The Irish in America Study Tour
Spring Break of 2017, I had the opportunity to travel to Ireland with The Irish in America Honors Seminar taught by Kevin Grace. The seminar portion of the course studied Irish-Americans in contrast to Irish, often using the Cincinnati Irish population as subject matter for comparison. The ideas, ideals, and artifacts of the Irish and Irish-American were studied to gain better understanding of the political, economic, familial, religious, and military reasons for emigration to the United States. Students conducted research using birth and death records of the Cincinnati Irish to gain insight to a specific group of Irish. I chose to focus on Irish nuns in Cincinnati, finding many died early and of diseases easily caught from poor patients.
The second portion of the seminar was the study abroad trip to Limerick, Cork, and Dublin, Ireland. Certain activities on the tour related directly to our study of Irish and the diaspora, such as museums, but the most in depth form of learning about the Irish was physical and personal observation. This was somewhat difficult in the popular tourist destinations filled with non-Irish, but in cities such as Cobh, it was possible to have a real conversation with the townspeople. One of my favourite parts of the trip was walking into a small coffee shop in Cobh to pet a dog we saw sitting on a bench, and light hearted, but insightful conversation ensued with the owner and his friend about tourism in Ireland, the Titanic (Cobh was its last stop), and what the men thought of Americans.
Spring Break of 2017, I had the opportunity to travel to Ireland with The Irish in America Honors Seminar taught by Kevin Grace. The seminar portion of the course studied Irish-Americans in contrast to Irish, often using the Cincinnati Irish population as subject matter for comparison. The ideas, ideals, and artifacts of the Irish and Irish-American were studied to gain better understanding of the political, economic, familial, religious, and military reasons for emigration to the United States. Students conducted research using birth and death records of the Cincinnati Irish to gain insight to a specific group of Irish. I chose to focus on Irish nuns in Cincinnati, finding many died early and of diseases easily caught from poor patients.
The second portion of the seminar was the study abroad trip to Limerick, Cork, and Dublin, Ireland. Certain activities on the tour related directly to our study of Irish and the diaspora, such as museums, but the most in depth form of learning about the Irish was physical and personal observation. This was somewhat difficult in the popular tourist destinations filled with non-Irish, but in cities such as Cobh, it was possible to have a real conversation with the townspeople. One of my favourite parts of the trip was walking into a small coffee shop in Cobh to pet a dog we saw sitting on a bench, and light hearted, but insightful conversation ensued with the owner and his friend about tourism in Ireland, the Titanic (Cobh was its last stop), and what the men thought of Americans.
English Composition
During the spring semester of 2015, I was enrolled in an honors seminar for English Composition taught by Professor Carlson. Throughout the course of the semester, genre, rhetoric, and discourse communities were deeply explored and analyzed while students’ writing skills were constantly improved upon. I chose to enroll in ENG2089 because composition is a required class for my major and I could kill two birds with one stone by also completing an honors experience. I did not expect to enjoy the class as much as I did – I have never exactly enjoyed English. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the professor as well as how the curriculum was approached; for once, an English class maintained some liveliness. It was refreshing to be back in an honors classroom as I was used to from high school. It seems students are much more engaged and respectful in honors classes. Consequently, I will definitely be up for taking more honors seminars – that is when I can fit them in my schedule.
During the spring semester of 2015, I was enrolled in an honors seminar for English Composition taught by Professor Carlson. Throughout the course of the semester, genre, rhetoric, and discourse communities were deeply explored and analyzed while students’ writing skills were constantly improved upon. I chose to enroll in ENG2089 because composition is a required class for my major and I could kill two birds with one stone by also completing an honors experience. I did not expect to enjoy the class as much as I did – I have never exactly enjoyed English. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the professor as well as how the curriculum was approached; for once, an English class maintained some liveliness. It was refreshing to be back in an honors classroom as I was used to from high school. It seems students are much more engaged and respectful in honors classes. Consequently, I will definitely be up for taking more honors seminars – that is when I can fit them in my schedule.
LeaderShape
In early January of this year, I joined 59 other students as well as some UC faculty at LeaderShape for 6 days. The LeaderShape experience was absolutely magnificent. I met so many lovely people whom I hope and intend to stay friends with post-LeaderShape. Of course, this retreat was not all social gatherings and making friends. Students explored what it means to be a leader, as well as their strengths and weaknesses as a leader. This honors experience helped me to realize that I can be, not just a leader, but a successful leader. While in a position of leadership, my outgoing personality and openness with others come naturally; and now I know that I must focus on staying on task as well. We were also given the task of creating a personal vision. This vision was quite extreme and seemingly unreachable, so smaller goals were set as well. My vision encompasses the rise of sustainable living and states that most buildings and homes built in the future will be “green”. In order to achieve this goal I am going to graduate in a construction field and become accredited in the sustainable living community. Quite honestly, there is no possible way to fully document exactly how amazing LeaderShape was. I don’t have the words. The closest word to sum up the experience would be: supercalifragilisticexpialidocious - that word is about as real as the word that could capture my experience.
