Jeanne Olivier: La Vie de Jeanne

Jeanne Olivier came to Exeter prepared. Over the summer before her arrival, she had coordinated with Laurie Loosigian, then in charge of ESSO, to found the Fair Trade club as soon as she moved in on campus. It was all uphill from there.Originally from French-speaking Canada, she hoped to receive an English education at a school “that balanced kindness with good, hard work.” Throughout her three years, she has found those characteristics to hold true.While Canadians aren’t considered international students by all standards, the language and cultural barrier Exeter presented was difficult to overcome at first. “The culture in America is completely different from the culture in Canada,” she explained, “especially French-speaking Canada.”Throughout her time, she has been careful to uphold her French background. “I talk to my parents almost every night in French,” she said. Maintaining her relationship with her family at home, while making a family at Exeter, has also been integral during her time on campus.Olivier has found an especially close community in her adviser group. “I go to my adviser a lot for help,” she said. “Family at home, for me, was very very important, and my adviser and the advisee group has allowed me to simulate that here.”Her adviser and mathematics instructor, Gwynneth Coogan, described Olivier as a model advisee. During her first term at Exeter, she offered to help with an advisee dinner, planning the menu, shopping and preparing new dishes.“Everyone in the advisee group loved it,” Coogan said. “Her cooking and her personality really defines the advisee group more than anything else.”In her dorm, McConnell, as well, Olivier stands out as an exemplary student, role model and proctor. Upper Caroline Sullivan said that her positivity and leadership earned the admiration and reverence from her and her dormmates.“She's always organized, she's always put together, and she always has a smile to greet the girls in the dorm,” Sullivan said. “We all definitely consider her a role model.”Senior, fellow proctor and friend Alice McCrum said that Olivier has “taught [her] the meaning of hard work.” On top of her admirable work ethic, McCrum said that she also “gives so much back to everyone. She has amazing stamina.”Upper Trishna Mohite agreed with McCrum, and emphasized that though Olivier’s ability to focus and maintain high efficiency in all her work are especially impressive, what amazes her peers is her genuine desire to spend time with those around her.“Even in the most hectic moments, she manages to get something productive achieved. Although she constantly appears to be so focused towards every passion that she pursues, she still is able to share a light hearted moment with you, probably one of the main reasons that makes her so admirable,” Mohite said.Olivier’s dormmates all echoed Mohite’s sentiments.“I am so happy and lucky to have ended up in the same dorm with Jeanne. She makes sure she is always available to offer advice and to listen,” senior and fellow proctor Stephanie Chen said.Upper Melody Nguyen agreed. “One time last year, I was having trouble doing my homework because my hallway was too loud, and Jeanne, without knowing me very well, invited me to her room to study. As a new student, her reaching out to me was incredibly nice.”Olivier’s presence in dorm life may be attributed in part to what she learned from the upperclassmen living in the dorm during her first year.“Coming from Canada, it’s not quite as friendly as America, so it was new to have people coming to my room or going to other peoples’ room without an invitation,” she explained. Despite the cultural contrast, she said that she grew comfortable with that environment quickly, and it is one she has continued to emulate.Her caring and driven character has allowed her to pursue and succeed in many opportunities on campus. For example, although she had never rowed before, Olivier experimented with a sport foreign to her -- crew.“Fall Crew during my first term here was really significant because I got to learn the sport and then move up quickly the following spring, when I started racing. It was a nice challenge, and there was a great support group in the dorm of rowers as I was learning.”Now a member of the girls varsity crew team and captain of the team, Olivier has continued to excel with enthusiasm, commitment and determination.“That idea of trying to surpass yourself when you’re on an erg, trying to beat your time is really intense, but it wouldn’t be the same without seven other girls on the erg or boat right next to you.” Olivier said. “Your personal achievements really bring up the whole group, and you are brought up by the whole group.”Olivier’s commendable work ethic extends much further than the boathouse.“Jeanne is the most hardworking person I’ve ever met. I call her the Exeter unicorn, because she somehow manages to do everything in a day effortlessly, calmly, and fabulously,” McCrum said. “While other people get really flustered or angered by something, she just powers through it, whether it’s a crew race, or a math test, or college apps, she just does it.”In perfect synergy with her ceaseless work ethic is an incredible mind.“She’s a very vivid presence in the dorm and in class, but she doesn’t ever come off as someone who’s trying to make an impression; it just comes naturally to her,” Michael Golay, history instructor and McConnell dorm faculty, said. “She has a real presence about her, a real individuality. She’s very, very diligent. It’s always been clear to me that she has a very active and impressive mind, and I’m definitely not alone in thinking that.”