Jimmy Mayers `11

I graduated from Hanover High School, a New Hampshire public school, in 2007. I was lucky enough to have some friends who were already at St. Lawrence, so I knew a little bit about what the school was like. When I came for one of the Admissions visit days, I got a
great tour of campus and sat in on a few student panels. I appreciated how outgoing, personable, and ambitious both students and faculty seemed to be, and realized that this was a great environment. The location was also a factor in my decision. St. Lawrence truly is nestled within the Adirondack forest and mountains, and there are some great opportunities here for hiking, camping, etc. that are one of a kind. Furthermore, I was really excited to be able to pursue my running career with a fantastic Division III program in the midst of a lot of other great opportunities.

At St. Lawrence, I have done my best to take advantage of all the opportunities I recognized when I decided to come. I have developed both as an athlete and as a student far beyond my own expectations. This year I was fortunate enough to a part of one of the strongest Cross Country teams in school history, as we finished 11th at the NCAA Championships. This past summer, I was able to go on a great study abroad program in Ireland. Every day it seemed we were meeting social and political leaders, visiting ancient Celtic ruins, going to museums, going to plays at the National Theater, snapping pictures of timeless monuments, or eating the best fish and chips in the world.

Outside of athletics and academics, there are some great extra curricular activities offered at SLU. In the past, I have been a part of "Don't Take My Lunch Money", which is a program that sends SLU students out to local elementary schools to give anti-bullying presentations. Last year I was a Community Assistant, where I lived in a freshman dorm and acted as a floor leader and resource for the students I lived with. Since my freshman spring, I have been a Tour Guide, which has always been my favorite job on campus. Working within the Admissions Office is very rewarding, and I love giving campus tours to prospective students. This year I am the Comedy Chair for A.C.E., and I arrange all the stand up comedians that come and perform on campus with other members of A.C.E. Meeting all these comedians and working with their agents has given me a unique insight into an industry that's both very tough and very fun.

My future plans aren't totally pinned down just yet, but I certainly want to go to graduate school. There are also programs like Teach for America that I'm interested in, but I'll have to see what happens next year.