For Mike Perry '03, interacting with other students on campus is nothing new. Involved with student government at Dartmouth since his freshman fall, Perry is currently serving as Summer Chair of the Student Assembly.
"I got involved right away when I got to Dartmouth," Perry said. As the cluster representative from the Choates dorms, Perry discovered that his primary interests were academic issues.
Perry quickly became a part of the Academic Affairs Committee and specifically targeted student-faculty relations.
"I was working continuously, and last spring, when [then-Assembly President] Jorge Miranda appointed me vice president of academic affairs for this past year, that's when I became really involved."
Perry's many projects have included the Mugshots student photo book, the online course guide, the student reminder blitzes and the once per term campus-wide events that the Assembly funds for $1,000.
"The biggest thing we did was a report on the academic direction of the College, 'The Soul of Dartmouth,'" Perry said.
The report dealt with how teaching and research interests interact at the College. Perry interviewed many professors, trying to answer the question "where is Dartmouth going?"
As Summer Chair, Perry said he has "gotten a more holistic approach, as opposed to being concentrated on academic affairs."
Perry most recently organized a leadership conference at Dartmouth and was instrumental in the passage of an Assembly resolution calling for the removal of the ban on freshmen attending registered social events at Greek houses during the Fall term.
"It's been a very high pressure job because of the things with the Greek system, with the [Safety and Security] walk-throughs," Perry explained. "It's been great to meet with a lot of administrators about it. It's given me more of a chance to advocate one-on-one with them for students."
"Being Chair has been very time-consuming but very rewarding," Perry said. "There's still a lot that has to happen this summer with Student Assembly, but it's still been a great summer."
Not only does Perry hold a leadership position on the Assembly, but he is also the summer treasurer at Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.
Perry, who is originally from Eden Springs, Minnesota, sees his work with Sig Ep and Student Assembly as very complementary.
"I would say that I'm very progressive about the Greek system and I think a lot of things need to change," Perry said.
"Sig Ep has given me a chance to voice my opinions through the organization," Perry explained. "There are things that I agree with and others I don't."
The philosophy major manages to find time to devote to a whole array of activities. Perry was an undergraduate advisor this past year and the editor-in-chief of the Rockefeller Center's Policy Perspectives Quarterly.
He said he is especially excited about going on the philosophy foreign study program in Edinburgh in the fall.
"I was always attracted to the bigger questions, deeper questions," Perry said. "Philosophy is a way of stepping back and asking the more fundamental questions. It is very process-oriented. You may not find an answer, but you can figure out what you really think about things."
Working with DREAM mentoring program this summer has also helped Perry to gain a fresh outlook, he added.
"There is this 5 year-old that I see every week," Perry said, "and he's very curious. It's great to deal with someone who has such a different perspective on life."
Different perspectives have become a reoccurring experience for Perry who described a unique experience he had the summer after his freshman year.
"I was going to work in a law office last term ... but that fell through and I ended up going home and working at a warehouse all summer," Perry said.
"I was really afraid. I'm in this Ivy League institution and here I am. But it actually ended up being a really great and energizing experience."
As for the future, Perry is still unsure of what path he will choose to pursue.
"I'll probably apply to grad school in philosophy, and apply to the Peace Corps. I'd really like to do that for about two years before grad school," Perry said.
