Ambitious, personable, independent, adventurous, and outgoing are just a few of the many ways you can describe junior Sociology major, Alex Moule. If you take the A train from Penn Station in Manhattan all the way to the end you’ll come to a small beach community in Queens known as Rockaway Beach, and better known to Moule as home.
Once famous for its surf culture, view of the Manhattan Skyline, and a Ramones song of the same name, Rockaway Beach has in more recent years become noted for the tragedies that have touched it, and an unshakeable community that put itself back together. After Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the community nearly lost everything, the ocean met the bay and the entire Rockaway peninsula was under water. Entire neighborhoods were destroyed, wiping out the entire boardwalk along with it.
In spite of all this, Rockaway pulled itself together and came back stronger than before.
“Everyone looks out for one another, you can trust that anyone will help you if you really need it,” Moule explains, recalling the support that he and his family received after being forced to move out of their home for two months after the storm. “It’s not a bump-your-shoulder-and-keep-walking kind of place like the what’s typical of New York City.”
Rockaway diverse culture, coupled with it’s strong sense of community has helped shape Moule’s interests and desire to study sociology. Inspired by his community, Moule tries to spend time in different populations to learn more about their cultures and in turn learn more about himself. Encouraged by his family to travel, meet new people, and find adventure, Moule has participated in a Shoulder-to-Shoulder trip to Vietnam teaching English to children, and recently finished a semester at Bond University on the Gold Coast in Australia.
“Sydney is like the New York of the southern hemisphere but better because they respect the environment,” Moule remembers fondly. “Even though they’re more laid back, they take advantage of the daylight and nice weather, taking time out of their day to be productive. Which was different from here because when we have free time we do nothing.”
In addition to a supportive family, Moule credits his confidence to his athletic career. His love of volleyball helped him to develop leadership skills from an early age. After transferring his junior year of high school to a school with no volleyball team, Moule took it upon himself to walk around with a petition to form a team that went on to finish third in their conference their first year.
Since then the defensive specialist has become a staple of the Men’s Volleyball team since his freshman year. Being a part of a GNAC winning team is a highlight of his time here at Lasell. Gearing up for the upcoming season, Moule continues his recovery from a torn Meniscus acquired playing beach volleyball during a Rockaway Beach Volleyball League (RBVL) tournament but is eager to get back on the court and play with his teammates.
After graduation, Moule hopes to travel for a few years, doing odd jobs along the way to submerge himself into different cultures around the world in order to find out how and where he wants to further his education. Eventually he hopes to open his own business in Rockaway Beach. Until then, Alex Moule is busy learning and leading by example with Integrity.
All photos provided by Alex Moule