Meet Elizabeth Barr ’27 Barr’s love of nature led her to a biology major and getting her scuba certification with the Outing Club.

Office of Communications and Public Affairs
February 4, 2025

Elizabeth Barr ’27
Hometown: Greenville, South Carolina
Majors/Minors: Biology and German double major

Have you discovered a course or topic that you didn’t expect to study when you first came to W&L?
Both of my majors are actually completely new to me. I took my first biology course during Spring Term expecting to just get my required lab credit, but I was immediately hooked. Although it was so new to me, the coursework was intriguing and captivated me in a way that no other subject had. Dr. Kyle Friend and Dr. Nadia Ayoub were so supportive in encouraging me to keep going on the biology path. With each new topic I encounter, I am ever more glad that I did.

On a similar note, I have always had a love for language and knew that I wanted to explore that further at W&L but wasn’t sure in what capacity. I took my first German course my first semester and honestly have never looked back. I have learned so much so quickly and am excited to spend this coming Spring Term in Austria to strengthen my skills. Navigating the process of learning my third language alongside stimulating coursework in history, culture, religion and politics is exactly what I was looking for in a liberal arts education, and I am so glad to have found this in the German Department.

Have you found a mentor on campus? Who is it, and how have they helped you develop as a student?
I have taken two courses with professor Howard Pickett, and both have profoundly impacted my approach and outlook on life. I admire the way he breaks down complex questions in a way that makes them much more approachable while still keeping humanity and empathy at the core of every conversation. I find myself applying this in both my daily and academic life.

What are your hobbies/interests? How has W&L helped you develop and pursue them?
I like to spend as much of my free time as I can outdoors. The Outing Club has made getting outside so easy, and it has been a space in which I can push myself outside of my comfort zone alongside others who love to do the same. I have had many “firsts” with the Outing Club (received my scuba certification, co-led a camping trip, bouldered and climbed outdoors, to name a few), and each new experience builds my confidence in myself, which translates to all areas of my life. I also find that my love for nature has a lot to do with my interest in biology, and I have greatly enjoyed exploring where my passions overlap with my academic interests.

Have you studied abroad during your time at W&L? Where did you go, and how was your experience?
I spent this past summer in Mérida, Mexico, under both the Millsaps Yucatán summer internship program and the Shepherd program. I worked at a CRIT Teletón — a youth physical rehabilitation center — where I shadowed speech and physical therapists and taught English classes. This was a wonderful experience that left me with a greater understanding of the rich diversity of the Yucatán peninsula and with stronger Spanish communication skills that I now apply in my work with W&L ESOL.