If sophomore summer is supposed to be a quiet and relaxing three months, then student leader Jaimie Paul '00 is going about it all the wrong way.
Her selection last week as Summer term president of the Coed Fraternity and Sorority Council only adds to an already full plate including two internships, a full course load and working as a College tour guide.
But enthusiasm -- a word commonly used to describe her by friends and peers -- supplants stress when Paul is questioned about her impressive list of activities.
"It's work, but it's really interesting," Paul says of her internships, one of which includes working one-on-one with Anthropology Professor Sergei Kan to write a full-length book.
Though Paul has always had plenty to occupy her time, she has not always directed her energies into the same organizations at Dartmouth.
Paul started off her career at the College heavily involved with the Crew team, a sport she picked up during her junior year at Barlow High School in Redding, Connecticut.
But after two full seasons Paul threw in the towel, realizing that there is more to Dartmouth than life on the River.
"There was so much more of Dartmouth that I wanted to see," Paul said.
And see she did.
While attempting to study organic chemistry in the Sanborn House late yesterday afternoon, Paul talked freely of her past achievements and why she now finds herself heading one of the College's largest student organizations.
Paul, it seems, has always had an eye for combining her interests with her work.
Citing her tour guide as one of the main reasons she came to Dartmouth, Paul applied for a position of her own at the earliest chance.
"I love the ability to influence prospectives," Paul said. In addition, she is also involved with the Take Dartmouth Home program which sends College students to high schools as a recruitment tactic.
Paul's work with Professor Kan is a compliment to her anthropology major, and an internship with the cancer research lab goes along with her pre-med studies.
A trip to a Navajo reservation before her senior year of high school has also prompted Paul to minor in Native American studies.
In addition, Paul is an active member of the Sigma Delta sorority, which she joined in part because of its local -- rather than national -- status.
Paul became involved with the CFSC Spring term when a member of Sigma Delt recommended that she apply for the vacant secretary position. Paul jumped right in, and from the start enjoyed the challenge.
"I actually loved it," Paul said, as she got to sit in on meetings with the administration and became more involved with the decision-making process.
When she decided to run for CFSC President later in the spring, it seemed like the next logical step to those who knew her.
"She's excellent, enthusiastic, and willing to give a lot of time," current CFSC treasurer Alex Shultz '00 said.
"I don't think there is someone at this school who is more enthusiastic, and the enthusiasm is more than just surface," says long-time friend Allison Thomas '00.
Paul is excited about the group of executives working with her on CFSC this summer, and cites their common dedication to communication.
"If there isn't communication, things fall apart," Paul said.
As Shultz described, the "agenda" for the summer is to ensure that the CFSC keeps up their ties to the rest of the College community, mainly through programming.
"To me it's really important that the Greek system is an open system ... it's important for [the CFSC] to sponsor non-Greek programming," Paul said.
According to Shultz and Thomas, Paul will bring an open mind and the ability to compromise in order to reach this goal.
"She's a great listener," Shultz said. "Whenever she's around she takes time to listen to whatever I say."
Paul also wants to ensure that when non-Greek organizations ask for funds, they are fully considered even though they are not a part of the CFSC. This will help to create a better relationship between Greeks and non-Greeks, she said.
"When you turn away an organization, you kind of push them away," Paul said.
Ensuring these changes will be another challenge for Paul this summer.
There are some activities Paul has yet to explore at the College.
"I did a lot of performing arts in high school," Paul said. "But I could compete for the parts in high school."
And for now, she has enough to keep her busy.
