Maroon News

Issue date: 11/12/04 Section: Arts & Features

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On a typical afternoon, you might catch Allison studying or watching TV in her room, but she probably won't remain there for very long. As Head Resident (HR) of Drake and Curtis Halls, Allison often receives knocks at her door from residents in need of some sort of assistance or advice. But Allison doesn't mind. In fact, she loves being a Resident Advisor (RA) so much that she has been one for the past three years. As she explains, "I plan dorm programs that get people from different backgrounds to interact." However, Allison "hates the policing aspect of the job," insisting that there is much more to her role. She maintains, "People don't realize what RA's deal with. They don't just write people up. They take people to the hospital; they are a resource for people who need help with eating disorders, family problems, who have just experienced a recent loss. Our job is really dynamic."
Allison has served as a Class Council Representative for four years as well, which is one of her favorite activities. She explains, "Sometimes what we do seems very simple - we plan class study breaks - but I love getting the class to interact." Recently she helped organize a Senior/Faculty discussion at the Clubhouse, and she is now in the process of working on Real World. Allison is also one of 26 members of Konosioni, a peer-elected senior honor society.
Although Allison loves Colgate, she hopes to make some changes on campus as a member of Advocates, a group that advocates for equal rights and treatment of members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ) community. Allison says she joined Advocates because she thinks "equality is about the most important issue out there. I have friends who identify themselves as queer, and I want to work to create change in the world so that they are privy to the same respect and rights that I am." Allison wants to help eliminate some of the difficulties she sees that society creates for non-heterosexual people, and she hopes that increased awareness will help to enforce this on Colgate's campus.
As co-leader of the Latin American Student Organization (LASO), Allison also attempts to increase awareness of another issue often ignored on Colgate's campus - relationship violence. When asked why she considers LASO so important, Allison explains responds, "Statistically, relationship violence does occur here on Colgate's campus - yet the general population doesn't think about it. Educating our fellow classmates will have preventative benefits and can teach someone how to help a friend in an abusive relationship."
Alison also volunteers through Pet Pals at Wander's Rest, an animal shelter in Oneida. Allison enjoys her time with the animals there, because she "misses her dog and cat like crazy." After Colgate, Allison looks forward to attending law school, but like many seniors, she still doesn't know exactly where her life is headed. As she responded when asked who she would like to be for a day if she could be anyone: "Me in 25 years. I'm dying to know what happens in my life!"

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