Paige Meyer

High school: Saint Peter High School

Hometown: Saint Peter, Minn.

Majors: Sociology and anthropology (SOAN); women, gender, and sexuality studies (WGSS)

Minor: Political science

Activities: Reading/Writing Center peer tutor, SOAN Society, Baking Club, Ad-Hoc Feminist Book Club  

Post-grad plans: Attend Simmons University in Boston, Mass., for a Master of Library and Information Science

Why Augustana?

Initially, I chose to attend Augustana because of a major I never even declared. What is more important, for me, is why I continued to choose Augustana: the flexibility to explore and find what I wanted to study, close relationships with faculty, connections to people from so many walks of life, and my peers and subject areas that still encourage me to improve as a student four years later.

Are you where you thought you'd be when you first came to campus?

In some ways, yes, but in others, not at all. I knew I wanted to take as many classes as possible to work with different people, but I had no idea how much my peers and professors would shape me into the very best version of myself. 

I changed my major (a few times), joined new student groups and took classes that pushed me to think differently about who I want to be. I am leaving campus a very different person than who I was four years ago, and I'm excited to grow and change even more in the future.

Who helped you get to where you are now?

So many friends and mentors who graduated before me, as well as multiple amazing professors. Dr. Adam Kaul in the SOAN department, Dr. Mariano Magalhães in the political science department, and all of my wonderful mentors in the WGSS department opened so many doors and supported me in every way possible. 

The Reading/Writing Center, especially, believed in me and helped me reach each and every one of my goals, as well as the librarians who gave me advice and encouraged me to create a home of my own within the library.

Peak experience?

One of the best experiences by far was traveling to Belfast, Northern Ireland, with Dr. Kaul and Allison McPeak to conduct my own ethnographic research interviewing LGBTQ+ organizations and community members — work that eventually became the basis for my Senior Inquiry.

What surprised you?

I never anticipated getting to present at conferences, co-lead the ReSearch/ReWrite program, advocate for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence, and so many other ways I have worked with the community, both on and off campus. 

Through these experiences, I feel more confident in my ability to continue to create meaningful change, a far-off dream as a first-year.

How did you use your Augie Choice?

I used my Augie Choice to fund an internship with Dr. Katie Madel in the political science department, researching the ways that the media repeats and reinterprets presidential policy speeches — research that was recently presented at the Midwest Political Science Association conference in Chicago!

What will you miss the most?

I will miss the Reading/Writing Center (RWC) at Augustana more than anything. The community in the RWC is unmatched anywhere on campus, and I have met some of the most important people in my life there. 

Aside from being such a welcoming space for my first-year self, being a peer tutor has given me such personal and academic confidence. I will always appreciate these amazing people and the ways they helped me to grow.

Advice for the Class of 2029?

Take a WGSS class. It will shape you more than you could ever know.