The beginning
Glustrom developed an interest in the problems facing African refugees of war while participating in Fairview High School's Amnesty International Club in Boulder, Co. This interest eventually turned into an application for a grant through Amnesty to film a documentary about the lives of refugees in the impoverished Ugandan camps. Although Amnesty rejected Glustrom's proposal based on the inherent difficulties and dangers such a young student would face on such a project, Glustrom was determined to make the film so he took out a loan from his parents to embark on his mission to capture the lives of refugees. "My parents were definitely a little worried about it," recalled Glustrom of his month-long solo mission to Africa. Although Glustrom could not complete the documentary and caught malaria on his first trip, the experience left him with a growing drive to help refugees, in part thanks to the relationship Glustrom developed with Benson Olivier, a refugee he met in Uganda's Kyangwali Refugee Camp.
"It was the first time I had been to Africa and definitely the first time I had been to a refugee camp," explained Glustrom in his biography of Olivier on Educate!'s Web site, "so to make friends with Benson was very comforting. For the next three weeks Benson and I spent every minute together and by the end of my trip to Africa, he and I were best friends." Among other anecdotes, Glustrom described seeing the "mud-hut no larger than the size of an American bathroom" Olivier called "home" and learning that he shared it with nobody because Olivier's entire family (including both parents and four siblings) died during Congo's Civil War. Before leaving for home, Glustrom asked Olivier how he could help and Olivier made it clear that a solid education would be the best way to start.
For only $75, Glustrom could provide Olivier with an education that "isn't just school, isn't just the education part," explained Glustrom in an interview, "but about being able to eat three meals a day, live in safety and have a secure life in the future." Educate! was born upon realizing "how easy it was, how cheap it was to help [Olivier] go to school" and completely change his life and the lives of other refugees in similar situations. When Glustrom arrived at the College, he asked his friend Boris Bulayev '07 to help manage the growing organization. The Educate! of today has a mission "to provide refugees and highly underprivileged nationals in Africa with a quality life in the present and an education for a bright life in the future, in order for them to one day become the leaders of the fight against the larger problems of disease, violence and poverty that exist in their home countries." This noble mission that has already started to come to fruition with its 50-plus students. Educate is about students helping students and peers helping peers.
Eric's Amherst
A phenomenal athlete and an exquisite student, Glustrom chose Amherst because he wanted to go to an excellent school, but also be able to play sports. "Tennis was my life," said Glustrom. "The campus was beautiful. I felt really good about [Amherst]."
However, after spending his first fall semester on the tennis team, Glustrom developed an elbow injury and had to take a break from tennis, a move he called a "huge change in lifestyle." Nevertheless, inability to play tennis would not keep the persevering Glustrom from playing sports as he joined the crew team that spring and continued through sophomore year. "What helped was that my friends were all on the crew team freshman year," he recalled. Newfound dedication to running turned Glustrom into a three-season cross country and track and field runner for his junior and senior years.
As great an athlete as Glustrom is, he is an even better student, earning magna cum laude distinction for his thesis. Glustrom had two main focuses in Amherst's classrooms: his self-designed biochemistry major and international development. Glustrom's phenomenal 266-page thesis in biochemistry investigated whether insecticides can mimic the behaviors of estrogen. "Professors would talk about Glustrom's thesis during lab in amazement," said Glustrom's friend Moe Zeidan '08E.
Glustrom's thesis advisor, Professor of Chemistry Pat O'Hara, explained, "Though it may seem oxymoronic, academic excellence is not all that unusual in students at this college. What makes Eric totally unique is the way he blends this excellence of mind with compassion and character," referring to his devotion to Educate!, in addition to his studies. He makes each person he speaks to feel unique, valued, incredibly interesting and the most important person in the world in the time he spends with you."
"[Eric] is often too modest for his own good and I often have to punch him in order for him to admit that he did well in something," added Zeidan. Glustrom's friend Jordan Brower '07 noted "I am fairly certain that Eric is an android (Eric is probably some acronym: E.R.I.C.-Environmentally Responsible Infallible Computer, or something like that)."
Glustrom certainly has an infallable characteristic about him that allows him and those around him to do well. "He has an undying belief in himself and his ability to do what he wants to do, no matter what others say," said Bulayev. "[Glustrom] has significantly increased the confidence I have in myself to do certain things and has taught me to keep pushing through when others doubt you and say what you are doing is impossible."
The public has also taken note of Glustrom's accomplishments and phenomenal character through the awards and recognitions he has received during his college years. Last year the College granted Glustrom the Samuel Wally Brown Scholarship, which recognizes the member of the junior class who demonstrates excellence in class, character, academics, leadership and athletics. He was also given the College's Student Community Engagement Leadership Award this year. The Arnold and Mable Beckman Foundation helped fund Glustrom's thesis research last summer through its Beckman Scholar Fund and the Institute of International Education gave him the Goldman Sachs Global Leaders Award in 2004.
"Eric has been one of my best friends since our freshman year and I am continually amazed by the passion and energy that he takes to class, sports, community service and his friendships," said Zeidan. "More importantly, his easy-going attitude, love of Mariah Carey and Antonio's, and desire to make the most of life are what I've especially valued in our friendship."
