When Hassan Raza ’11 left home in Lahore, Pakistan, for Maine, his father told him, “Be worthy of your heritage.” In 2002, Hassan was chosen to participate in the international camp Seeds of Peace in Otisfield, Maine; it is dedicated to teaching young people from regions historically in conflict the leadership and communications skills necessary for coexistence. “The very fact that I was sharing the same bunkroom with an Israeli, an Indian, an Afghan and a Palestinian was not far from a miracle,” he says.

Hassan has become the kind of young leader Seeds of Peace hopes to create. Only a sophomore at St. Lawrence, he has already interned under former president of the World Bank Paul Wolfowitz, and travelled with him to India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The experience is one Hassan says inspired him to create the organization Young Economists Pakistan. “We offer a platform for the common people whom development projects affect to share their input, so that it can also be considered,” the likely economics major explains.

The Deerfield Academy graduate has also applied his leadership skills at St. Lawrence as an active member of the Contemporary Issues Forum, the Sophomore Class Council and International House, a campus residence for students from foreign lands or who have participated in one of St. Lawrence’s 14 international study programs. Most recently, though, he was elected president of the Thelomathesian Society. “My time with ‘Thelmo’ has been incredible.I’ve seen and helped the student voice be magnified,” he says.

Hassan has found St. Lawrence to be the perfect place to continue building his leadership skills. “I always say St. Lawrence is a place big enough to get lost in, but small enough to affect,” he asserts.