Lacy Feigh ’12

Lacy Feigh, from West Columbia, South Carolina, is a history and political science double major, pursuing minors in English and Chinese Studies. During her time at PC, Lacy has served as a member of the Honor Council, Phi Alpha Theta (history honor society), Stirlings (student ambassador), Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership honor society), and president of Sigma Kappa Alpha (academic honor society). As a Student Volunteer Services Senior Fellow and CHAMPS mentor, she actively participates in and organizes service activities around campus, such as Project Life and PC-V.

In the spring of 2010, Lacy received the Frank Dudley and Catherine Wyman Jones Award for a history paper on punishment in medieval England. She also received the James Harvey and Ana Witherspoon Scholarship in political science in 2011. Also in 2011, Lacy was appointed the History Department Assistant.

While at PC, Lacy has been given the opportunity to study abroad twice – to China and Egypt. She participated in a Political Science Maymester to China in 2009, and stayed an extra five weeks to study Mandarin in Guizhou, China as a Chinese Language Scholar. In fall of 2010, Lacy received the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad in Cairo, Egypt. While there, she took courses in Arabic, history, and political science; she was also able to tutor refugees in English through the American University in Cairo’s STAR program.

Why did you choose to come to PC and what made you interested in majoring in History?

I chose to come to PC because I wanted a small school atmosphere where I would be more than just a number. At my high school, there was a student teacher who had graduated from PC; when I mentioned to him I was looking at PC, he told me it would be the best four years of my life. I knew he was right as soon as I walked onto campus and everyone was so welcoming. My interest in history began in high school with AP US History, but after taking Dr. Heiser’s Ancient World History class, I was hooked. I signed my major card first semester of my freshman year and I never looked back.

How would you describe your experience in PC’s History Department?

I am proud to be a history major at PC. The professors are both challenging and helpful, never letting you get by with just an average paper or test grade. In class they provide you with vast amounts of knowledge, but they are just as insightful outside of the classroom when you need help planning next year’s classes or your life plan. The classes offered are varied, everything from the basic “World Civ” course to more specialized courses like Family and Gender in China. Also, as a history major I was strongly encouraged to study abroad, and with the guidance of certain professors within the department, I was able to travel to Cairo, Egypt for an entire semester! Simply put, the History Department at PC is one of the best.

What advice would you give to students considering coming to PC and majoring in history?

For students interested in coming to PC, I would suggest diving right in. If the opportunity to take AP World or US History presents itself in high school, take it; the History Department is challenging and the skills you gain from these classes are invaluable. I also encourage students to find a passion within an area of history, but to also take classes outside of their comfort zone—one of my favorite classes was a class in a subject in which I never imagined I would be interested. Most important, though, is to never forget to pursue excellence!