Following a week of intensive reflection, discussion, and collaborative ideation, Gettysburg College's inaugural Peace and Justice Transformative Leadership Fellows return to their spheres of the world-from Arizona to New York, Canada to the capital of the United States, and beyond-as leaders of peace, justice, and change. Leveraging the foundational leadership skills they learned here, each fellow will now embark on a yearlong social change project that they envisioned while in Gettysburg. "It's very much critical praxis, which is the synergy between theory and action," said Fellowship Co-Director Daniel Jones '22, who is also president of the Peace and Justice Student Council on campus. "Through the various sessions we held during the Transformative Leaders Fellowship, we didn't just give the students the tools to be leaders and changemakers. It was also a priority of ours to teach them how to use those tools, then giving them the space they need to figure out how to best employ and further develop them in their own home communities." Read the full story.

In the fall of 2020, Meem Noshin Nawal Khan '24 started her Gettysburg College experience from her home in Bangladesh. A year later, as the COVID-19 pandemic improved, the chemistry major found a home on campus, spending most of her time in a Science Center lab as a research assistant for Chemistry Prof. Suvrajit Sengupta. No longer navigating a 10-hour time difference while taking Gettysburg classes from Bangladesh, the Eisenhower Scholar arrived in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, ready to take on new challenges. She began working as a residence coordinator and participated in the Cross-Disciplinary Science Institute during the summer of 2021. Hoping to become an environmental chemist in Bangladesh one day, Khan has cherished the interdisciplinary nature of her liberal arts and sciences education combined with her co-curricular experiences, as it has allowed her to pursue various passions while learning how to make an impact.

How can you satisfy your global ambition at Gettysburg College? The answer might be studying abroad, but for Chris Lough '22, who has yet to leave the country, opportunities abound right on Gettysburg's campus to reach new heights across disciplines-and across continents. From a young age, Lough, a history and French double major, knew that a world beyond the confines of his hometown of Wendell, N.C., mattered to him. "Growing up in suburbia and never being out of the U.S., I've always had a fascination with different parts of the world that I carry very deeply," he said. "I hope to be able to expand on and capitalize on that in my career." Before his time at Gettysburg even began, Lough hoped to find a college that had opportunities to satisfy his fascination with the world. Gettysburg's study abroad offerings-supported by the Center for Global Education-and robust language department proved ideal.

Two years ago, Casey Ottaway '22 found himself 13 hours from home as an engineering student at a public university. Eager to change his major and itching to be closer to home, Ottaway fell in love with the environment of intellectual depth and academic discovery at Gettysburg College. He packed up, trekked to Pennsylvania-joining the Gettysburg community at the start of his sophomore year-and has felt in his element ever since. Ottaway's transition was not only smooth, but prosperous. Gettysburg's liberal arts and sciences curriculum allowed him to pursue a political science major with a double minor in philosophy and music. Had Ottaway stayed at his previous school, he would not have been able to chase his intrinsic appetite for knowledge across multiple disciplines. Gettysburg, Ottaway has learned, emboldens those looking to intersect intellectual curiosity and a desire to make an impact. Its environment of passionate, change-driven individuals aligns with his impact-oriented attitude, and a political science education provides him with the tools to shape the world.

English major and newly-published author Andrew Casher '24 remembers going to the library when he was younger and finding a book that truly piqued his interest: "Silver" by Chris Wooding, a children's book about a silver beetle that turned people into monsters with a single bite. "I remember it ended on a cliffhanger," Casher said. "The main characters were taken away in a helicopter, and I found myself asking: What happened to them? I went online to see if there was a sequel-there wasn't-and there was a whole forum of people talking about the book." That's what he hopes to accomplish as an up-and-coming author: create a story so captivating that it leaves people wanting more. Read the full story on Casher and his new book, "Omniscience Among Mortals."

