Jasper Jeffrey

In Queens, New York City born and raised: on the streets of Sunnyside is where I spent most of my days. I wanted a college that to I it would do well by, so I packed up my car and cried, “yo mom, to Lehigh”! My college years have been calm waters and torrents of strife. However as I near the end of this adventure, I know Molecular Biology and Philosophy are my way of life!

 

I was originally on the fence my freshman year about whether or not I thought I would enjoy my Lehigh experience. Then I found myself at the Richard Rogers Theater on an Eckardt-funded excursion to see the smash hit musical, “Hamilton”, and that pretty much set the tone for what was to be a prolific four year adventure. The Eckardt program was my initial foundation whilst I was still getting used to being a college student, providing me with social experiences to make new contacts and introducing me to fields of study that I otherwise wouldn’t have explored on my own. When I committed myself to becoming a penniless biological researcher sophomore year, I was able to focus on my research as well as pursue a concentration in philosophy (to prevent me from mutating into a mad scientist one day) while never having to concern myself with Lehigh’s core class requirements. I can’t fully express how great it is to have the academic freedom offered by the Eckardt program, in turn granting me the opportunity to have work experiences at other universities such as Kanazawa University in Japan and the University of Chicago. Retrospection now allows me to see how much I’ve developed from 2015 to my senior year and the role that this program played in the process. When I disappear under a rock for the next six years as a Ph.D. student, I’ll definitely make sure to keep the Eckardt scholars in mind: I hope all of the upcoming students will have a similarly enriching experience.