I wish all recent high school graduates well. Last year at this time I was one of them, scared about college, but at the same time excited. My college search had been difficult, but my final decision was the University of Minnesota, Morris. I had gone to visit in December and had known the instant I walked on campus that this was the college for me. I returned mid-May for orientation.

At orientation I sat in the computer lab trying to sign up for classes. I didn’t know what I wanted to take. I wasn’t even sure what major I wanted to fulfill. My adviser came to talk to me about signing up for classes. As she sat down next to me, I looked at her in frustration. She asked, “Troubles?”

I gave a look of confirmation, she glanced over my portfolio, and replied “What were you thinking of majoring in?”

I had spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted to do with my life. My senior year of high school, I learned that I loved politics. So my first thought was political science. I told her this, but I also mentioned that I was interested in helping people.

I had gone to see the speaker, Coleman McCarthy, when he had come to Albert Lea High School,and learned that peace was definitely a big interest of mine.

My adviser told me about a new program they had at the college, where you could create your own major, and there was a previous student who had created a major of peace studies. This was perfect; it was exactly what I wanted.

I looked at the program and began to sign up for the classes. I became more excited as the summer went on. Everyone asks you two questions over and over: Where are you going? And what are you doing? My answer to the second question became difficult for some to understand.

As I told people that I was majoring in peace studies, they would raise an eyebrow or say, “What?” thinking they had misheard me.

But many people asked a third question, “What can you do with peace studies?” I had no answer to this, but would soon be able to answer.

Fall came and classes started. The more classes I went to the more I realized this is exactly what I wanted to do. Yet I felt I was alone on campus, being the only peace studies major.

There was a boy on campus named Prash; he was in my anthropology class and all I knew was he was from Singapore. I noticed him when one day he had raised his voice in a very educated manner against our teacher, who had been teaching a biased lecture on cultural differences.

After class I went to talk with Prash and learned he too was a peace studies major. Our talk led to what we wanted to do with our peace studies. I learned there is so much I can do with it. I can be an anthropologist, a politician, a psychologist, and much more. I was planning on attending the Nobel Peace Prize Forum and decided to ask Prash if he wanted to come with me.

He agreed it would be interesting but suggested we find out if anyone else wanted to go. Thirteen of us signed up, plus a professor, and the next thing I knew, the school was paying for our food, transportation, hotel and our entrance fee.

The forum introduced us to some amazing people including Greg Mortenson, author of “Three Cups of Tea” and Muhammad Yunus, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner.

It taught all of us how one person can make a difference. For me this person was Prash. He taught me how to use peace education. He gave me ideas of how to apply it on campus. He encouraged me to join a group called Minnesota Public Interest Research Group, where I helped a social justice committee try to replace the clothes and uniforms on campus that had been made in sweatshops. We convinced our dean to join our cause, and by 2009 all sweatshop clothing will be removed from our campus bookstore and our athletic uniforms will be replaced thanks to our campaign.

Today I am less afraid to follow my dreams. If someone were to ask me now, “What can you do with peace studies?” I would reply, “What can’t you do with peace studies? Who can’t use a little peace?”

So to the seniors, follow your dreams no matter what they may be.

Mallory King is a 2007 graduate of Albert Lea High School and a sophomore Peace Studies major at the University of Minnesota, Morris.”