In the Light – Emily Burton

Typically, high school juniors and seniors flounder in panicked attempts to find the perfect college-the college of their dreams. But Emily Burton, a rising graduate at Colgate, knew before even setting foot in her high school that Colgate was right for her. “Ever since I was 13,” she states, a grin stretching for ear to ear. “I fell in love with Oak Drive. I thought, ‘This is it.’ And I’ve never regretted it.”

Looking back, Emily vividly remembers her first year at Colgate. “You’re just trying to learn as much about everyone as possible,” she explains. “I was trying to figure out who I wanted to be, what I wanted to make of the next four years.”

Emily did not take her studies abroad during her time at Colgate. When asked if she ever regrets her decision, she answers with little hesitation, “Never. Not for a minute. I gained so much being here.”

Emily has become heavily involved on campus in an array of activities. She walked onto the women’s crew team during her freshman year and is now co-captain. She recalls having difficulty balancing her demanding crew schedule and the rest of her activities at Colgate during her first year. “I didn’t go out as much. I was hesitant because of crew. But I realized you can do both. You can balance it all.”

Emily is also co-leader of the Student Global AIDS Campaign, an organization on campus that helps support the fight against AIDS and HIV both in America and across our borders. In addition, she is the Membership Vice President of Gamma Phi Beta. She describes her Greek experience as “amazing,” and says that she has “met the most amazing people through it. It taught me how to be a leader.”

Emily is majoring in both Political Science and Sociology and Anthropology. She always knew that she wanted to pursue political science but it wasn’t until entering college that Emily decided she was interested in sociology and anthropology. Her post-graduate plans include going to Washington D.C. and working in political strategy and working on campaigns. Eventually, Emily may attend graduate school but wants to “take a few years off and be in the real world.”

Emily offered a few words of advice to first-year students at Colgate: “When in doubt, do it. You only have four years to be a crazy college kid. It’s the best place to figure out who you are and where you fit in-what kind of person you want to be.” She smiles once again, stating simply, “You will meet the most amazing people at Colgate. There is no doubt about it.”