Hometown: Great Falls, Va.

A Connection That Added Up
Hackenson's 11th-grade pre-calculus teacher at Episcopal High School was Mimi Hobart '07, a connection that got him on campus. Seeing the Honor Code at work was a tipping point that got him to stay-as well as a certain comfort factor in the big brick buildings and the friendly people strolling among them. "It's a place where I knew I eventually would be able to walk across campus and know something about a lot of the people I met."

FirstYear Orientation
"I think their goal is to make us so exhausted we forget everything else!" The strong social framework to kick off the first-year experience provided a good sense of the four years to come, academically and beyond. "It helps you feel free to be active in the social life at Davidson, but know your limits."

He Thinks the World of Davidson
Hackenson's first claim to fame on campus was scoring highest on the Class of 2013 International Awareness Test. "Living near Washington, D.C., you can't help but notice what's going on," he said. Also, his mom travels the globe in the IT and energy businesses, his dad is retired Secret Service, and his placemat as a toddler was a world map. So flash forward 15 years, and Davidson's strong Dean Rusk International Studies Program holds logical appeal. More than 64 percent of Davidson's Class of 2009 studied abroad for credit.

Leadership and Service
"Sure, I would like to get a 4.0 out of Davidson College, but will that allow me the chance to participate fully in the life of the campus?" Six weeks into his four years, this Chidsey Leadership Fellow was signed up for a campus Building Tomorrow group, the Union Board Speaker Committee, and the Student Government Association Elections Committee. The Town of Davidson even appointed him to serve on its recreation advisory board. Leadership and service, for Hackenson, are already woven into campus life and beyond. "You don't need a formal title to effect change," he says. "Everyone has the opportunity."