In early January of this year, I joined 59 other students as well as some UC faculty at LeaderShape for 6 days. The LeaderShape experience was absolutely magnificent. I met so many lovely people whom I hope and intend to stay friends with post-LeaderShape. Of course, this retreat was not all social gatherings and making friends. Students explored what it means to be a leader, as well as their strengths and weaknesses as a leader. This honors experience helped me to realize that I can be, not just a leader, but a successful leader. While in a position of leadership, my outgoing personality and openness with others come naturally; and now I know that I must focus on staying on task as well. We were also given the task of creating a personal vision. This vision was quite extreme and seemingly unreachable, so smaller goals were set as well. My vision encompasses the rise of sustainable living and states that most buildings and homes built in the future will be “green”. In order to achieve this goal I am going to graduate in a construction field and become accredited in the sustainable living community. Quite honestly, there is no possible way to fully document exactly how amazing LeaderShape was. I don’t have the words. The closest word to sum up the experience would be: supercalifragilisticexpialidocious - that word is about as real as the word that could capture my experience.
Honors Gateway - Peer Leader
What is it?
"Peer Leaders are a group of upper-class UHP students who serve as teaching assistants for HNRS1010: Gateway to University Honors.
Peer leaders help with course instruction and mentor incoming first year honors students. Each peer leader will be assigned to work with
an honors staff member who will cater the experience to meet the peer leader's unique goals." - UHP
Reflection Journal - updated throughout the semester
Why/ What Are My Goals?
With each bit of growth I help facilitate in class and students, I envision myself growing in kind. I am a firm believer in the idea that teaching and guiding others helps to strengthen an individual’s understanding of matters and propels his or her motivation towards new goals. I often find myself realizing the advice I give a friend is advice I should take myself. An experience such as this will also allow me to improve my ability to facilitate discussions and create and solidify connections with new people.
When enrolled in Gateway to University Honors, I wished to find someone I could connect with. At the time, I envisioned such person to be a fellow classmate; sadly, that never happened for me. I would love the opportunity to be the person I wanted to connect with. More importantly, I want to be someone the students can relate to.
Have My Goals Changed After Week One?
The first class was a mix of unknowns and trying to remember what thoughts were running through my head the first day of Gateway my freshman year. It was slightly nerve wrecking, but ultimately a comfortable environment. None of my previous goals have fallen by the wayside, though, the ability to facilitate meaningful discussion and become more comfortable with public speaking has risen in importance as an ultimate goal.
How Has This Experience Allowed Me to See Myself as a Leader?
It's easy to put myself in the shoes of the freshman sitting in Gateway each week, and remember the feeling of wanting to nap instead of go to class or day dream about going on study abroad tours my professor talked about. Before classes started freshman year, I had no idea why a class was necessary to be a part of the Honors program, and it's clear that thought is popular among the new honors students. Three years later, I know why Gateway and the honors program is important and am incredibly grateful for how it has shaped my UC experience, but the students in Gateway most likely don't understand yet. I want the students to understand, and I hope by the semester's end the benefits of honors are clear. My wish to help them reach that point is what gives me a sense of leadership. Simply being in a position of more authority or having more knowledge doesn't make me a leader. I wish it were that easy. Being stagnant in a position does not make someone a real leader, it makes them a figure head.
How Can I Best Prepare Myself for One-On-One Student Meetings?
Simple, having a flexible plan. I'll gather questions about honors for students to answer (what are your strengths, how do you want to utilize honors, is there anything honors can help you with now, etc.) and do research on University resources like CAPS or OMBUDS, but most importantly, I'll show up to the meetings ready for my plan to take the back seat. The students' voices need to be heard and if I railroad the meeting with my agenda, nobody will benefit.
How Can I Utilize My Strengths in the One-on-One Meetings and Class Sessions?
Context
I find it easier to understand things if I have background knowledge; I enjoy learning how things came to be. Active listening is a great tool to use when meeting with people and would allow me to learn more about students in a respectful manner.
Harmony
Conflict is not in my comfort zone, and I very actively avoid it. In the event I talk to a student with completely differing views from my own, I can easily find common ground or respectfully tread on uncommon ground.
Restorative
I enjoy challenges and problem solving. Faced with am issue, I'll feel compelled to get to the bottom of it and create a solution. I would enjoy the challenge of trying to help a student find solutions to problems they may face with honors or academics on campus.
Consistency
Recognizing that people are unique, but deserving of equal treatment is key to ensuring students feel valued in the classroom. I believe people function best in environments with equal playing fields, and can do my best to ensure students never feel left out or treated lesser than others.
