Senior Standouts 2023
These graduating seniors represent the academic breadth and excellence of Colby’s Class of 2023.


SOfIA ARLEO
She asks big questions and has made the most of her time in Maine
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Preferred pronouns: she/her/hers
Majors: Anthropology and Latin American Studies
Hometown: San Francisco, Calif.
Why did you choose your field of study, and what did you discover about yourself through your studies at Colby?
When I first came to Colby, I didn’t really know what I wanted to study. And after coming back from the Global Entry Semester in Salamanca, Spain, I just started taking classes I was interested in. I wanted to continue taking Spanish, and I really loved the intro anthropology class. I was interested in asking big questions, and hearing people’s stories, and finding ways of working with people to share their stories. So I continued taking anthropology classes, and majored in Latin American Studies because I felt like it gave me a way of using my Spanish with a lot more flexibility. It created a really nice blend with anthropology. And in terms of how I grew from it, I feel like I definitely just started asking more questions about everything in general. And I’ve become really interested in design, and using anthropology with design. So I feel like it gave me two new ways of seeing the world.
How did you contribute to the Colby community, on campus and off?
I helped out with the graphics for the Music Department, as well as communications within the Music Department. I worked on the Museum Student Board at the Colby Museum of Art, helping to make the museum more accessible to the larger Colby community. I created an art bar with my friend Mary Bevilacqua (’23), and it was a weekly opportunity to have a space with art materials for students to come and make art.
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
I really love the tables outside of Mary Low, especially when it’s nice out. I feel like it’s a really good place on campus to take a break. You always see people walking around—it’s central, but it still feels really calm. I also like the Colby-Hume Center on Messalonskee Lake. There’s a dock, and it’s really fun when it’s warm to go swimming with friends. But also in the winter, it’s awesome to go ice skating, because you can skate out to this big island. Basically year round, people are like, “Let’s go to Hume.” Let’s just go do something and not think about school for a second.
Do you have a favorite memory of your time at Colby?
One thing that really drew me to Colby was how balanced I felt the students were here. Really excited and eager in the academic sphere, but also really passionate and interested about things outside of school. And I think a lot of my favorite memories have been just exploring different parts of Maine, spending time in the mountains, and also having incredible access to all these cool lakes and the ocean.
What do you have planned for your life after graduating, and where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
I’m still figuring it out. I think I definitely want to do something with design and use design to question and deal with problems that are going on, which I think stems from a lot of my anthropological work. I’m finishing up a project using creative imagination through design to transform carceral spaces, which came out of an anthropology class. I think I’ll be doing similar projects like that, of using human-focused design to make change. In terms of five to 10 years, I have no idea, and I don’t think any 22-year-old should. I hope that I still have a lot of questions and am still holding on to the balance of everything.

AMANDA CABRAL
She wants to rectify the legacies of housing discrimination and environmental injustices
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Preferred pronouns: she/her/hers
Major: Economics
Minor: Environmental Studies
Hometown: Whittier, Calif.
Why did you choose your field of study, and what did you discover about yourself through your studies at Colby?
I originally chose economics to better position myself to gain the analytical skills I would need when entering the workforce and ultimately pursuing entrepreneurship after graduation. Throughout my Colby career, I have been able to use economics to complete research that is meaningful to me within the sphere of environmental justice. I have come to discover a part of me that is super passionate about bettering the lives of those in vulnerable communities through the lens of health and environmental justice. I hope to continue this work after I graduate by working in affordable housing and ensuring better living conditions for the same communities I have been studying at Colby.
How did you contribute to the Colby community, on campus and off?
On campus, I have been a part of the women’s softball team all four years. This year, especially, I took on a leadership role and was made a team captain. Influencing the culture and legacy of Colby softball is something I am proud to say I have accomplished. I have also strived to volunteer in the Waterville community alongside my teammates.
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
My favorite place on campus is the Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center. It’s where I spend the most time with my best friends and have grown as a person during my time at Colby.
Do you have a favorite memory of your time at Colby?
