Kim Parker ’07 was attracted to St. Lawrence by the sense of community, the friendliness and nearby skiing. But the Standish, ME, resident and Bonny Eagle High School graduate found her passion for painting as “one of the most meaningful things I'm doing right now.” A fine arts major, she will have a large installment in Brush Art Gallery on campus later this spring. Also an education minor, she says, “I really love tutoring my 2nd grade class” in a local school. She hastens to add, though, that what she likes most about St. Lawrence is her friends. “We are a close-knit family who have been friends since freshman year,” she says. “It's hard to find friends like them.” Kim has also been active with SLU Buddies, a student-run program in which St. Lawrence students are paired with at-risk children in local communities, through the public schools. The students and children engage in activities together, and often form ling-lasting friendships. At St. Lawrence, Kim says, “I was able to figure out what I want to do, what I want to be, when I ‘grow up.’ I have had great professors and advisors who are helping me map out what course to take after I graduate this May.”  At this point, Kim plans to take a year off to ski in the West, then enroll in graduate school to earn her MFA in preparation for teaching at the college level.