Zairel Luna Staff Blogger
For most, this is just another halfway point through the semester, but for the seniors at Washington College, this is the final halfway point till graduation. This week’s student spotlight is senior Josh Peterson. Josh will be graduating with a degree in International Studies (IS) and minors in Hispanic and European Studies. Peterson has taken an active role on campus as the President of both WC Watersports and The International Studies Council. In addition to being president of both those organizations, Josh is also the Financial Controller of the Student Government Association, where he is the liaison for club allocations and budgeting.
Like all seniors, Josh’s Senior Capstone Experience (SCE) is focused in on his major as well as his minors. Peterson’s SCE focuses on how income inequality has been affected by free trade, using NAFTA as a case study. He chose this because “it is a foreign policy debate on trade that we have seen challenged on a massive scale in recent years, and a problem that I hope to work with in a future career.”
In terms of Peterson’s post-graduation plans, he is hoping to become a Foreign Service Officer and diplomat working for the U.S. State Department. He has just recently passed the first of 4 steps to accomplish this goal. When asked about what advice he would give to an incoming freshman, Peterson said “Say yes to everything (within reason) and if your friends want to throw a frisbee around do that and lose an hour of sleep later. If someone asks you to take on a crazy job and go that extra mile, do it, because those things can lead you places you never thought possible. Do not be afraid of new or difficult opportunities. The last thing that I want is to finish college wishing I had done more, and I do not wish those regrets on anyone.” Though Josh will be missed greatly by his peers and professors, we wish him the best!
Photograph by Josh Peterson
The Leaf 