Spring
2002 VOL.58, NO.3 |
| Border
Crossing Will Rice student Jerome Haseltine feels that his European upbringing along with his dual citizenship—he is both French and American—give him a unique perspective on international culture and foreign relations. He speaks English, French, and some German, and he grew up living right at the border of France and Switzerland. “I have been living in Geneva for the past 13 years,” he says, “and I commuted across the border at least twice a day.” Ironically, this student from the Old Country feels that in coming to Rice he has returned “home.” “I have never really lived in the States, although I was born a few miles from Rice,” he says. “I always knew I wanted to go ‘back home’ to study—wherever that is—and although I was not particularly set on a specific location at first, I quickly found Rice was the best choice. It’s a nice combination of everything—the academic standing, the research opportunities, the environment, the people. It’s a really special place.” Jerome describes himself as particularly curious about his surroundings, which sometimes leads him to deeply contemplate situations or even people. His ability to intensely focus his concentration—regarded as “unnerving” to some and “funny” to others—should be helpful to him in his current fields of study, chemical engineering and philosophy. In addition to spending lots of time contemplating and completing his schoolwork, Jerome sings in the Undergraduate Chorale, plays soccer for Will Rice, and is still considering other activities to join. “I’m trying to plan ahead and get my bearings for a few semesters,” he says. “I’m trying to establish what I’m going to do for the rest of my time here at Rice.”
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©2002 Rice University