Ariel Falconer is a Peace and Conflict Studies major with an interest in psychology whose environmental ethos propels her to participate in various community efforts across campus.

Working with Outdoor Education since her sophomore year, Falconer is now a part of the Upper Staff. As a rock-climbing teacher and backpacking leader, you can catch Falconer hiking the trails.

The Soup at School initiative, a small organization on campus, is also lucky to have Falconer’s help. Sponsored by the United Nations, this community service program provides South African students with lunch every day.

A Swinging Gates alto, an ESL tutor in Utica and a member of the ballet club, Falconer seems to be perpetually on her toes. However, it seems that environmental concerns are closest to her heart.

A member of the Campus Ecology group, Falconer is pushing, with the help of the Green Summit, to help study abroad groups recognize the “environmental impact” of their over-sea flight.

“We plan to reforest the ski hill by having students plant trees to commend their experience, or perhaps before their trip as a bonding initiative,” Falconer said.

“There are so many different active communities on campus,” Falconer said. “There’s seriously a club for everything. Life on campus just keeps getting better. I want to come back in a couple years and do it all over again!”

Having gone abroad to France, Falconer’s eyes light up when she talks about her experience there. Provence, “a more metropolitan and classier Paris,” was the site where she witnessed unparalleled beauty;

“I lived with an amazing family, and made great friends,” she said. Within the city, Falconer discovered a culture in love with art.

Falconer hopes to attend graduate school in Europe and study international politics. Falconer wants to explore anything related with human rights as she tries to make this world better for the common man.

Falconer urges students to “make a conscious effort to look into other communities, and really expand your horizons and open your eyes.” Smiling, she continues on one of her favorite topics: just how wonderful Colgate can be.

“It’s so interesting when the narrative is important to you, to show up in other places,” she said, fascinated by the events on campus. Above all, “take time,” Falconer said, “because it goes much too fast.”