Olivier Van Pelt

Furman University. Olivier.vanpelt@furman.edu. 973-647-9316

I am a sophomore student at Furman University studying to become a Political Science and Economics double major with a current GPA of 2.8. As an Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadet, I am also working to sharpen my leadership, communication, and teamwork skills in hopes of achieving a future career as an Army Intelligence officer. I possess a keen interest in military history and international law and politics. Drawn by strong brotherhood and the desire to be involved in public service and charity, I joined the Sigma Nu Fraternity in the fall of my freshman year. As a fraternity, we have raised funds for charities such as the Wounded Warrior Project and the American Cancer Association. I earned my high school diploma at The Hun School of Princeton in Princeton, New Jersey. Studying at a boarding school introduced me to students across the globe. Living with students from countries such as England, France, Germany, South Africa, Cameroon, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Georgia, China, and South Korea exposed me to languages, cultures, and alternative views I would have never experienced elsewhere. As a junior and senior student I was selected to be a proctor, and my responsibilities included monitoring study halls, organizing residential parties and events, and by upholding school rules in the dorms. As a proctor, I also helped residential students cope with the challenges of boarding school life, a key issue for foreign student's as they adopted to the culture shock of studying in a different country. My senior year, I was also selected to be a freshman mentor. This position required me to hold weekly meetings with an assigned group of freshman students to address the challenges and stresses of high school and provide ways to overcome them. My goal is to obtain an internship relating to international security, military analytics, and or international law and politics, where I can apply my skills and gain valuable experience to prepare me a potential career in military Intelligence.