With Liberty and Justice for All

Ralph Humiston ’17

A strong sense of justice runs through Ralph Humiston ’17, a student-athlete and double major in law & policy and Spanish with high ideals and feet firmly on solid ground—even when he's summitting the Presidential Range in New Hampshire. Learn about his inspiring hobby, the delicious metaphor that’s enlightened every class and the revolutionary he’d most like to meet.

Majors:

Law & Policy and Spanish.

Clubs and organizations:

Men’s indoor/outdoor track & field and Students for Social Action.

Favorite book:

Rant by Chuck Palahniuk.

Favorite movie:

American Beauty.

On choosing Dickinson:

Coming from New England, I was surrounded by great liberal-arts colleges. But Dickinson’s emphasis on a global approach to education, and the real down-to-earth feeling that I experienced while on campus, [gives students the] ability to receive a high-caliber education while still keeping the “bigger picture” in view. I didn’t find that at other schools.

Favorite place on campus:

Tome Library.

Favorite class:

During my freshman seminar, Ideas that Shaped the World, my professor, [Associate Professor of Judaic Studies] Nitsa Kann, used chocolate as a metaphor for the class. [She asked us to] take a small bite and savor the flavor. Then she explained that we had only gotten a small “taste” of the Dickinson experience and that it was important to relish every moment of our education—not just read a textbook because it was assigned, but also appreciate what you are learning. [That advice] influences the way the way I approach every class.

Favorite professor:

Definitely [Assistant] Professor [of Political Science] Sarah Niebler. Her passion for what she teaches, Research Methods (in political science), made me excited to come to every class. On top of that, her approachability and effort to take personal interest in my educational endeavors truly made me want to pursue what I found most interesting within the subject and to perform to my highest potential.

Favorite Dining Hall food:

Hot roast beef on a pretzel bun. 

Childhood career aspirations:

When I was in fifth grade, we made clay murals representing our dream jobs. I made a gavel and a slice of pizza, because I wanted to be a judge … who also owned a pizzeria.

Little-known hobby:

I keep a journal of quotes that stand out to me.

If I could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, it would be …

… Rigoberta Menchu.

In a perfect world …

… equal representation in government would not be a goal; it would be the norm.

Learn more

• Policy Studies Program
• Department of Spanish & Portuguese
• Athletics
• Opportunities for Engagement
• More Student Snapshots
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Published January 28, 2015