Elijah Jones '24 has been a social justice advocate since he was a child. He's used his voice to stand up for himself, for others, and educate those who see the world through a veil of ignorance. Like many of his passionate Gettysburg College peers, being an advocate for change is a part of Jones' identity. But, although he wouldn't change it, and he now embraces it as a part of his journey, living a life of advocacy was not initially a choice for Jones. It was a necessity. One of Jones' first far-reaching efforts was giving a TEDxYouth@Wilmington talk in 2017 on the importance of diversity in education, which reached more than 17,000 online viewers. Jones learned of and applied for the TEDxYouth opportunity through TeenSHARP, a nonprofit in Wilmington that was founded to increase underrepresented students' access to highly selective colleges and premier leadership opportunities. Jones also developed a college-readiness program for low-income black students in Delaware and conducted research on how a diverse faculty can benefit schools and students' educational outcomes, which, in conjunction with many other efforts, won him the 2019 Princeton Prize in Race Relations. Read the full story.

Gettysburg College is a place where many students discover their true passions and how they will leverage their passions to make a difference in the world. For Matthew Feldstein '21, who is a political science and public policy double major, his experiences at Gettysburg College let him hone his interests in national security and public policy. Feldstein recently secured a remote internship with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the largest U.S. Department of Energy science and energy laboratory which conducts basic and applied research to deliver transformative solutions to compelling problems in energy and security. Under the direction of Regulatory Specialist Marc Fialkoff '10, who majored in political science and minored in chemistry at Gettysburg, Feldstein will work on nuclear security policy through the Floating Nuclear Power Plants Project. Read the full story.

At Gettysburg College, our students are given the opportunity to explore new subjects and perspectives and tap into experiences that challenge them to think critically and reflexively. International student Srey Nich Vunn '22 who flew to the U.S. from her home country, Cambodia, to pursue higher education in 2018, has experienced this firsthand, as Gettysburg has given her many opportunities to further pursue her passion for social change.

When he was seven years old, Jaeger Held '23 visited Washington, D.C., for the first time. It was the winter of 2008-09, shortly after Barack Obama was elected president. The air was crisp, and all around him, the excitement was palpable. Seven years later, there was a shift in Washington. He remembers watching with unease as the 2016 election and the Trump administration unfolded. From then on, he felt an urgency to act and to be an active participant in the change he wished to see. During his high school days, Held attended American Legion Montana Boys State, which teaches youth the fundamentals of government, and served as a legislative aide and page for the Montana House of Representatives during the 2017 and 2019 legislative sessions. Most recently, in June, he contacted the chair of the Montana Democratic Party and attended the state convention, which was conducted virtually via Zoom due to COVID-19.

Throughout history, forms of artistic expression have served a dually reactive and proactive purpose-being an outlet to reflect on the past and present and project toward a different and better future. Today, it can be seen in action across social media feeds, which are smattered with graphics of clenched fists, symbolic of the Black Lives Matter Movement, photographs that capture the emotional highs and lows of the global COVID-19 pandemic, and inspiring quotes from political leaders amid a historic election season. Two recent Gettysburg College Schmucker Art Gallery exhibits have further explored how art has been a canvas for change throughout history.

Bread is a universal touchpoint-a staple food across the globe. As individuals worldwide gather to make and break bread, their bodies find nourishment. And in many cases, this simple food, made primarily of flour, yeast, salt, and water, also offers the emotional nourishment of comfort and community. Last fall, students in psychology Prof. Nathalie Goubet's class, Coping with Adversity: Resilience in Childhood, built upon these premises of bread making and bread breaking in an innovative way. With the help of a Community-Based Learning Fellowship through the Center of Public Service and funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, they designed a hands-on workshop that aimed to teach Gettysburg Area Middle School students resilience-building skills. Read more.

Ricardo Miranda '21, Rouwaida Nitiema '21 and Claire Woodward '20 are three Gettysburg students who conduct research with professionals in the science field, balance labs, courses, and extracurricular activities, and pursue their passions in a liberal arts and sciences setting. All three are becoming equipped for lives in the science and mathematics fields. Through offerings at Gettysburg College, they are also able to engage in other academic interests, from German studies to music, while getting involved in campus activities.