My favorite memory has been during my team’s spring training trip in Florida. It’s always during that week that I have learned so much about myself as an athlete and a person. It has been super rewarding to represent Colby and I am so grateful for all the fun memories I have made on that trip with my teammates. From our murder mystery party to being able to play 12 games, that was a week to remember.
What do you have planned for your life after graduating, and where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
After graduation, I will be working as a real estate analyst for Freddie Mac in affordable housing. I would love to use those learned skills to launch my real estate career, where I hope to make a difference in creating more affordable and green housing. I see myself working to rectify the legacies of housing discrimination and environmental injustices by giving back to vulnerable communities and working to create and fund solutions.

LAURA DREPANOS
A strong student and a caring community member
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Preferred pronouns: she/her/hers
Major: Computational Biology
Minors: Statistics and Environmental Studies
Hometown: Southborough, Mass.
Why did you choose your field of study, and what did you discover about yourself through your studies at Colby?
I’ve always been fascinated by the biology behind disease and loved the idea of improving health through research. Colby’s computational biology program stood out to me for the opportunity to leverage code to untangle diseases with complex genetic causes. In addition to the (very unexpected) finding that I actually really like programming, I learned that I am motivated the most by working towards causes that I am passionate about. Researching Alzheimer’s disease with the Jackson Laboratory through the Colby-Lunder Fellowship Program allowed me to feel as though I was doing just that.
How did you contribute to the Colby community, on campus and off?
On campus, I co-managed the EcoReps sustainability program and enjoyed spending time with the computer science majors by holding TA hours. I also followed my stellar mentee, Elias, from fourth to seventh grade in the Waterville school system through the Colby Cares About Kids program and had fun coaching field hockey through the Alfond Youth and Community Center.
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
The Colby greenhouse! After I spent my first Jan Plan helping the biology lab instructors grow Brassica rapa [field mustard] there, it became my favorite place to be surrounded by fresh air and color even when Colby was buried in snow.
Do you have a favorite memory of your time at Colby?
Helping my roommate cook “family dinners” for our friends in our apartment every week. Especially the homemade eggnog and impromptu fashion shows!
What do you have planned for your life after graduating, and where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
I will be living in Cambridge and working with the Genetic Perturbations Platform at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Outside of work, I’m so excited for daily runs on the Charles and spending time with friends in Boston. In five or 10 years, I want to go for my Ph.D. so I can study disease genetics using the most innovative computational techniques.

NICK ENGLISH
This computer science standout did research with Spot, the agile robot
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Preferred pronouns: he/him/his
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Economics
Hometown: New Canaan, Conn.
Why did you choose your field of study, and what did you discover about yourself through your studies at Colby?
I developed an interest in technology and programming in high school and studied programming a little, but I was not planning to major in that field. When I arrived at Colby, I took a few classes and discovered that I greatly enjoy learning and working through complex problems in computer science. The incredible support and encouragement all students receive from the Computer Science Department enabled me to consider it a realistic option. That, and my passion for the subject, led me to switch to a computer science major. More recently, I have discovered an interest in applying existing robotic systems as assistive technologies. I pursued this in my research this year with [Assistant] Professor Stacy Doore and the agile quadruped robot Spot.
How did you contribute to the Colby community, on campus and off?
I have tried to contribute to the amazing support the Computer Science Department has offered throughout my time at Colby. I have been an evening teaching assistant and generally spent a lot of time helping students work through projects. Recently, I have worked on getting younger students more involved and interested in the INSITE [Immersive Navigation Systems and Inclusive Technology Ethics] lab. I helped introduce the lab and the robot dog Spot to current students, faculty, and staff, as well as families and prospective and new students.
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
Miller Lawn is my favorite place on campus. When the weather is nice, I find it a great place to sit outside while working on my research. The view is often quite good, and it is rarely too crowded.
Do you have a favorite memory of your time at Colby?
My favorite memories at Colby are taking trips with friends to various locations around Maine, whether to Portland for meals or to more remote locations for other activities.
