Hometown: Magdeburg, Germany

A Natural Attraction
To satisfy his German civil service requirement after high school, Christoph Pross chose an international exchange option that landed him in Nashville, Tenn.—by happy chance in the home of a Davidson alumnus who had a daughter at Davidson. Pross was intrigued by the American idea of "liberal arts," and attracted by Davidson. "I liked the small size and close relationships with professors. And Davidson has really strong programs in economics and political science."

Finding His Niche
Davidson's academic workload, extracurricular activities, and a job in the economics department put flesh on the bones of Pross's hardcore work ethic. That has softened a bit with experience. "Now, I've found my niche. I've learned how to be more comfortable doing the work, not just in the library. I can chill out and do the work at Summit Coffee."

A Joiner and a Leader
Still, he's been busy. Student Government Association. German small group sessions as an assistant teacher. Sophomore study abroad in the inaugural semester of Davidson's Fall Semester in Arequipa, Peru. Elected office in the Davidson Investment Financial Association. Stalwart participation in the Davidson International Association. Summers have included business internships, as well as Davidson in Washington and a Kemp Scholarship to study European Union economic issues on site in four cities.

International Flair
Davidson's strong faculty provides a welcome challenge. "I like the possibility of taking 'Peacekeeping and Peace Building' with Ken Menkhaus, who is an expert on Somalia, and reading his articles in leading magazines. Peru was another opportunity, planned and run by Russ Crandall, who is on leave of absence and one of the leading experts on Latin America."

Ramping Up for Year Four
In his senior year, the Terry Fellow is participating in Leadership Davidson. He's also spearheading the Bank of America Lecture Series and Conference, a signature initiative of Davidson's Dean Rusk International Studies Program. But he'll still make time to chill. "I am looking forward to shifting my balance a little more to friends and hanging out. I enjoy watching basketball now, and I play soccer with students and professors, and run on the cross-country trails."