have performed in our Spring musical for each of my four years at Lafayette, served as Vice President as a junior, and currently serve as President. In conjunction with the rest of the Executive Team and the Production Team, we have tried many new things. This year, we produced a musical with challenging themes, coordinated workshops to address issues in the script, and organized a Talk Balk for the audience to see into our process.

  • President of the Panhellenic Council (2)

After joining the Greek community, I served on the Panhellenic Council as the Vice President of Operations in 2017, then as President in 2018. During this time, we worked with Kaleidoscope to implement Social Justice 101 into Rho Gamma training and the All-Sorority meeting before recruitment. We co-sponsored with a greater diversity of groups on campus to solidify the Panhellenic commitment to social issues. My proudest accomplishment of this term was the formation of a committee with members of the Intercultural Development Office and sororities to address issues of diversity in Greek Life.

  • LiveWell Adviser (2)

My involvement with LiveWell began before I officially became an adviser. The wellness coordinator, Alissa Vreeland, helped me implement events about high-risk drinking behavior, including discussions during Alcohol Awareness Week about the drinking culture on campus. I joined LiveWell on the Physical and Financial Wellness committee in the spring of 2017. During this time, I worked with PASA to create a presentation for first-year students about healthy sexual relationships and healthy relationships with alcohol, I organized all of Alcohol Awareness Week, and assisted with other events throughout the year.

  • Alcohol and Other Drugs Standing Committee Member (2) 

As an extension of my alcohol education efforts, I was invited to join the Alcohol and Other Drugs Standing Committee (AODSC). I attend as many of their monthly meetings as possible to discuss issues surround the alcohol and drug culture at Lafayette.

  • Pi Beta Phi, Fraternity for Women (3)

I served on the Philanthropy and Fraternity Development committees and attended philanthropy and chapter events throughout my college career.

  • Writing Associate (1)

Using the facilitative approach, I worked as a Writing Associate with 16 student in a first-year seminar called “Learning Science”.

Community Service – Total Years Involved

  • Marquis Scholars and Fellows Dynamic Assessment Day Shepard (3)

As a freshman, sophomore, and junior, I volunteered to be a Shepard for the Marquis Fellows Weekend. On this day, applicants who were selected as potential recipients of the Marquis Fellowship engage in a variety of activities. The Shepard’s role is to answer questions and guide them through the process.

  • Landis Community Center – SKIP volunteer at the EACC (2)

I volunteered weekly at the Easton Area Community Center during my first two years at Lafayette.

  • Read Lead Achieve with Pi Beta Phi (3)

As a member of Pi Beta Phi, I participate in philanthropic service events to promote literacy. One way Pi Phi does this, is through the reading room at the EACC. I volunteer as a tutor each semester that I have been involved in Greek life.

  • Lafapalooza and Make a Difference Day (2)

I participated in each of these days of service during sophomore and junior year.

Athletics Activity/Award – Total Years Involved

  • Amateur Yogi (2)
  • Intramural Lawn Games Champion (1)

Special Interest – Total Years Involved

  • Research Assistant in the Social Life and Motivation Lab at the University of Pittsburgh (1)

Summer 2018, I was selected for an American Psychological Association fellowship to work with Doctor Edward Orehek at the University of Pittsburgh. I designed and collected data for a project about instrumentality and attraction in dyadic relationships.

  • English as Second Language Teacher in Nanjing, China (1)

Summer 2017, I moved to Nanjing, China to teach English in a variety of academic settings.

  • Teacher as Summer Academy (1)

Summer 2016, I taught ESL, Acting, and Public Speaking at a summer school program for international high school students at Suffield Academy.

  • Travel (4)

Since I was little, I have loved to explore new cultures through travel. I love to learn the history and to experience the food, art, and architecture of new places.