What do you have planned for your life after graduating, and where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
After graduation, I plan to work in software engineering and anticipate spending at least a few years doing that. I will likely pursue more higher education at some point. In 10 years, I hope to be working in some form of tech that aligns with my interests.

QUIFAN “FRANK” HU
A born philosopher, he also loves to play piano
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Preferred pronouns: he/him/his
Major: Philosophy
Hometown: Ningbo, China
Why did you choose your field of study, and what did you discover about yourself through your studies at Colby?
I just cannot imagine doing anything else. I chose philosophy to study, and it changed me so much. I don’t know how to describe it. Just my whole worldview.
How did you contribute to the Colby community, on campus and off?
I organized reading groups during the summer and discussed philosophy in class and after class. I tried to facilitate philosophical discussions on campus in general. I also initiated a Colby-led team of students and prominent scholars of virtue argumentation theory to translate already-published papers from English into Chinese.
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
Bixler, because there are Steinway pianos to practice on and it’s such a luxury. I don’t know how many people realize what a luxury that is, because they’re not locked up. You can use it anytime you want. You don’t have to reserve it. You can pick one you like. I can’t imagine something like that in any other place or institution.
Do you have a favorite memory of your time at Colby?
In the summer, when I was a research assistant, I would take a walk after dinner around the campus. There’s no one here, and everything is so beautiful.
What do you have planned for your life after graduating, and where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
I’m going to continue to study philosophy in graduate school. I’m going to Boston College. In the future, I will pursue a Ph.D. and possibly teach philosophy in institutions, like Colby.

KATE JENSEN
She wants to empower people—and convince them that physics is for everyone
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Preferred pronouns: she/her/hers
Majors: Chemistry and Physics
Minor: Studio Arts
Hometown: Boxborough, Mass.
Why did you choose your field of study, and what did you discover about yourself through your studies at Colby?
I love physics because I like the way that everything just kind of works out. It’s very satisfying when you can understand why things work the way they do. Also, people don’t know this about physics, but especially when you get into research, you can start being creative with how you solve problems, which is really cool. It’s also been really fun to try to present the work in a way that people can understand. I found a way to convince a bunch of my friends to come to a physics talk that I gave—it’s really hard to get people who don’t do physics to come to a physics talk. But they all told me that they thought they understood a lot, and I was happy about that. I’ve been going to a lot of the award ceremonies that have been happening, and I’ve been realizing that I wish I had spent more time in my art classes. I wish I had explored and done other creative things, because the creative part is the part that I enjoyed most.
How did you contribute to the Colby community, on campus and off?
I was part of the sexual violence prevention program. It was really cool to empower people with knowledge. As a sexual violence survivor, that was really powerful for me. I also participated in programs of NAMI Maine, which is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, which is a really cool organization. I also led an a cappella group for two years, called Mayflower Chill, which was super fun.
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
When it’s nice out, I like to sit outside of the Mary Low coffee house because I like the sun and the open space. And doing homework in the Colby Museum of Art is also a really good place because you get nice light, whether or not it’s cold outside.
Do you have a favorite memory of your time at Colby?
My first year and my sophomore year, my roommate and I would have people over for small get-togethers where we would play video games, board games, and card games. And that was always really fun and intimate because we lived in a tiny little double and we’d stuff as many people in there as we could.
What do you have planned for your life after graduating, and where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
Next year I’m going to the University of Michigan to get my Ph.D. in physics. I’m super excited about that. I’ll be working over the summer with a chemical engineer on theoretical condensed matter physics, which is really cool. In five years, I’ll be finishing that, hopefully. And in 10 years, I’ll probably be doing some type of research position, hopefully still with my partner, and with our dog and two cats.

MATT KANG
Transcending academic disciplines, he is proud to ‘contain multitudes’
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Preferred pronouns: he/him/his
Major: English
Minor: Economics
Hometown: New York, N.Y.
Why did you choose your field of study, and what did you discover about yourself through your studies at Colby?
