Davis Berry

What’s your favorite class? Why?

I adored my Visual Anthropology class with Kabir Heimsath. It was on Wednesdays from 6-9 p.m., which I thought would be a bit grueling since most classes aren’t longer than an hour and a half. However, the content ended up being so engaging, and the class environment that Kabir cultivated was so comfortable that it quickly became my favorite class to attend. As my first anthropology elective, it opened my eyes to how anthropological concepts can be applied to everything, in this case, visual representations and media. I loved all of the different films, photographs, and art we explored and the way we were invited to engage with the content through both creative and theory-based lenses.

What made you want to come to Lewis & Clark?

Lewis & Clark was the very last college I toured before making a decision, and my visit ended up being the confirmation I needed to commit to L&C. Being on campus allowed me to witness firsthand its vibrant and welcoming student community. It was important to me that college would be not only a place where I could explore my academic interests, but somewhere I could build a life for the next four years, and my tour made it apparent L&C was the place I could do this, something which has only been confirmed as I spend more time here.

What do you like or find most interesting about your major?

I love the way sociology and anthropology (SOAN) give me lenses through which to view the world on an expansive, global scale as well as on a local one. It has challenged so many opinions and ideas I didn’t even know I had, and is constantly offering me something interesting to take to other classes and beyond. I think it is a major that makes me a more thoughtful person. As for theatre, it has been really exciting to develop an awareness of my voice and physicality throughout a variety of my classes. I love how active the major can be; it’s a great way to get out of my head and be present creatively.

What do you like or find most interesting about your minor?

My desire to learn the Arabic language has been a significant component of the Middle East and North African studies (MENA) minor for me, and is the main reason I decided to make it a component of my studies. In my opinion, the American educational system lacks a depoliticized, critical curriculum on the Middle East, so a lot of my interest in this minor also comes from a desire to reeducate myself and engage with communities and cultures that are especially minoritized in the US. I am fulfilling most of the minor through the Morocco study abroad program, which I am so excited about!

Tell us about your support systems and social outlets on campus: people, activities, clubs, res halls, etc.

My theatre cohort has been some of the best people I have met at L&C. Engaging in theatre to any degree, not just majoring, gets you involved in a fun and welcoming circle of people from all kinds of majors and backgrounds. I also highly recommend group-based physical education classes. I’m in dance fitness this semester, and it’s such a fun way to force myself to set aside schoolwork and get moving a couple of times a week.

Finding your communities and your interests both take time, and you shouldn't feel discouraged if (like me) it takes a while for everything to click.

If you have studied or will study overseas while at Lewis & Clark, how did you choose your program? What did your overseas study add to your L&C experience?

I have decided to travel to Morocco on the Regional Area Study program because I want to further my Arabic studies beyond the course offerings here in Portland. I also anticipate that the program will intersect with my anthropology work really nicely. Mainly, I am looking forward to visiting somewhere very different from anywhere I have ever been with a degree of immersion and education only possible through studying abroad, as opposed to a personal trip.

What advice do you have for incoming students?

Don’t let your experience in the fall color your expectations for your entire four years! It took some time for me to settle in, but I really began to feel more confident and happier in my spring semester. Finding your communities and your interests both take time, and you shouldn’t feel discouraged if (like me) it takes a while for everything to click.

How did your financial aid package influence your decision to attend Lewis & Clark?

My financial aid was the final factor that made Lewis & Clark not only a great choice for me, but also more accessible than other schools like it. It wasn’t my most important consideration, but it was definitely an encouragement to choose L&C.

How do you describe the liberal arts?

Everything informs everything else! Even my required Numbers class (“Think Like an Ant”), which I took in my first year and didn’t anticipate having anything to do with my other studies, taught me about emergence, which is now a concept we are utilizing in my theatre classes. It’s been fun to make unanticipated connections and continually reference past courses, rather than taking them once and then leaving them behind.

What do you remember most about your New Student Orientation (NSO)?

I am still friends with almost my entire NSO group! I know first-year students have very mixed experiences with their group, so I think I just got really lucky, but that was when I made some of my best friends at Lewis & Clark. It’s been really wonderful to have people who have been by my side for literally my entire college career.

What’s one of the best spots on campus?

The Graduate Campus (South Campus) is so lovely, especially when the weather is warmer! But even when it’s not, I like to go out and sit or bring a blanket and lie down if I need alone time or just a breath of fresh air. I even did some yoga on the lawn in the days just before school started this year. And it’s always fun to check in on the bees in our bee hives and garden!

Why are you planning to double major? What relationship do you see between your studies?

I came into school intending to major only in SOAN. Fortunately, those classes have been really interesting for me and confirmed that it was a subject I wanted to deepen my knowledge in. I also realized I wanted to study theatre at the college level after missing it my first semester, and learning what a wonderful theatre department Lewis and Clark has. Although it is a lot of work, I think I have found a really lovely balance with my majors, since SOAN is a lot more reading and writing, while Theatre allows me to move and express my creative side. I love the way both majors teach me about people and how they operate in the world; I’m finding that in both areas of study, empathy is a throughline.

Middle East and North African Studies Sociology and Anthropology Theatre