From being a Student Government Association (SGA) senator, to a member of Gamma Phi Beta, to a team member and social media manager for the equestrian team, sophomore Evie Unger-Harquail likes to stay busy on campus. 

Originally from Montclair, N.J., Unger-Harquail is a geology concentrator, a decision she made after taking a course called “Dinosaurs to Darwin” her first semester. It was because of this class that Unger-Harquail decided she wanted to be a paleontologist after graduation.

“In the class, one of the things we focused a lot on was the different manners in which you could analyze fossils and imprints to extrapolate data and conclusions about the behaviors, physical appearance and even body chemistry about extinct life forms,” Unger-Harquail said. “I found this reverse engineering process fascinating and, honestly, I just really like dinosaurs.”

Unger-Harquail is also minoring in art history and hopes to study abroad in Amsterdam next spring.

“I’m hoping on studying abroad in Amsterdam because of the combination of the museums there and the ease of access to public transportation and other forms of travel,” she said. “My decision to minor in art history was driven by the experience of going to museums and being able to look at works and get more of a full understanding of the pieces by understanding their history [and] context.”

Outside of the classroom, Unger-Harquail is a member of many different clubs and organizations, and she also helped bring CHAARG, a women’s fitness and health organization, to Colgate’s campus this past year. However, she is most passionate about her role on the Colgate equestrian team.

After riding for most of her life, Unger-Harquail said that the team was one of the reasons she chose to come to Colgate. The team—comprised of about 25 members with both English and Western teams—competes in a number of shows each semester against local colleges. Besides being a member of the team and competing, Unger-Harquail also manages the team’s social media accounts.

“[The team] was the first organization on campus that I joined, and it was definitely the place where I found upperclassmen who really served as mentors for me on the campus and a place where I made some of my closest friends,” she said. “Now that I’m a sophomore, it’s been really rewarding to form the same kinds of relationships with the [first-years] on the team as well as doing an activity I love with people that inspire me.”

Unger-Harquail already has plans for next year. In addition to taking on the new role of assistant new member educator for Gamma Phi Beta, Unger-Harquail decided to apply for then join Link Staff for the upcoming fall semester.

“When I was a [first-year], I was really intimidated by upperclassmen and was pretty much too shy to make a lot of connections outside of my year. As a Link, I’m hoping to be a connection and a friend to incoming [first-years] and be a person that really helps people find their groove here,” she said. “As cheesy as it sounds, I also REALLY love Colgate, and I’d like to do everything I can to make it a happy and comfortable place for everyone here.”