When I got here, I didn’t really know what I wanted to major in. And if anyone else reading this is in the same position, I think that’s perfectly fine. I think that some of the things you start doing on a whim end up being the things that are the most important to you. I think all it takes is just a little bit of curiosity to get started. I liked reading and I liked English in high school, so I thought I’d knock out the literature requirement with EN 200, Foundations of Literature with [Associate Professor of English] Elizabeth Sagaser, but it kind of reignited something in me that just sent me on this path to becoming an English major. I just realized that I really like reading, writing, analyzing, that kind of thing. And if there’s a more general theme about my time and my studies at Colby, it would be that you don’t have to be limited to one thing. Like Walt Whitman: “I contain multitudes,” and through the encouragement of professors and other students, I’ve been able to explore a lot of different disciplines.
How did you contribute to the Colby community, on campus and off?
I was a teaching assistant for several classes and I really liked doing that. Meeting people when they have homework due tomorrow and talking to them, chatting with them, getting them calmed down, telling them, “Don’t worry, guys, we can figure this out together.” I also helped with a club called First Generation Investors, where we went to Waterville High School and taught financial literacy to some of the kids who were interested, and at the end they got $100 each to invest in whatever they wanted.
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
There are a lot of good spots on campus, but if I had to narrow it down, it would have to be Bobs. When you walk into the dining hall, there’s this little cove that’s sequestered from the rest of the room, and it’s nice because you get a lot of natural light, peace, and quiet. It’s a good place to have breakfast and start off your day. And I feel like the only people that ever come over to me and start conversations when I’m there are my two buds who work at Bobs. Tammy and Selena, they’re the best.
Do you have a favorite memory of your time at Colby?
One of the ones that sticks out to me was in fall semester, when my friend Zeke said he knows a Maine oyster harvester, and if we all go in on 20 dozen oysters, we can get them for a dollar apiece, basically. So we got the oysters and they looked really good, and they were really good, but they did not come pre-shucked. We had invited a bunch of people to have an oyster night, and we realized that we had maybe an hour and a half until this thing started and we had to shuck so many oysters. Luckily, Zeke had experience shucking oysters. I did not. So I just washed them and got them ready for him to shuck. Our friends did appreciate it, and I probably ate the most oysters, my favorite Maine food, out of everyone there.
What do you have planned for your life after graduating, and where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
Next year, I’m headed to Columbia University to complete the Dual Degree Engineering Program specializing in operations research. Beyond that, I know I’m only 22 right now, but I feel like any plan that I’ve ever made that’s five or 10 years down the road has always been upturned. Rather than making plans for the future, I just try and do my best at whatever I can today. I feel like if I put my best foot forward on whatever I’m doing today, like study as hard as I can, or work as hard as I can, or make as many friends and be as nice as I can, hopefully I end up somewhere good.

MATT ROCHA
This historian plans to go to law school, but wants to work as a journalist first
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Preferred pronouns: he/him/his
Major: History
Hometown: Melrose, Mass.
Why did you choose your field of study, and what did you discover about yourself through your studies at Colby?
I actually declared as a history major before I had even taken a history class, so maybe it’s a little unorthodox. My girlfriend was a history major and she knew my strengths and what I liked in academics, so she recommended it. I thought I might as well just declare it now—I can always un-declare it later. But I think it was one of the best decisions I’ve made at Colby. I’ve discovered that I really love the process of reading something, distilling the information out of it, and then writing about it. I think journalism is a lot like that: distilling from conversations and things you read. I could totally see myself using what I’ve learned as a history major in the future.
How did you contribute to the Colby community, on campus and off?
I was part of the Colby Echo for four years. I did two years as a reporter, then was the local news and features editor, then eventually the co-editor-in-chief, which was really fun. I played on the varsity lacrosse team, and I served on the History Review Board, which is a body that organizes some community service and extracurricular things for history majors in the department.
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
I think my favorite place is probably Miller Library, just because I’ve spent so much time there. There’s something majestic about being in that building all the time. I don’t know what it is, but it has a nice atmosphere.
Do you have a favorite memory of your time at Colby?
