My Signature Learning Experience
Connection to Academics
I am an International Studies major, with the plan of going to graduate school for non-profit management or starting to work for a social justice non-profit upon graduation. Although it was outside of my major, the Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies class helped me to start thinking about feminism in a new way and about how sexism/racism has affected us as a society both locally and globally. This class led me to begin working for Dr. Conradsen, who is the director of the Women's and Gender Studies program. It was through this job that I am now a level 4 student worker.
International Studies as a major has allowed me to achieve a global mindset which is an important part of working for non-profits. Through my work in the Women’s and Gender Studies, I have learned about diversity which has influenced how I learn in the classroom. When I am taught about history or political policies, I now see how some people have been disadvantaged and how others hold the power. I plan on taking several business management classes next year which I believe will help with my goal of working for a non-profit. These classes will supplement my international relations courses as well as my French language classes. In my International Relations class, I was able to write a literature review on the connection between sovereignty and feminism.
Connection to Previous Life Experiences
A large part of my work experience, or at least the origin of it, is that I received the Gate of Opportunity scholarship as a freshman. That meant that I was going to have significantly reduced tuition in exchange for working all four years at Berry. Gate scholars begin work the summer before they start school which is why I began working in Student Accounts in July of 2017. I was placed in my first job by the scholarship and then had the opportunity to expand after my first semester. While Student Accounts did not directly correlate to my major or interests, I really enjoyed working there. Being an International Studies major influenced my decision to join the International Experiences team.
I had traveled quite a bit before college and was interested in helping other students find opportunities to study abroad. In 2016, the summer after I graduated high school, I traveled to Kenya where I lived for the next six months as part of a gap year. During my time there I worked with a couple different non-profits but the one that I spent the most time with was Just One Africa. I wanted to see what it was like to live in another country and work for a non-profit. I have always been interested in social justice, but it was not until the spring of 2018 when I took an Intro to Women’s and Gender Studies class that I became more involved in seeking social justice on a gendered level. Living in a different country and my desire to learn more about social justice led me to the major and jobs that I have chosen at Berry.
Connection to Real World
My work in the Women's and Gender Studies department made me start thinking about issues such as ageism, sexism in politics and popular culture and how our understanding or lack thereof of human sexuality has crippled our society. For my job at Women's and Gender Studies, I researched different topics relating to human sexuality, abnormal psychology, and feminism in our society. I read articles, research papers and watched Ted Talks and documentaries. I came across information that I disagreed with and that stretched my understanding as well as reformed some of my personal values. In this job, I help with research for classes and I have been able to offer a different perspective because of my international studies lens. This has allowed me to see issues on a global scale and realize how far-reaching and systemic some problems are. My critical thinking skills developed in all three of my jobs and have led me to make connections in everyday life as well as to begin thinking metacognitively.
Connection to Future Endeavors and Self-Assessment
I have gained a wide array of skills through my Signature Learning Experience. In my level 4 work position, I have gained skills such as customer service, working on a team, problem-solving, and time management. I have also learned specific skills by using programs such as TerraDotta for study abroad applications, Jenzebar for accessing student account information and Asana for updating tasks and keeping track of what the Women's and Gender Studies office is currently working on. Personally, I feel much more confident in making phone calls, working with other professional adults and much more adept at time management. My work in the Women's and Gender Studies department revealed to me how I excel at organization and creating systems for more effective work. Through the culmination of my work at Berry so far, I have learned how to be effective when communicating, be flexible, accept criticism, remain positive, be teachable, be an active listener. In my future job working for a non-profit, I will bring many assets to the organization because of my work at Berry.