Hometown: Ferrum, Virginia

Food, Glorious Food
Laura Beach’s family always cherished mealtime. At Davidson, Beach craved something similar. Where she found it, she embraced it. Where she didn’t, she invented it. Friends, academic life, church, outdoors: “For me, everything at Davidson connected through food.”

Food for Community
Even after graduation, Beach continues her Davidson tradition of sending a “food” calendar of events to friends. At Davidson, she made sure they knew about free campus foodie events: “Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights in the Union Atrium, free Sangham dinner!” Potluck dinners at her house? “We’ll provide the main course….” Sunday breakfast? “Bring a goodie, bring a friend, come in your PJs or dressed up after early service….”

Nature and Nourish
Her favorite thing next to food is nature, and work and play with Davidson Outdoors was a consistent delight—including many a campfire meal on mountain or beach: “What’s more fun than eating outdoors with your friends?”

Food for Thought
Beach studied in Mali junior year with the School for International Training, researching the empowerment of women’s groups and agricultural cooperatives. A Center for Interdisciplinary Studies major, she focused her major work on Africa, sustainable development and biodiversity.

Food in Her Future
In her first post-collegiate year, Laura’s hunger for food and faith led her along parallel tracks in the Raleigh-Durham, N.C., area. She studied sustainable agriculture, in class and at the local farmer’s market, while preparing to enter Duke Divinity School in fall 2008. “It’s kind of—exactly everything I want to do.” She’s updated her weekly e-mailing list to reflect her move from Davidson to Durham. And it still includes many Davidsonians.