I have a lot of favorite memories, but I think the most recent favorite one happened when our lacrosse season wrapped up. We beat MIT [Massachusetts Institute of Technology] in Cambridge. And that was awesome because they were a top-20 team, and we hadn’t achieved the results we wanted until that point. It was awesome to be with the other seniors on the team and experience that victory. It felt, honestly, fulfilling. Until that point we hadn’t had a good win, and putting in all the work in the off-season and practicing every day, it’s hard when you don’t have that tangible result to point to. So it was really awesome to know that everything we’d done had paid off.
What do you have planned for your life after graduating, and where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
I’m still trying to figure that out. I’ve been studying for the LSAT and hope to go to law school in the next few years, but until then I’d like to do something in journalism. I plan to go back to Massachusetts, where I’d like to work as a reporter for a few years, just because I feel I would regret not doing that. I really like the job and I want to do it a little more. Hopefully in five years, law school. And 10 years, I don’t know. That seems too far away. Working as a lawyer somewhere, hopefully.

MORGAN SELBY
She loved her student teaching work with middle school students
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Preferred pronouns: she/her/hers
Majors: Environmental Chemistry and Education
Hometown: Council Grove, Kan.
Why did you choose your field of study, and what did you discover about yourself through your studies at Colby?
I have a real passion for education and so I knew I wanted to pursue that major, and then probably teaching, as well. And then for chemistry, those are just classes that after taking them, I didn’t feel like I knew enough and so I wanted to keep taking more of them. I learned that taking classes is my favorite way to meet people.
How did you contribute to the Colby community, on campus and off?
I’ve done a lot of tutoring and teaching assistant work, and I think that through that I’ve helped the Colby community. I also did student teaching at Waterville Junior High School, which was great. I loved it. The middle schoolers are so funny, and my mentor teacher was awesome. And then I do civic engagement work at the Children’s Discovery Museum of Central Maine. In the fall I was helping run a science education robot camp, and then there was a space camp in January. I was on the women’s volleyball team for three years, and captain for two years, and then I’m in the Colby College Chemistry Club and The Bridge, which is for the queer community on campus.
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
I like the sky bridge between Keyes and Mudd because a lot of my friends hang out there and I have a lot of memories there. And also the Lower Arb [Perkins Arboretum]. There’s this area where there’s a bunch of hemlock trees down by the creek. I did some of my research there for the chem department, so I’ve spent a lot of time there.
Do you have a favorite memory of your time at Colby?
I don’t know if this is my favorite, but recently a group of friends and I played a two-on-two grass volleyball tournament on Miller Lawn and that was pretty fun.
What do you have planned for your life after graduating, and where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
In June, I’m starting a position at CU Boulder [the University of Colorado Boulder] and working in a partnership at NOAA [the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] doing tropospheric atmospheric chemistry. I’m super excited about that. We’ll be out on a DC-8 aircraft taking air samples for a couple of months and then analyzing that for the rest of the year. The team seems great. It’s an all-women team, so I’m stoked. So that’s the immediate future. And then if I like that, if I’m good with research, I’ll probably try to pursue a Ph.D. in atmospheric chemistry. If I don’t like it, then I’ll teach, because I know I like doing that.

VLADA TROFIMCHUK
This budding psychologist hopes to put her skills to use in her homeland of Ukraine
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Preferred pronouns: she/her/hers
Majors: Psychology and German Studies
Hometown: Sumy, Ukraine
Why did you choose your field of study, and what did you discover about yourself through your studies at Colby?
I originally chose to study psychology because I was interested in learning more about human behavior, and specifically, in understanding the factors that affect the development of national identities. In the years since then, a lot has changed, but my interest in psychology has only grown. Since the beginning of the full-scale war in my home country of Ukraine, psychological research has become a way for me to try to make some sense of what is happening. Around the same time, I got the amazing opportunity to attend a Middlebury Language Schools class in German, which deepened my interest in the language and culture. Throughout my higher-level German classes, I have been able to learn about different perspectives of German-speaking authors and related figures and apply my psychological knowledge to test these ideas. I know that my experience at Colby would not have been the same if I had majored in either psychology or German studies separately, and it has been truly fascinating to combine the two fields.
