Senior Niall Henderson has learned a thing or two about forging his own path over the course of his years at Colgate.

As a Peace and Conflict Studies concentrator, Henderson appreciates the chance to study economics, sociology and global interactions all at once. 

“This past summer, I was part of an advocacy group that looked closely at the Iran nuclear deal. It was cool to have that depth of knowledge in a subject that I’m passionate about,” Henderson said.

Besides academics, Henderson’s social life has been filled with a variety of experiences. He is a member of Konosioni, the Theta Chi fraternity and

Outdoor Education. 

Although it can be easy to isolate onself from disagreement and opposing opinions on campus, Konosioni forces Henderson to challenge himself and truly grow. 

“There’s a lot of disagreement, but it’s good to not agree with people about everything; that’s how you learn and progress. It’s how I’ve pushed my own understanding of things. We all have different perspectives that you can always learn from,” Henderson said.

Initially, he did not envision himself joining a fraternity, but he ended up being the president of his organization. 

“Theta Chi has been a big part of my experience at Colgate. Greek Life has its ills; it’s not inclusive by definition, and that’s a problem. But I’ve changed personally with many role models,” Henderson said.

Henderson has also managed to take advantage of the living-learning aspect of what Colgate’s liberal arts education has to offer. 

“I took an existentialism course, and we traveled to Paris. It was a really awesome experience to have so many conversations on a different level,” Henderson said.

In terms of future plans, Henderson’s love for Peace and Conflict Studies is leading him  to pursue a career with national security, hopefully in Washington, D.C.

Regardless of the success in store for him in the future, Henderson holds a great appreciation for everything he’s learned at Colgate and the person he’s become. “My self-conceptions have changed, definitely for the better,” Henderson said.

He had advice for first-years, or any curious minds on a journey of self-discovery.

“Don’t be afraid to put yourself in classes or subjects that you aren’t really comfortable with. That’s how you’ll better yourself and learn about what it is that makes you who you are.”