Ever since Carter Hanson '23 arrived at Gettysburg in the fall, many of his longstanding interests culminated in gratifying experiences in the college setting. The political science major quickly fell into his element after enrolling in a First-Year Seminar (FYS) entitled The Mathematics of Voting. For an assignment in the course, Hanson went on to win second place in the higher education Western division of the Draw the Lines competition for his congressional map.

Gettysburg College offers experiences that require courage to open minds to new ideas, challenging previously held beliefs and perspectives. One way students can engage in diverse perspectives is to immerse themselves in new environments, including those in other countries. Churon T. Lanier-Martin '20, a first-generation college student from Chester, Pa., considers the opportunity to study abroad through Gettysburg's Center for Global Education an invaluable part of his college experience. To expand his worldview, he traveled to Indonesia for a semester.

The Center for Career Engagement has recently announced Ingrid Bayer '22, a political science and public policy double major and member of the Women's Volleyball team, as Gettysburg College's Student Employee of the Year. Bayer was selected as the Student Employee of the Year among a pool of 55 nominees for her for her effort in supporting the mission and ideals of the Garthwait Leadership Center. Read more

Sierra Conboy '20, of Ventura, California, saw her acceptance to Gettysburg College as an opportunity for immense growth and possibility. The international affairs and political science double major took full advantage of her liberal arts education by studying abroad, participating in the Eisenhower Institute, and becoming an active member of the Women's Volleyball team. Though she faced a busy schedule, Conboy welcomed the challenge and embraced Gettysburg as a lifelong committment. Read more.

For as long as he can remember, Ziv Carmi '23 has been drawn toward public history. When he learned of Gettysburg College's rich public history offerings, which aligned with his interest in museum curation, he applied Early Decision to pursue his undergraduate studies across the country. As a first-year student, the history major with public history and Civil War era studies minors has already published a research paper from his First-Year Seminar in The Cupola, Gettyburg's open-access repository for student and faculty scholarly work. He then presented his findings on presidential leadership in the Space Age at this year's Celebration of Academic First-Year Engagement (CAFE) Symposium. Read more.

After the cancellation of her senior lacrosse season due to COVID-19, student-athlete Liza Barr '20 pens a heartfelt reflection on the impact Gettysburg College has had on her life these past 4 years. Read more here.

Charles Hagen' 20 came to Gettysburg College with no expectations. As a first-year, he was unsure of what the future would hold. Now a senior, the organization and management studies major and political science and business double minor is excited to start his career at AT&T in its Business to Business sector. It took time to find that clarity, but thanks to his experiences at Gettysburg, Hagen feels more prepared than ever to tackle new challenges. Read more.

As a biochemistry and molecular biology major, Julia Clevinger '21 originally assumed that her free time at Gettysburg College would be filled with science-based activities and clubs. However, as she got involved in programs and organizations such as the Eisenhower Institute and the Center for Public Service, Clevinger soon realized the importance of being an engaged citizen beyond her academic focus, and the power each individual possesses to spark change in their community. Read more.

The Center of Public Service offers immersion projects to students in order to help them connect to a new culture, while focusing on important social justice issues. For students like Hassan Williams-Kone '21, this experience not only allowed him to learn about Rwanda's more recent efforts to foster peace, unity, and reconciliation within the nation, but helped him recognize the importance of shared connections with others. Read more.

As a first-generation college student and son of veteran Army parents, Steven Landry '22 felt ready to dive into an immersive academic and historical environment at Gettysburg College. Now, he's preparing to enter another one-this time more than 6,000 miles from Gettysburg for a yearlong study abroad experience in Japan, as a recipient of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship for the 2020-2021 academic year. Read more.

