Claude Bartholomew ’07 of Middleburgh, NY, is a driving force for gender education at St. Lawrence University. Since arriving, the Middleburgh High School graduate has pushed for more awareness concerning gender studies. He approaches his research with enthusiasm, as shown in the fact that he co-organized a photograph exhibition, “Support Love,” on campus this spring.

The liberal arts education that St. Lawrence offers has dramatically shaped how Claude views his world.  He has been able to explore controversial areas in gender studies as a psychology major and gender studies minor. “This combination has allowed me to pursue a career furthering education that focuses on helping people through a more complex understanding of humans in general,” says Claude. “The complex gender and sexuality issues unknowingly come to affect much more of our daily lives than we do or might want to realize.”

On campus, Claude is involved in many activities, ranging from anti-sexual violence education to writing for student publications. He believes that incoming first-year students should keep an open mind as they start their college career. “Come with a desire to learn and a desire to do anything, and the time that you spend at St. Lawrence will be very productive and worthwhile,” says Claude. Ultimately, it’s about being passionate about something and pursuing it.

The atmosphere at St. Lawrence has given him the resources to maximize his potential and foster growth. This holds true for academic, social, and athletic goals; faculty and staff are “wonderful group of people with a range of interests that they are more than willing to share with students,” notes Claude.