2019- Connor Burwell

Connor Burwell

First Major: Government & Law

Second Major: Philosophy

300 Word Statement

Lafayette is cited as saying he forms his ideas after reading, studying, examining, listening, thinking, and only then attempting to find some common sense within all that—at least according to the mural in the Farinon stairwell.

This sentiment might seem a bit overstated at first (could all ideas really require this much work?), but I think Lafayette is making an important point: he could not have led the same life of distinguished service and global citizenship that he did, had he not grounded his leadership in reflective scholarship, and recognized that there is always more to learn.

My Lafayette education has repeatedly hammered this message home. As a politically engaged first year student, I came to Lafayette expecting to learn from the Government & Law faculty about how to turn my ideology into policy. Instead, I learned the embarrassingly obvious lesson—in retrospect at least—that critical thought needs to happen before confident action can. Effective advocacy isn’t a singular crusade; it’s a shared project.

Now when I organize for change, I focus on building meaningful collaborations. Last fall I worked as Student Government President with the Interfaith Council on getting the dean’s excuse policy changed, since the system wasn’t working for many people trying to practice their sincerely held faiths. I tailored my contributions to the project around what I learned from the leadership and lived experiences of students like Gabby Tropp ’20 and Scott Kamen ’21, who started the endeavor, and I believe we succeeded because of our shared commitment to thoughtful advocacy.

By trying to listen more than I speak, and becoming humbler about what I know, I think I’ve become a better activist and leader. I hope it’s also carried me one step closer to following in the ideal that the Marquis de Lafayette set.

Academic Activities/Awards – Total Years Involved

  • Marquis Fellowship (4)

The Marquis Fellowship (valued at $160,000) is offered to outstanding admitted students who have demonstrated commitment to the Marquis’ ideals of leadership, service, and scholarship.

  • Dean’s List (4)

I have earned Dean’s List each semester, and have maintained a 4.0 cumulative GPA every semester as well.

  • Louise M. Olmstead Prize in Ethics (1)

The Olmsted Prize is awarded to a student [or students] who, in the judgment of the members of the Department of Philosophy, has/have done outstanding work in theoretical ethics, applied ethics, or a related field. I was awarded this honor in spring 2019.

  • Minerva and Emil V. Novak Prize in Government and Law (1)

The Minerva and Emil V. Novak Prize in Government and Law is awarded to a major(s) in the Department of Government and Law who has demonstrated overall excellence in academic work and citizenship in the campus community. I was recognized with this distinction in spring 2018.

  • Pirie Prize (at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland) (1)

Awarded to the student(s) who has authored the best undergraduate paper in the International Relations department. I earned this prize while studying abroad in spring 2018.

  • Outstanding Solon E. Summerfield Scholar (1)

The highest national scholarship awarded by the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, the Outstanding Summerfield Scholarship recognizes a Phi Psi who has demonstrated leadership and service to their chapter and community while maintaining high academic standing. I was selected as the Outstanding Summerfield Scholar in spring 2018.

  • Henrietta S. Treen and Edith A. Gorsuch Scholarships (1)

These scholarships are given to students demonstrating high personal character that are preparing themselves for a profession in ministry, law, or medicine. I earned both of them in spring 2018.

  • Eugene B. Chase Phi Beta Kappa Prize for Academic Excellence (1)

Awarded to sophomores who have demonstrated scholarship as a first-year student.

  • Pi Sigma Alpha (1)

Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, limits membership to students who have demonstrated interest in Political Science and who meet required academic standards. I was selected for induction in fall 2018.

  • Order of Omega (1)

I serve as Vice President of Order of Omega, the Greek Life honor society. The Order recognizes juniors and seniors who have exemplified high standards in the areas of scholarship, leadership, involvement within their respective organization and within the fraternity/sorority, campus, and local communities. Members are selected from the top 3% of students at each institution. I was selected for induction in spring 2018.

