Stefan Borst-Consullo
Class of 2008

Between his sophomore and junior years of high school, Stefan Borst-Consullo lived and worked in Ghana as part of an elite program with American Field Service. He stayed with a host family in the capital city of Accra and worked at an orphanage, where more than half of the children were HIV positive.

"This was the summer after 9/11," Borst-Consullo said. "I wanted to do something really worthwhile, and this looked like the best place to do it."

Borst-Consullo said the trip provided him the chance to make an impact on people's lives and gave him a new perspective on America's place in the world.

"The main thing I got was a sense that, as an American, you have a certain responsibility that comes with privilege to go out and make sure things are working in the world around you," he said.

The experience has carried over directly to Borst-Consullo's Brandeis career, where he is double-majoring in African and Afro-American studies and politics. He was initially impressed by Brandeis's students concern with social justice and the university's active involvement in politics.

"I like the fact that this is one of the most liberal campuses in the country," he said. "It's really nice to have a political climate I fit well into that is still not one sided."

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