Evan Thatcher
Corvallis, OR
High School: Corvallis High School
Major: Physics & Astronomy
Activities: Ultimate Frisbee, work for the Astronomy Department, Haverford Outdoor Club
Why you chose Haverford: “I visited a few colleges after I had been accepted. I enjoyed most of the visits, but Haverford just felt right to me. I was looking for a small liberal arts college and I felt welcomed by the amount of trust the administration, teachers, and students had in each other.”
Favorite Haverford Experience: “I’ve have many good experiences at Haverford, but one that stands out is a trip I took with my Non-optical Astronomy class. We flew to Socorro, New Mexico to make observations with the VLA (Very Large Array), one of the world’s most advanced radio astronomy observatories. It was a great experience to be involved in real world research, the array was impressive, and we had one of the best steak dinners I’ve ever tasted.”
Favorite Class: “I don’t have a definite favorite class, but the most recent class that stands out is the Legends of Arthur class that I took second semester of my junior year. The professor was very entertaining, and I always looked forward to doing the readings. This and other classes like it are the reason that I came to a liberal arts college. Having a major in the sciences but still having significant exposure to the humanities and social sciences is very important to me.”
How do you think Haverford is unique?: I am very glad I came to Haverford for many reasons, several of which have already been mentioned. I am very grateful for the opportunity to experience another part of the country very different from my home in Oregon. The diversity of people that I have had the chance to meet is amazing. Each of my friends is driven by a different passion. It’s nice to talk with people who have traveled all over South America, or who went home to film a documentary on Appalachian life. I, myself, have been able to take advantage of some very rewarding opportunities that wouldn’t have happened anywhere else.