Growing up in San Diego, Kevin Benavente '20 viewed the college search process as an opportunity to not only explore his existing academic interests, but also to venture beyond the state lines of California. As a student at Gettysburg College, Benavente has made the most of his experience as a member of the football team, peer learning associate (PLA) for the economics department, a public address announcer for the men's and women's basketball teams, a community advisor (CA) for the Office of Residential and First Year-Programs, and a campus tour guide. By being so involved on campus, Benavente made lasting relationships with peers, professors, and alumni. Thanks to the Gettysburg Network, he has secured a job months before his May graduation date. Read more.

Paige Evans '20, like many students, has widespread interests and has never been able to describe herself as just one thing. In fact, the multidisciplinary approach at Gettysburg College has given her the freedom to be shaped by everything from algorithms to Aristotle to recreational sports. Read more.

Daniel Jones '22 of Culpeper, VA felt strongly about majoring in biology and chemistry when he initially stepped foot on campus his first year at Gettysburg College. Jones reached out to his first-year advisor, Prof. Stephen Stern, for cirriculum advice regarding the sciences, but was shocked when Stern encouraged him to embrace Gettysburg's liberal arts education and take courses that could expand his worldview. Taking Stern's advice in stride, Jones began a journey of discovery, eventually declaring a Religious Studies and Public Policy double major. Thanks to constructive conversations at Gettysburg College, Jones has found new passions that offer a multitude of opportunities to expand his knowledge even further. Read the full story.

Matthew Cherubino '22 of Flemington, NJ, a biochemistry and molecular biology major at Gettysburg College, began a research project about immune checkpoint inhibitors for cancer treatment. Cherubino began his research in his First-Year Seminar, Cancer in Society: A War Against Immortality, under the guidance of Chemistry Prof. Robert Garrity. Garrity's class piques students' interests about many facets of cancer and gave Cherubino the opportunity to learn more about a potential career path in cancer research, which offers many opportunities and generous funding. Read Cherubino's story.

Caroline Cuetara '21 of Downingtown, PA, a French and international affairs double major, English literature minor, and Lincoln Scholar at Gettysburg College participated in a Kolbe Fellowship during the summer of 2019. Under the guidance of her mentor, French Prof. Florence Ramond Jurney, Cuetara spent her summer months analyzing two works by Maryse Conde, a renowned French author of historical fiction. Read Cuetara's story.

In choosing Gettysburg College and taking advantage of the many hands-on learning opportunities available to him, Jaeger Held '23 is able to continue pursuing his passion for Civil War history and growing even closer to his roots. During his first semester, he has already joined the Civil War Club and the Pennsylvania College Guard reenactment group, as well as volunteering his time at the Civil War Institute. Through the Civil War Institute's Brian C. Pohanka Program, Held has been hired for an internship next summer with the National Park Service at Harpers Ferry National Historic Park in West Virginia, an opportunity to continue to learn about such a defining war in American history. Read Held's full story.

A team of two Gettysburg College students and a member of the faculty embarks on a journey underground as part of their summer research experience through the Cross-Disciplinary Science Institute (X-SIG) at Gettysburg College. This experiential learning opportunity requires grit, flexibility, a fair amount of bravery, and no aversions to mud or water. The cave environment is one-hundred percent humidity, with a temperature range of 49 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, and there are areas where the team could be wading through waist deep water or higher. Working with Biology Prof. Istvan Urcuyo to research and catalogue invertebrate lifeforms of Pennsylvania caves, Georgia Larzelere '22 and Owen Skirtich '20 are up for the challenge.

This past summer, chemistry and physics double major Rikard Bodin '20 and physics major Neng Yin '20 worked with Physics Prof. Tim Good on plasma research. Together, they upgraded and installed the Pickets Charged Plasma Device-an instrument named after the shape of its picket fence magnetic field, while also drawing upon the history and Pickett's Charge in the Battle of Gettysburg. Inspired by the X-SIG program, Bodin and Yin are integrating the now-operational device into their individualized research projects as part of their physics capstone experience.