Campus Services/Activities and Awards – Total Years Involved

  • Student Government (4)

I currently serve as President of our Student Government, and in that capacity I direct the two broad goals that our General Body seeks to achieve: (1) acting as a liaison between students and administration, faculty, and the board of trustees, and (2) advocating on behalf of students across a variety of committee-based issue areas. In my time as President I’ve guided Student Government from a growth of 15 to over 40 students, and helped facilitate the accomplishment of tangible goals that range from getting the faculty to amend our Dean’s Excuse policy to better accommodate religious observance, to increasing Student Government’s funding capacity for supporting student organizations. I have previously served as Executive Secretary and Director of Student Organizations, and have been a member of the General Body ever since my first year at Lafayette.

  • Lafayette College Admissions (4)

I worked as an Admissions Ambassador from my first year to junior year, and was selected as the Male Rookie Tour Guide of the Year in spring 2016. In fall 2018 I worked as a senior interviewer, during which I interviewed prospective students and provided insight about candidates to the admissions committee.

  • Lafayette Student Alumni Council (4)

From 2016 to 2017 I served as Co-President of the Student Alumni Council with Paige Nicholas ’19. LSAC works to preserve and foster beloved Lafayette traditions, and to help transition current students into active alumni upon graduation. Specifically, I helped direct event planning for our Dine 03/09 Founder’s Day celebration in 2017, and worked with Paige to develop a new fund to support student organizations that create programming to connect with alumni.

  • Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity (3)

In spring 2019 I was honored as undergraduate of the year for our campus chapter (PA Theta). Additionally, I have served on the executive board of Phi Psi ever since my first year in the Fraternity, and have worked as a dishwasher, Historian, Scholarship Chair, and member of our Grievance Committee. As Scholarship chair in 2017 I implemented a new, successful academic support system and ran study hours for 12 hours/week.

  • Orientation and Welcome Weeks Program (1)

In Fall 2018 I worked as an orientation leader to help transition incoming students to life at Lafayette in an inclusive way.

  • Marquis Scholars & Fellows Society (4)

From spring 2016 to spring 2017 I served as Treasurer of the Marquis Scholars and Fellows Society. In that role I helped organize the Society’s faculty lecture series and planned our annual Holiday Gala.

  • Presidential Advisory Committee on Commencement (1)

In fall 2018 and spring 2019 I worked as a student appointee to President Byerly’s Advisory Committee on Commencement, where I helped deliberate over potential Commencement speakers for spring 2019. As a result of the committee’s work, Wes Moore will be the Class of 2019 commencement speaker.

  • Board of Trustees (1)

As President of Student Government, I currently serve as the student appointee to the Board of Trustees, where I communicate student needs and perspectives to issues the Board is considering. Additionally, I serve alongside Kamal Bookwala ’20 as a student appointee to the Board of Trustee Student Life Committee.

  • Faculty Academic Progress Committee (1)

I currently serve alongside Chris Romano ’19 as a student appointee to the Faculty Academic Progress Committee, which reviews student petitions and adjudicates academic dishonesty disputes.

  • Lafayette Symposium Committee (1)

I worked as a student appointee to the Symposium Committee in fall 2018 and spring 2019 to select Mr. Alan Cooperman, Director of the Religious Center at Pew as the spring 2019 Symposium speaker. The Symposium was created to bring diverse scholarship and research to campus.

Community Service – Total Years Involved

  • Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast (1)

In the summer of 2017 I volunteered as an intern at Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast in Houston, Texas for over 200 hours, during which I worked with their Development and Marketing teams. While there I helped to implement donor solicitation strategies, assisted in running supporter activation events, and analyzed the performance of social media campaigns for PrEP—a preventative HIV medication—in Houston, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans.

  • Planned Parenthood Texas Votes Youth Power Summit (1)

In Summer of 2017 I attended a multi-day leadership and action conference where participants learned how to advocate for political change, by organizing a march through the Texas Capitol around specific Texas House legislation. While there I was recognized with the Men’s Award, for commitment to allyship with Planned Parenthood and empowerment work more broadly.

  • Lafayette College Planned Parenthood Generation Action (1)

In the Fall of 2018 I served as Vice President of Lafayette’s PPGA chapter, where I worked to coordinate midterm election phone-banking for candidates that support access to reproductive rights, and helped lead repro-rights education training on campus.

