Senior Leslie Wolcott has seen a lot of the world while she has been at UGA. Even before she enrolled in classes, she attended the UGA Honors Program’s Interdisciplinary Field Program in Geology, Anthropology and Ecology in the western United States. She has studied in Cuba, New Zealand and England, and she has spent a summer in Washington, D.C. working in the office of Congresswoman Denise Majette. After seeing so much of the world, Leslie plans to teach in an underserved community before pursuing further education related to the environment and literature.
Hometown:
Decatur, Georgia
High School:
Druid Hills High School
Degree objective:
B.A. in English
Expected graduation:
May 2005
University highlights, achievements, awards and scholarships:
I am the recipient of the UGA Honors in Washington scholarship, and I completed an internship in the office of Congresswoman Denise Majette (D-GA). I am the recipient of a CURO summer research fellowship, and I attended the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in 2003 and 2004. I am the past president of UGA Habitat for Humanity and a participant, past site leader, and publicity
chair for Communiversity’s Alternative Spring Break program. I have received the Ramsey Scholarship and a mid-term Foundation Fellowship. I am a member of the
Environmental Ethics Certificate Program, and I was the publicity chair for Teach for America. I’ve played on the club water polo team and been an intramural soccer
captain. I have completed study abroad programs in New Zealand and Cuba (and one that I would call “study abroad” in the United States). I am studying with the UGA at Oxford program this fall. I am also working on a Spanish minor, a certificate in Environmental Ethics, and hopefully a certificate in Native American Studies.
Current Employment:
I am not currently employed but have worked previously with the Digital Library of Georgia, digitizing America’s oldest native newspaper, the Cherokee Phoenix.
I chose to attend UGA because…
I enrolled in the Honors Interdisciplinary Field Program in Geology, Anthropology, and Ecology for the summer before my freshman year. I wasn’t planning on attending the University in the fall, but the students and professors that I was surrounded with as we camped and learned across America’s wild places so impressed me that I registered for UGA classes from a pay phone at our campsite out west.
When I have free time, I like…
…to work at Habitat for Humanity builds and fundraisers, play pickup soccer, and travel the world on a shoestring budget.
The craziest thing I’ve done is…
…to take a running jump off of a mountain in Queensland, New Zealand. I was hang gliding during my day off from a study-abroad program there. I’m terrified of heights.
My favorite place to study is…
…downstairs at Espresso Royale Cafe. My friends and I discovered it freshman year, and it feels like a cozy old basement where you can chat, drink coffee, and even do a bit of homework occasionally.
My favorite professor is…
…everyone in the Environmental Ethics Certificate Program. My environmental ethics classes have been my most treasured courses at the University.
If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it with…
…Jimmy Carter. The humanitarian work, world vision, and unassuming intelligence he exhibits while maintaining his southern heritage illustrates the best of what Georgia has to offer.
After graduation, I plan to…
…spend two years with Teach for America before going on to complete my Ph.D. in ecocriticism (and maybe a law degree) and teach and work in environmental advocacy.
