Andrew Ordentlich ’22

Why are you engaged with the Goldfarb Center? 

I first encountered the Goldfarb Center in the fall of my freshman year when I was attending a lecture as part of my Introduction to American Government class. After the lecture, then director, Professor Patrice Franko, asked students in the audience to approach her after if they were interested in lectures and topics featured by the Goldfarb Center. Ever since then I have been involved with the Goldfarb Center in some way, shape, or form. Over the last year and a half I have helped develop and advance the communication platform of the Center before joining the Executive Board as Co-Chair this year. I continue to be engaged with the Goldfarb Center because of the plethora of speakers and topics and the ability to interact with these speakers in a close and personal manner. 

What does leadership mean to you as someone on the Goldfarb Student Executive Board? 

As a member of the Goldfarb Executive Board, I have learned a lot about what it means to be a leader and how to handle a great deal of responsibility. I originally decided to join the Executive Board because I felt that the Goldfarb Center is an incredible resource on campus that often goes underappreciated. Now, as a leader with the Center, I hope to be able to introduce all that the Goldfarb Center has to offer to students across campus and hear their views and ideas for what the Goldfarb Center could be. We have a wonderful group of students on the Executive Board and I’m looking forward to working alongside them to expand the scope of the Center and interact with students. 

Is there a moment you will always remember or a favorite memory you have with the Goldfarb Center? 

My favorite memory with the Goldfarb Center has to be the experience of living in Washington D.C. and working with a Congressional Affairs firm during President Trump’s impeachment trial. That experience has really shaped what I want to pursue post-Colby and through the alumni connections fostered by the Goldfarb Center, I now have a wide network to reach out to in Washington D.C. I also was able to witness the impeachment trials in person and interact with Senators and Representatives.

Looking ahead, what are you most excited about for this year?

This year I’m looking forward to the wide variety of speakers that are planning on hosting and the ability to work with Director Kimberly Flowers to create events and find speakers that fit my interests within public affairs. I am also excited to welcome a new class of first-year students to Colby and work to make Goldfarb an environment that fosters community building across all years.