What’s next for the Class of 2025: Ronnie Ward

“What’s next for the Class of 2025” is a series that features Lafayette grads—where they’re headed, and the mentors, resources, and experiences that inspired their future path. Read all the 2025 stories.

(Photo by JaQuan Alston)

By: Abby Miles ’25

Major: Government and law and theater double major

Destination/future plans: Pursuing a master’s in public policy at University of Maryland

Involvement on campus: 

In addition to being a 2025 Pepper Prize nominee, Ronnie Ward ’25 is also proud to be a McKelvy Scholar, Posse Scholar, and a writing associate. Ward says all of these roles gave her opportunities that she will take with her in her career and academic advancements. 

At Lafayette, Ward worked as a head resident and resident adviser throughout her time on campus for the Office of Residence Life. 

She also participated in the Forensics Team and the Lafayette Debate Club, and served as a peer educator for Kaleidoscope, a social justice organization. She also worked for the Lafayette Initiative for Malagasy Education (LIME), as a program mentor. LIME pairs Lafayette students with students in Madagascar to assist with the college application process. Ward says she spent a semester preparing lesson plans and then traveled to Madagascar for three weeks during interim break to help students with their personal statement writing.

As a theater and government and law double major, she is proud to have worked with the Theater Department for four years, and as a research associate with the Gov Lab. 

Mentors and experiences that mattered most:

Ward says Lafayette created many opportunities for her on campus, especially regarding research and work experience.

“Being a Gov Lab research associate is by far one of the best experiences I had on campus,” she says. The opportunity helped prepare her for internships and jobs off campus.

Ward says being involved with the McKelvy, Posse, and LIME programs helped her get to know people across campus in a new and exciting way.

“It helped me get to know different people from different backgrounds, and allowed me to connect with my peers in a way I don’t think I would’ve if I hadn’t come to Lafayette,” she says.  

She’s grateful for the mentors, her professors, advisers, and Gateway staff who helped her reach her goals. She’s thankful for her Gateway adviser, Alana Klass, senior associate director and counselor-Gateway Career Center; her major advisers Mary Jo Lodge, professor of theater and department head, and Andrew Clarke, assistant professor in government and law; and Laurie Caslake, professor of biology who also served as Ward’s Posse mentor. “They made me aware of resources on campus and encouraged me along the way,” Ward says. 

“If it weren’t for the faculty and staff who believed in me, I wouldn’t have pushed myself as hard as I could.”