Glustrom credits the College's environment for helping him thrive in the four spheres of college life Zeidan mentions: academics, athletics, extracurriculars and friendships. "Amherst does an excellent job of combining all these spheres together," said Glustrom. "Guys on your team are also in your classes. I built a friendship, but I also worked to build this organization [with Boris]. It's something I really, really appreciate about Amherst. I cannot imagine another place where you can do that."
In addition, Glustrom says his professors have been amazing. "The professors have not only been great teachers, but also incredibly supportive of the path you want to take," he said. "Having the faculty be that oriented towards the students has made my education here so much better."
Boris' Amherst
"I couldn't have asked for a better college experience," said Bulayev of his time at Amherst. "Perfect" he described of the way Amherst has allowed him to accomplish everything he wanted to in college. Having originally chosen Amherst because he believed it would teach him how to think, not just to memorize information, the College has exceeded his expectations.
In the academic arena, Bulayev has focused on his major, economics, but he has also taken a wide range of courses in the humanities and social sciences. His economics background is put to practical use in running Educate! as Bulayev is primarily responsible for infrastructure and development.
"Boris is a very good student and a wonderful character," described Professor of Economics Geoffrey Woglom. He recalled, "I can remember his first class with me was Finance, a challenging course. During pre-registration he asked in class in a half-serious, half-joking way how hard another of my courses was and I replied, 'Real tough.' Sure enough he skipped that course, but the next year he took it and did quite well. I soon learned that behind this 'What, me worry?' façade there lurked a serious student. I was even more gratified to learn of his activities with Educate!. I don't know whether he will turn out to be the next Warren Buffett or the next Albert Schweitzer, but I can't wait to find out!" Bulayev looks to combine the best of both as he has his sights set on becoming an entrepreneur, while continuing to play a role in Educate!.
Aside from maintaining a very high GPA and running Educate!, Bulayev has fully immersed himself in other aspects of Amherst life. He founded the Amherst Investing Club that manages a $50,000 endowed portfolio, and served as a senator in student government his sophomore year. On the senate, Bulayev established himself as a member of the Dining Services Committee with two important missions: 1) to bring pesto to Val and 2) to introduce tortilla wraps. According to Dining Services Manager Deborah Omasta-Mokrzecki, he accomplished both with his typical charisma and determination. "He bugged me for weeks, months, sent me e-mails from abroad [when he spent his junior fall in Paris," recalls Omasta-Mokrzecki. "[Bulayev] is pleasant, fun and he has a good sense of humor. He is ambitious and will do well in whatever he chooses. I seriously will miss him."
Bulayev has also been involved in work-study community service engagements in addition to Educate!, such as volunteering at A Better Chance House and El-Arco Iris as a tutor and at a local hospital. In addition, Bulayev took it upon himself to organize this year's Stearns Returns party in April to celebrate and carry on the legacy of the life of his deceased first-year dormmate Nora Moore. "I had the time of my life," Bulayev said of bringing this year's Stearns residents and the Stearns residents from his class together to celebrate Moore.
Bulayev was also the emcee of Senior Assembly and introduced a moment of silence in honor of Moore's life. Bulayev was selected for the role in part because he is a student that serves as the bridge between many different social groups. "Boris is widely liked by many diverse social groups due to his fun-loving and positive attitude," explained friend Enis Moran '07.
Although Bulayev moved to San Francisco from Latvia speaking only Russian, he picked up English quickly by immediately enrolling in school and playing basketball with the neighborhood kids. He is also now fluent in French and has recently started to learn Spanish. Bulayev's high school was about 70 percent Asian and he says he was culturally very Asian in his high school years as most of his friends were Asian. Bulayev continues to straddle the ethnic differences at the College. The former high school basketball star is also known for his phenomenal skills on the Amherst pick-up circuit; he is also quite the dancer.
Educate! after Amherst
Bulayev and Glustrom are fully devoted to Educate! and anticipate its growth in their post-Amherst years. Both are postponing professional plans next year to travel, teach and further develop Educate!'s infrastructure. Glustrom says the goals for next year include partnering with a few schools in Africa so Educate! could more easily facilitate its students' enrollment into quality private schools. Educate! plans to support the partnership schools by helping them increase the opportunities they offer. Glustrom and Bulayev would also like to make the organization self-sustainable so it could continue to function fully and even grow as they move on to their professional lives.
The duo plans on visiting Uganda this summer with rising junior Stacey Frumm to start building the framework for accomplishing these goals and hold a conference with all of the Educate! students. Bulayev will spend the rest of the year traveling, learning Spanish and volunteering in South America before he returns to the business world (he interned at Goldman Sachs last summer). Glustrom will also continue to volunteer in education in addition to continuing his Educate! duties before he begins his two-year service as a Teach for America corps member. Wherever their careers may take them, Bulayev and Glustrom have so far proved to be two examples of Amherst students truly living out the College's motto, Terras Irradient: Let them give light to the world, one Educate! student at a time.