How did you contribute to the Colby community, on campus and off?
In my sophomore year, I became a co-president of the International Club, which was a culmination of my two-year active participation in it. I felt thankful to give back to the community, which welcomed me when coming to the U.S.
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
My favorite place on campus used to be a bench by Johnson Pond. I often read a book or hang out with my friends there because it reminded me of a lake near my house back home in Sumy, Ukraine. My favorite place now is Alfond Commons apartments, where I live.
Do you have a favorite memory of your time at Colby?
One of my favorite memories is when my friend, Masha, and I accidentally found railway tracks during our walk in the Arb in our first year. It was a sunny day in the middle of the fall and the leaves looked extra colorful that day around the tracks. And a couple of years later, when I tried to find the turn to the tracks by myself, I could not remember where it was, which made me think of our initial “discovery.”
What do you have planned for your life after graduating, and where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
I will be starting a Ph.D. program in social and personal psychology at the University of Illinois Chicago this August, which I am excited about. It is difficult to say for sure where I see myself in 10 years, as I hope the war in Ukraine will end by then. In the ideal future, I will be able to return back home where my understanding of human behavior can inform policies of the post-war Ukraine.

LUKA VILLANI
He is glad he hasn’t had to choose between science and music
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Preferred pronouns: he/him/his
Majors: Environmental Science and Music
Hometown: Vineland, New Jersey
Why did you choose your field of study, and what did you discover about yourself through your studies at Colby?
I came to Colby knowing that I wanted to study music in addition to biology or environmental science. Having played piano all of my life, it was important to find a school that allowed me to further my music education while also giving me the opportunity to explore my other academic interests. After getting here and taking classes in lots of departments, I chose to study music and environmental science. Colby allowed me to try new things and push myself academically—I didn’t know that I had such a passion for the environment, and Colby helped me see that. We need to do more work to restore our climate and bring environmental stewardship to all that we do. The amazing faculty here really stressed the importance of students’ contributions to the field, which in turn empowered me to see the value of my own research and study. I also came to realize that learning should be interdisciplinary. We can gain a lot from the study of both music and the environment, for example. I believe that we need to cultivate our creativity in order to do good scientific work. Art, expression, and research are not as different as they may seem. Colby allowed me the flexibility to develop all of these skills, and for that I am grateful.
How did you contribute to the Colby community, on campus and off?
I think I just followed what I was passionate about and found community along the way. I’ve been a member of the Colby Eight for four years, and music director for this past year. I joined the group as a first-year because I wanted to continue to make music with friends, and I have been lucky enough to see the group grow in many ways over the years. Being able to cultivate relationships through music and then bring that music to the community through concerts and performances is really meaningful to me. Music is togetherness, and I think being a leader in the music scene on campus has taught me a lot. I was also an orientation leader, and it was great to work with incoming first-year students. Being able to welcome others into the Colby community was a really special experience.
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
I think my favorite part of campus would have to be the “upper arb,” [the wooded area behind the Alfond Senior Apartments]. There are beautiful trails up there and it’s a great spot to spend time with friends outside. I have really fond memories of the fall in the Upper Arb, and meeting friends out there to spend time looking at the stars or exploring all of the trails. A close second would be Miller Lawn—it’s hard to beat the beautiful view of Miller and a wide open green on a sunny day.
Do you have a favorite memory of your time at Colby?
It’s hard to pick! One of my favorite memories is from my COOT [Colby Outdoor Orientation Trips] trip. We went backpacking for a few days on a small section of the Appalachian Trail, and I remember loving all of it. One night I and two friends left our camp and walked down to a nearby lake to stargaze. It was one of the clearest nights I can remember. We talked about our new lives while sitting on rocks under the stars, with the sound of loons in the distance. One of my closest friends is from that COOT trip. It’s crazy to look back on that time, now. I don’t think I would’ve been able to imagine where I am today back then.