  • Marquis Fellowship Dynamic Assessment Experience (1)

Volunteered as a shepherd to guide a group of high school seniors through the Marquis Fellowship Dynamic Assessment Experience.

  • 30 Hour Famine (2)

In spring of 2017 I led and organized a 30 Hour Famine on campus, where students fasted for 30 hours to raise money and awareness for global food access issues. We raised over $2,800, and then repeated the event in spring of 2018.

  • Mental Miles (1)

In fall 2018 I participated in the mental miles 5k to help raise money for awareness of mental health concerns and access to related healthcare.

  • Movember (1)

In fall 2018 I grew a mustache for Movember in order to raise money for men’s mental health in particular, which I was driven to because I lost my grandfather to suicide.

  • Phi Psi Haunted House (3)

Volunteered in the fall of 2016, 2017, and 2018 to help set up the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity House for our annual philanthropy Haunted House for the Boys and Girls Club of Easton, and then volunteered during the event.

  • Philanthropy Spinning (3)

Helped set up, run, and advertise philanthropy dance events for the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity multiple times each semester since fall 2016.

Athletics Activity/Award – Total Years Involved

  • Lafayette College Crew Team (2)

From fall 2015 to spring 2017 I served as a coxswain on the crew team, practicing for upwards of 15 hours each week. In spring 2016 I raced in the novice men’s four boat that helped bring the River Cup back from Lehigh for the first time since 1999, in our annual Dual Race. I also served on the executive board as secretary, where I managed parent communications and social media.

  • Men’s Team MVP, Lafayette College Crew Team (1)

Selected for this award during the ’16 – ’17 Season for performance in competition, dedicated service during practice, and leadership within the program.

  • Intramural Battleship (1)

Participated in intramural battleship as part of Hermione commons in spring 2016.

Special Interest – Total Years Involved

  • Emerging Leader Hoff Award (1)

This award recognizes students who have made an impressive transition from exploring to taking the lead towards meaningful change. The recipient displays consciousness of self, commitment, and values congruence.

  • The Urban Institute (1)

Worked as a strategic communications intern in summer 2018 for the Urban Institute, a nonpartisan policy think-tank that specializes in using data-driven research to elevate political discourse. While there I authored a story on using evidence-based programs at the local level, which was published on Urban Wire, the think tank’s blog; I produced and co-wrote Episode 16 of the “Critical Value” podcast about the kids’ share of the federal budget; and I successfully pitched an Urban study to reporters at EdWeek, The Seattle Times, and Chalkbeat Tennessee.

  • Northampton County Court of Common Pleas (1)

Worked as a judicial intern in fall 2017 for Judge Paula A. Roscioli, during which I drafted an opinion and memos for review by the Judge and her law clerk while gaining real-world experience in trial law proceedings and legal research.

  • WJRH Radio Show Co-Host (3)

From my first through junior years at Lafayette I co-hosted a hip-hop and rap radio show with Christopher Burns ’19 called “Keepin in Trill on the Hill.”

  • Semester Abroad at University of St. Andrews (1)

In spring 2018 I enrolled at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland to study advanced metaethics, international relations, and statistics. While there I was awarded the Pirie Prize for the best undergraduate paper in IR.

  • Interim Abroad in China (1)

In January 2019 I studied development and globalization in Shanghai, Chengdu, Guilin, and Hong Kong through Lafayette’s China interim trip, led by Professors Yang and Lu. My final research paper explored the rise of Buddhism in mainland China.

  • Woodrow Wilson Leadership School (1)

In summer 2017 I attended the Woodrow Wilson Leadership School at Butler University in Indiana, a program run by the national Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity.

  • Crossword Puzzles (2)

I have been a longtime fan of crossword puzzles, and have completed every Monday puzzle in the New York Times archive from now through 2010. The later days, which get incrementally harder, are unfortunately still mostly out of my reach.

  • Camping (4)

I earned my Eagle Scout award while in high school, and developed a love for the outdoors during that process. I camp and hike regularly to stay in touch with that long-held interest.