Meet Perry Kramer ’24 The opportunity to take a wide variety of classes has expanded Kramer's horizons.

W&L News Office
April 2, 2024

Perry Kramer ’24
Hometown: Roswell, Georgia
Major: Mathematics; minor in entrepreneurship

Why did you choose to come to W&L?
I chose to come to W&L because I knew from visiting that it was a special place and because of the incredible opportunity it provided me. I first learned about W&L in my senior year of high school through lacrosse recruiting, and I was fortunate enough to have Coach Gene McCabe invite me on a visit. My host was incredibly welcoming, and I noticed a warm sense of community stronger than at any other school I had been to, making me feel like I was already part of the team. I left knowing that I could see myself loving it. Later on, when I was offered a Johnson Scholarship that provided tuition, room, board and funding for summer experiences, it was an opportunity that I couldn’t turn down, and I am extremely thankful to have made the right decision.

Have you discovered a course or topic that you didn’t expect to study when you first came to W&L?
Absolutely – for me, this was German. I came to W&L knowing I wanted to study abroad, but I never would have imagined having the flexibility to take a semester off from classes and travel to 12 countries in Europe and Africa over three months with all my belongings in a backpack. Two of the most impactful places for me were Switzerland and Germany, with breathtaking scenery and incredible people, and my time there inspired me to start learning German. I was lucky enough to fit two semesters in before graduating, and I look forward to returning to Europe before too long with the ability to better connect with German speakers there. On a deeper level, this experience has given me a strong interest in how different languages relate to different ways of thinking, and I plan to explore this long after graduating from W&L. For me, the freedom to take a wide variety of classes at W&L has allowed me to expand my horizons in ways I never anticipated.

How have your experiences at W&L prepared you for post-graduate success?
My time at W&L has prepared me for life after graduation in more ways than I realize, but some of the most direct are the Career and Professional Development (CPD) Office and the Connolly Entrepreneurship Society (CES), in addition to my education in the classroom. Early on, career advisers like Molly Steele, Lauren Vance and Brooke Peccie made themselves available and guided me as I explored careers that I was interested in. Through answering questions, introducing me to alumni and practicing both behavioral and case interviews, the CPD office was extremely valuable in my professional development at W&L, and I cannot thank them enough for all of their help as I start my career in management consulting.

Furthermore, my weekly meetings as a member and later a leader of CES were transformative for me. CES allowed me to ideate business solutions, plan logistics for the club and learn from startups founded by W&L alumni. I have learned so much from the two CES faculty advisers during my time, Jeff Schatten and Jay Margalus, and I hope to continue this learning for years to come.

Finally, studying mathematics has given me both a problem-solving and analytical skill set I can apply to business problems as I start my career, as well as a framework with which to view the world in a way that I didn’t expect. Overall, my experiences at W&L have provided me with everything I need and more for life after graduation, and I’m very thankful for that.

What do you like about being a DIII athlete?
Being a DIII athlete has given me friendships and memories that solidify DIII in my mind as offering the very best student-athlete experience. I will cherish the friendships I have made through the lacrosse team at W&L for the rest of my life, and the memories with my teammates on and off Wilson Field are countless, along with the lessons I have learned. The balance between school, sports and social life, including the flexibility to go abroad for a semester during the offseason, have made my time as a DIII athlete unforgettable. Playing lacrosse as a General has also taught me the meaning of being a good teammate and doing my job as part of something larger than myself – lessons that extend well beyond the playing field that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.