What do you have planned for your life after graduating, and where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
Right now I’m prioritizing trying new things and following what speaks to me. Throughout my time at Colby, I have always had an interest in healthcare, and while I didn’t study bio or follow the set pre-med track, I think I want to pursue a career in caregiving. I believe that by exploring academics in an interdisciplinary way I’ve discovered new aspects of myself that I think I could use to help others. After graduating I’m going to work as a medical assistant in Portland and pursue a path to medical school. That being said, I’m here to work with whatever life throws at me. I can’t say for certain where I’ll be in 10 years but I have a strong hunch that I will be doing what feels right.

JAVON WILLIAMS
A football captain and leader, he hopes to be a sports psychologist
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Preferred pronouns: he/him/his
Major: Psychology
Minor: African-American Studies
Hometown: Ellsworth, Maine
Why did you choose your field of study, and what did you discover about yourself through your studies at Colby?
I decided to become a psychology major because I really like interacting with people. I’ve always been a pretty extroverted individual, and have always been curious about social interactions, and how the mind and body are impacted by our thoughts and emotions. Through psychology I found an interest in mental health, and combining that with my love of sports, I came across the field of sports psychology. Becoming a psychologist has really opened my eyes to how much I want to help people overcome their personal challenges.
How did you contribute to the Colby community, on campus and off?
On campus, I was the captain of the football team, the diversity, equity, and inclusion executive chair for the Student-Athlete Advisory Community, the vice president for the Colby Student Athletes of Color, a member of the Hope Happens Here organization, a student representative for the Athletic Advisory Committee, and one of the founding members of the Gentlemen of Quality group. I think through all of these positions, I got the chance to interact with a wide range of people, and I set up events that brought people from different parts of campus together. Off-campus, I worked with my trainer, Trever Coston of Aim Performance, to teach kids classes that got the surrounding community active in sports. This was a great opportunity for me as I got the chance to help even more people outside of campus, which was really special.
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
I would say either the Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center or the Spa. The new athletic center is unreal, I can go and get so many things done and have basically everything I need in there to sit and be as productive as possible. Being an athlete, it was super helpful after lifts to have a nutrition station, and then a place to sit and get some work done. In terms of the Spa, I know I can always go down there and find one of my friends doing work. It’s really easy to sit there for hours and just talk to people. I think both of these places make me realize how important each moment is during college as it all goes by so fast.
Do you have a favorite memory of your time at Colby?
I would say beating Williams College [in football] this year to open the season or beating Amherst College this year at Homecoming. Looking up into the stands and seeing my friends, classmates, and professors all cheering for the team was such an incredible moment. During that time, it felt like we as a team brought the campus together and we all shared in the excitement. I look back on those days a lot and it’s hard not to peg one of those as my favorite memory.
What do you have planned for your life after graduating, and where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
Following graduation, I will be attending the University of North Texas and will pursue my Ph.D. in counseling psychology with a concentration in sports psychology. Five or 10 years from now, I will ideally be a licensed sports psychologist, and will either be working in a college athletic department or with a professional sports team as their sports psychologist. Super big picture, I would love to own my own gym, where I can train a variety of athletes across sports, and also offer counseling services as a part of their training program.

SHURAN YANG
An academic star, she has delighted in watching baby groundhogs at play
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Preferred pronouns: She/her/hers
Majors: Psychology, with concentration in neuroscience and Educational Studies
Hometown: Shenzhen, China
Why did you choose your field of study, and what did you discover about yourself through your studies at Colby?
I was already committed to education long before college, but I also started to become interested in psychology at high school. After attending Colby, I discovered that in this liberal arts atmosphere, many students enjoy taking multiple majors and minors. Because of the encouragement to explore interdisciplinary potential, I had the courage to take biology courses in my first year. All of these possibilities and flexibilities added up to my double majors in education and psychology with a concentration in neuroscience. The most crucial discovery about myself through my studies here is that I have enormous potential to explore new knowledge. Before college, I always considered myself as only being able to and being interested in studying art-related instead of science-related fields. But Colby provides a safe space for me to take different courses, such as neuroscience and computer science, that I would have never dared to try before.
