Co-head of Residential Life and the SPN: Karl Hagnauer ’13

Name: Karl Hagnauer
Year: 2013
Major: History
Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri

How are you involved on campus?
In freshman year I joined the Housing Committee (now Residential Life Committee) and have been involved in the residential aspect of campus life ever since. I took over as Co-Chair of the Reslife Committee in sophomore year and continue to serve in that position. I’ve also been a member of the New Dorm Steering Committee for the past three years, working with the architects in helping to construct Kim and Tritton. This year I joined Students’ Council as Officer of Campus Life, which meshes well with my other positions. On a different note, I’ve also served as Co-Head of the Student Political Network for the past three years, organizing election day transportation, voter registration drives, and weekly political discussions.
 

Why did you choose to come to Haverford?
My high school was incredibly small, and I knew I wanted a similar experience in college. My high school has sent numerous students to Haverford, so I was already aware of its reputation and was able to talk to graduates about their experiences (as well as a teacher, who also attended Haverford). I was also looking mainly on the East Coast, and Haverford seemed like the perfect fit.

What inspired you to get involved with the Residential Life Committee?
Actually it was kind of by chance. I attended the student activities fair freshman year and signed up. The committee is a lot of fun (and of course working with Smitty is great), so it worked out well.

Through your role as “Housing Head” and Residential Life Committee Co-Head, how do you create a dialogue between students and the administration?
It’s really important for students to bring their concerns to us, otherwise we have a hard time identifying what changes the student body would like to see in reslife policy. As we meet weekly with Smitty, we have a direct line of communication to the administration, and they are usually very receptive to our input.

What is your role in the Student Political Network (SNP) and what is the mission of the group?
Student Political Network is a nonpartisan group seeking to promote political awareness on campus and help the students exercise their right to vote. During non-election years our main activity is our weekly discussion group, where we select a salient political topic and proceed to have a roundtable discussion for an hour or so. During elections, SPN kicks into overdrive as we coordinate election day transportation to the polls and make sure students are registered to vote.

How do you spend your (little) free time at Haverford??
Well there hasn’t been a lot of free time this year (thanks thesis!), but it is nice once in a while to kick back and hang out with friends, watch a movie, catch up on a TV series, or break out of the Haverbubble.

What are your future plans after graduation?
I’m applying to law school this year, so right now I’m slaving away on applications and crossing my fingers for a good result!