Ashley Lamarre
Lake Forest College, philosophy
GSEF Fellow, Cohort 1
Research Placement: University of Maryland
“When I’m not doing coursework, research, or extracurriculars, I do my best to escape to local concerts to get my music fix.”
How would you describe yourself in a few sentences?
I’m Ashley Lamarre, and I’m a Philosophy and African-American Studies double major at Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, IL.
I’m originally from Brooklyn, NY where I was raised in the city by my immigrant parents form Port-au-Prince, Haiti and my wonderful big sister who also serves the dual role as the family’s translator. When I’m not doing coursework, research, or extracurriculars, I do my best to escape to local concerts to get my music fix and hang out with my good friends from all over the States.

What kind of research are you working on this summer? Who are you working with?
I’m working as a Research Assistant for Dr. Sharon Harley at the University of Maryland, College Park in the African American Studies Department. I’ve been aiding her by gathering textual evidence for her up and coming book. I also got to assist her by providing research and design support for a presentation she gave at a New York University conference on Women’s Migration, which she presented in Italy.

What have you learned so far?
How important time management is. Because research is so independent, it’s really on the student to figure out how they want to meet deadlines. Also—and this is coming from someone who attends a very small campus—I’ve learned that I can adjust really well to the lay of the land of a large university (I seldom got lost).
What part(s) of this experience will benefit you most? How so?
Definitely the graduate school application requirements. Being forced to have a list of graduate school programs, a statement of interest, and a CV done and reviewed by our mentors by the end of this program was entirely helpful and will make applying [for graduate school] in the fall much less stressful.
What do you want your faculty mentor and/or university to remember about you?
I’ve always been open to suggestions and corrections because critiques are always a great space in which to grow!