How did you contribute to the Colby community, on campus and off?
On campus, I am the head Chinese tutor for the East Asian Studies department. Working as a student assistant, I have contributed to the Startalk Chinese Summer Program for Waterville children and the Chinese Language and Cultural Exchange program for Chinese learners and native speakers. I worked as a teaching assistant, learning assistant, and lab assistant for different courses in the Psychology Department. It has been my honor to participate in the rigorous research atmosphere at Colby as an honors thesis student and a research assistant studying human spatial navigation in the Psychology Department. I also helped with first-year students’ transition to the Colby community as an orientation leader and an international buddy. Outside of Colby, I have been a Colby Care about Kids mentor since my first year and a Mandarin language volunteer for the Penobscot Bay Language School.
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
My favorite place on campus is the Hillside dorm because there is a big family of groundhogs residing nearby! Because I stayed at Colby as a student worker for every summer in my college life, I often spent time sitting and observing baby groundhogs chasing each other.
Do you have a favorite memory of your time at Colby?
My favorite memory of my time at Colby is whenever I was performing on stage or watching performances from different clubs, organizations, and activities at the Page Commons. I performed Cantonese opera during the International Extravaganza and acted in two plays with Powder & Wig, the student theater club. As an audience member, I really enjoyed seeing different parts of the Colby community coming together to showcase and celebrate their identities, interests, and efforts.
What do you have planned for your life after graduating, and where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
I will attend the Learning Design, Innovation, and Technology program at Harvard Graduate School of Education this August. The liberal arts education at Colby has equipped me well for this interdisciplinary field that incorporates education, psychology, and design thinking skills. In the future, I see myself continuing my liberal arts spirit and interdisciplinary skills in creating meaningful education products and promoting social change.

JULIE YOU
A wonderful creative writer in English, which is not her first language
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Preferred pronouns: she/her/hers
Majors: Economics and English with a concentration in creative writing
Hometown: Shenzhen, China
Why did you choose your field of study, and what did you discover about yourself through your studies at Colby?
I chose English and creative writing because, as an introvert easily intimidated by social activities, writing is my way of expressing myself freely and creatively. I chose Economics because my parents wanted me to major in something “practical” so I could occasionally step out of my own little world. I ended up liking how economics made me see the world through a more quantitative perspective. Though the two majors appear entirely different, by investigating each field, I begin to realize how qualities such as curiosity, perseverance, and collaborative spirits are shared across disciplines.
How did you contribute to the Colby community, on campus and off?
I was also a student pianist studying piano with Associate Professor Yuri Funahashi. Every semester I participated in chamber music groups and performed in recitals and various musical events in and outside of Colby. I was also the tutor and writing fellow in the Farnham Writers’ Center, a teaching assistant for macro theory, Maine Lit Fest fellow, International Fellow for the international students’ program, and an intern in Colby’s Office of General Counsel for two summers. During my time at Colby, I tried my best to explore my potential and make myself useful in different roles and positions, and I made many friends that way.
What is your favorite place on campus and why?
Though I had rarely been there due to my non-STEM background, my favorite place on campus is actually the first floor of Olin—the area with a few comfortable sofas, many indoor plants, and lots of sunshine in the afternoons. It’s just so artistic and pretty and warm and reminds you of eternity.
Do you have a favorite memory of your time at Colby?
Yes, a lot actually. But one of the best memories would probably be this: in one of the Music Department’s master classes, the guest pianist happened to be a pianist I had met in high school in Shenzhen, China (at a time when there was no Covid-19 —can you even imagine what that would feel like?). It was the craziest coincidence for the both of us, and it was so much fun to meet again in a different continent after three years and to witness how the both of us had changed and made progress. Miraculous things do happen at Colby.
What do you have planned for your life after graduating, and where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
After graduating from Colby, I will be attending Duke University School of Law. In five or 10 years, I might be a lawyer or maybe I have switched to an entirely different career, and I might be in China, the U.S., or somewhere else—I truly don’t know, and to a certain degree I like to not know where I will be.