Senior Ben Cook is a Religion

concentration and pre-med student. You may have seen Ben walking around campus with his iconic trapper hat, which he has owned for 7 years now. 

Cook was heavily involved in sports in high school, and though he is still very active, it is in a new sort of way. Most people associate him with his commitment to the Outdoor Education program at Colgate. 

 “I never went camping before

coming here,” Cook said.

Cook also participates in a variety of other activities including Theta Chi fraternity, ballroom dancing and crossword club. He enjoys a “smattering of things,” including the smaller, tight-knit clubs where everyone can come and enjoy a hobby. 

Cook encourages Colgate students to branch out as much as possible.

“Don’t ever pigeonhole yourself in one organization,” Cook said. “It’s good to have a good group of friends, but don’t ever let that hold you back from making new ones. And just do as many different stuff as possible. Join bizarre clubs that you didn’t know existed because you’ll meet some incredible people there.”

According to Cook, his favorite moment from his time as a Colgate student is when he participated in the “Great Range,” a 25 mile hike in the Adirondack Mountains. 

“I started off with a, ‘yeah let’s do it’ attitude, but by mile 24 I just wanted to sit down and eat a poptart,” Cook said. 

Nevertheless, Cook chose this moment of adversity as one of his favorite memories. This summer, Cook will be undergoing a cross-country road trip with his friends, although he is in need of a car. He hopes to visit Guatemala and perfect his Spanish. He is still waiting to hear back from medical school, but in the coming years, Cook hopes to finish medical school and become a traveling doctor through the Habitat for Humanity program.

Throughout his time at Colgate, both  the

Outdoor Education program and the people with whom Cook has worked have

influenced him.

“I’d like to thank all of my friends for making this experience amazing for me, and thanks to Abby Rowe and Ben Oliver who have helped me develop into a leader through Outdoor

Education,” Cook said.