Helena K. and Elmer L. Smith Memorial Scholar Lucey Gagner ’16
Majors: sociology; women, gender, and sexuality
Hometown: Belmont, Vermont
Awards and honors during your college career: President’s Fellow, women, gender, and sexuality; Faculty Honors
Extracurricular activities: student worker, Office of Student Activities, Involvement & Leadership; snowboarder
How would you describe yourself as a first-year student? Young and a little lost. I came to Trinity from a very tiny town and high school in Vermont, and it definitely took a little adjusting throughout the first year of college. I felt like I didn’t really know what was going on, but I was excited to be here anyway.
How would you describe yourself now? Now, three and a half years later, I can confidently say that I think I’ve figured this place out a bit more. I feel more mature and comfortable not only with who I am, but with my surroundings and my perception of Trinity and the world in general. My experiences here, ranging from classes, to work, to friends, to studying abroad, have all helped shape me into who I am today.
Which course has been your favorite? Why? My favorite course was “Queer Studies,” which used to be co-taught by Professor Corber and Professor Valocchi. I liked it because it opened my eyes to the ways that gender and sexuality are used in society to regulate and control bodies. I also really enjoyed it because it allowed me to learn about this subject from two different disciplines, sociology and women and gender studies. I found this to be an effective way to learn about the subject because it gave me a wider and rounder understanding of the topics we discussed throughout the semester.
Which professor has influenced you the most? Why? Johnny Williams. He was the first professor here to really challenge my thinking and get me out of my comfort zone. This was so important to me, especially now as a sociology major, because it was this discomfort that led me to start questioning things and start digging deeper to find why and how society operates the way it does.
What has been most important to you outside of class? Establishing a great group of loving and supporting friends.
What is your favorite Trinity memory … so far? While I have many great memories here at Trinity, I have to say my favorite memory or memories would be from my time abroad in Cape Town, South Africa. Trinity has an amazing program in Cape Town that not only allows you to go to university there, it also gives you the opportunity to intern at an organization in the city. Cape Town is a beautiful city, and every moment I spent there was absolutely amazing, whether it was hiking Table Mountain, going to the beautiful University of Cape Town, tasting the delicious food with friends, or relaxing on the beach.
Where do you hope to be in 10 years? I can’t say for sure, but I hope that wherever I am I am doing work that brings about positive change in this world. My biggest and most important goal for whatever career I choose after college is that whatever I am doing, it involves helping others and fighting against at least one of the many injustices in this world.