Lily Cahill
I was excited about the prospect of learning alongside a welcoming and collaborative student body that prefers curiosity to competition.
Pronouns
Degree and Class Year
Hometown
Major
Minor
Extracurriculars
Overseas study
What three words would you use to describe L&C?
What’s your favorite class? Why?
In my sophomore year, I took Economic Development with Professor Aine Seitz McCarthy from the economics department. In this class, we spent a lot of time talking about data-driven approaches to international development topics. We used the results of randomized control trials to assess the concrete, tangible impacts of different development policies. This class opened my eyes to the ways in which quantitative and economic analysis can be applied to strategically fund and implement development projects. I would highly recommend the course to students from any major who are interested in studying a more quantitative approach to the field of development.
What made you want to come to Lewis & Clark?
I always knew that I wanted to go to a small, liberal arts school, and I was really drawn to Portland. When I toured Lewis & Clark, the campus felt homey enough to make me comfortable with the thought of moving out of state. I was also excited about the prospect of learning alongside a welcoming and collaborative student body that prefers curiosity to competition.
What do you like or find most interesting about your major?
Being an economics major gives me the opportunity to explore social and policy-related questions through both data-based and theoretical lenses. I really appreciate that I’ve been able to explore complex sociological and economic questions by relying on both concrete data analysis and more theoretical approaches.
What do you like or find most interesting about your minor?
Being a data science minor, I have been able to sharpen my skills in various programming languages and have spent a lot of time working in R. Having experience in R has made me more confident in my ability to clean, analyze, visualize, and interpret data on my own. Not only is this a good skill to have when applying for jobs, but it also makes it easier for me to study topics that I’m really interested in.
Tell us about your support systems and social outlets on campus: people, activities, clubs, res halls, etc.
It’s really easy to connect with people at Lewis & Clark because almost everyone is genuinely curious and open-minded. Being at a small school, spaces like the library and the student center become areas where people can socialize and hang out. There are also a lot of opportunities to get involved with different activities and student groups on campus and meet people with similar interests. I’ve also really enjoyed being on the Artemis Ultimate Frisbee team and working at The Center for Social Change & Community Involvement.
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 chose to study abroad in Thailand because I really wanted to participate in an experiential learning program and have the opportunity to engage with different communities in a different country. My study abroad program was truly one of the best experiences of my life. While in Thailand, I got to take classes in Thai language and sustainability, conduct ethnographic research about a topic of interest, and travel to different parts of Thailand both through the program and on my own time. This program was a great practice in taking my experiences and learning at Lewis & Clark to a new place, allowing me to reflect on and develop my understanding of the world.
What advice do you have for incoming students?
Take risks! Trust in yourself and believe that you can do hard things. A lot of learning happens when we are in spaces where we are challenged and a little bit uncomfortable.
