Hi everyone! My name is Paton, and I’m a rising junior in Mather House originally from San Francisco. Alongside concentrating in Social Studies, I’m planning to get a citation in Spanish.

Initially, I was most interested in the intersection of climate activism and gender; now, however, I am more broadly interested in structures of power (Foucault!) and how activism functions within or outside of them. Another interest of mine is the ever-shifting roles of sports in popular culture and how those roles reflect certain societal priorities and needs.

While picking a concentration, I was torn between several of the social sciences, and was nervous about picking Social Studies! However, I grew to love the genuine curiosity that everyone in the concentration approaches their work with — from sophomores in tutorials to the presentations and research of professors and fellows.

Outside of the classroom, I’m involved with women’s club soccer, club futsal, The Harvard Crimson, FoodLab, Harvard Undergraduate Sports Lab, and the Massachusetts Menstrual Equity Coalition. Coming into the concentration, I was concerned about balancing extracurriculars with the Social Studies workload that I’d heard so much about, but have found it to be completely manageable! I’m happy to talk to anyone who’s concerned about that balance.

Feel free to reach out with any questions about Social Studies, or anything else you’re curious about! I’m always around to grab a meal and chat!