Naman Hampton '04
"Guilford 's community is centered around and guided by Quaker principles."
Naman Hampton takes the advice of Mahatma Gandhi to heart:"Be the change you wish to see in the world."
He recently started a group called Men Against Sexism that gives men a supportive environment in which to confront issues about their role in society. He also helped start the co-op coffee shop in the Underground, which gives students real-world experience in running a business and making decisions by consensus. And he serves as program director for the campus radio station, which now offers the alternative news program "Democracy Now."
Hampton, who is a Quaker,does not shy away from speaking out on issues close to his heart. He came to Guilford from his hometown of Barnesville, Ohio, because of the college 's Quaker roots, and he has a strong desire to see that those roots are not forgotten.
"This community has been very supportive of people who want to challenge themselves, to be active in following those values of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality and the idea there is that of God in everyone," he said. "At the same time, it's been my perception that there's been a push to move away from some of that Quaker-centeredness."
Hampton thinks Guilford would be a very different place without the Quaker influence. He points to the consensus decision-making commonly used on campus, the emphasis on peace studies, and the recent anti-racism initiative as examples of that unique nature. He is majoring in peace and conflict studies and religious studies.
Perhaps the biggest influence can be seen in the classroom, where professors are commonly addressed by their first names. "The faculty I've had have been very challenging academically and intellectually but have also been very friendly and open and accepting," he said. "They really make you feel like you are equal as a human being."