Colgate has two characteristics that were important to Alexis Coplin as an applicant: a liberal arts curriculum and a location outside of Florida. Ready for a new experience, Coplin decided she would welcome a change in climate.

“I was really excited,” Coplin said. “I’d never seen snow before.”

Throughout high school, Coplin was involved with music, and she wanted to continue participating while in college. Through the University Orchestra, where she played the trombone for her first three years at Colgate, she was able to do just that. She also took on the role of a DJ for Colgate’s radio station, WRCU, which provided her with another outlet for her musical interests.

Coplin is also active with “Let’s Get Ready,” a tutoring program through Colgate’s Center for Outreach, Volunteerism, and Education (COVE), which helps high school students prepare for the SATs. She enjoys many other extracurricular activities, including club soccer, where she has played since her first year, and Colgate’s Geological Society.

A Geology major with an interest in Environmental Science, Coplin is strongly interested in the sciences. These interests lead her to join the Students for Environmental Action this year. This and the “Let’s Get Ready” program are the activities Coplin finds the most rewarding because these often show the most immediate results.

Very enthusiastic about Colgate’s Geology Department, Coplin says she has been very impressed with the program. Upstate New York’s rich geological history has been an important part of Coplin’s academic development, providing her with opportunities for hands on experience. Her only complaint is that Colgate only offers Environmental Studies courses and not Environmental Science.

After Colgate, Coplin plans to attend graduate school to study geology, possibly environmental geology.

Despite being involved in both academic work and extracurricular activities, Coplin still makes time for a social life and says she has a great group of friends who are very important to her. While she still has a few goals left, such as taking trips to Canada and New York City, she says does not have any regrets about how her time was spent at Colgate.

To underclassmen, Coplin leaves this sage advice:

“Just stick with it – whatever it is – there’s always adversity and challenges, but I think it’s worth it.”