Intellection
Keeping my mind happy requires challenge and meaningful discussion. I tend to get bored with menial conversation. This pushes me to strive to make meaningful connections with people through intellectual conversation instead of superficial.
What Take Aways Have I Learned from Facilitation Materials and My Experience Thus Far?
Students are much more receptive when the discussion is more of a conversation than a lecture. Gearing things towards a conversation allows for students to feel like their being heard and their opinions are being valued.
How Has Content Facilitation Gone? Are There Things to Change for Upcoming Lessons?
Pushing class towards more of a conversation allows for students to feel more valued but also allows for infinite more chances of straying off topic. To be capable of keeping on topic and steering discussions gently, but firmly back on topic is an important skill to have. Making connections between different points of focus of the lesson and segwaying from topic to topic seamlessly takes practice I quite frankly haven't had much of.
How Does This Compare to Student One-on-One Meetings?
One-on-one meetings with students went well, though most students did not arrive with talking points. Meaning there was no place to drive conversations back to. The majority of students had already met with their Honors Adviser and had all Honors related questions answered and the meetings became very conversational and sometimes struggled for a topic.
What Are Challenges I've Faced During this Experience? How am I Confronting Them?
As mentioned before, the ability to drive discussion and hit all key points of focus is a skill I haven't mastered yet. In class I am trying to observe how the professor controls the conversation, but watching and doing are very different.
How has this Experience Changed the Way I Articulate my UC Story?
Giving advice to the Honors Freshmen has caused me to realize my UC story is not what I may have wanted it to be. As I sit down with each student in peer meetings and tell them the do's and don'ts of college and how to best take advantage of the Honors Program, I realize I'm suggesting opportunities I never took full advantage of myself. I could have gotten funding to do unique side projects or joined more groups on campus or gone on more study abroad tours. Co-oping outside of Cincinnati, then being here for summer classes, and co-oping outside Cincinnati again essentially made me absent from campus and student life for an entire year. During that time, I lost connection to the University. Honestly, I didn't feel I was a part of UC during that time. I became disconnected from campus groups while on co-op and no groups were active over summer. The disconnect from the University carried over to Honors and I didn't take advantage of various opportunities - or couldn't because of my location. As a pessimist I can easily sit here and announce my regret over missed opportunities and use the excuse it was just to hard. And that's what I have done for the past four years. I've made myself feel better by saying it was just too difficult to maintain my grasp on everything at UC while away. I
I'm not sure I was expecting this experience to play out so perfectly towards my goal. Before class started, peer leaders were to come up with a goal, and I stated: "I am a firm believer in the idea that teaching and guiding others helps to strengthen an individual’s understanding of matters and propels his or her motivation towards new goals." I've learned it's time to stop taking the easy way out or pushing things off as too difficult. I want my UC story to develop into one I'm more proud of by the time I graduate. As of now, I'd say my UC story is incomplete. It's under construction as I work towards one filled with more adventure and experiences
What is it?
"Peer Leaders are a group of upper-class UHP students who serve as teaching assistants for HNRS1010: Gateway to University Honors.
Peer leaders help with course instruction and mentor incoming first year honors students. Each peer leader will be assigned to work with
an honors staff member who will cater the experience to meet the peer leader's unique goals." - UHP
Reflection Journal - updated throughout the semester
Why/ What Are My Goals?
With each bit of growth I help facilitate in class and students, I envision myself growing in kind. I am a firm believer in the idea that teaching and guiding others helps to strengthen an individual’s understanding of matters and propels his or her motivation towards new goals. I often find myself realizing the advice I give a friend is advice I should take myself. An experience such as this will also allow me to improve my ability to facilitate discussions and create and solidify connections with new people.
When enrolled in Gateway to University Honors, I wished to find someone I could connect with. At the time, I envisioned such person to be a fellow classmate; sadly, that never happened for me. I would love the opportunity to be the person I wanted to connect with. More importantly, I want to be someone the students can relate to.
Have My Goals Changed After Week One?
The first class was a mix of unknowns and trying to remember what thoughts were running through my head the first day of Gateway my freshman year. It was slightly nerve wrecking, but ultimately a comfortable environment. None of my previous goals have fallen by the wayside, though, the ability to facilitate meaningful discussion and become more comfortable with public speaking has risen in importance as an ultimate goal.
How Has This Experience Allowed Me to See Myself as a Leader?
It's easy to put myself in the shoes of the freshman sitting in Gateway each week, and remember the feeling of wanting to nap instead of go to class or day dream about going on study abroad tours my professor talked about. Before classes started freshman year, I had no idea why a class was necessary to be a part of the Honors program, and it's clear that thought is popular among the new honors students. Three years later, I know why Gateway and the honors program is important and am incredibly grateful for how it has shaped my UC experience, but the students in Gateway most likely don't understand yet. I want the students to understand, and I hope by the semester's end the benefits of honors are clear. My wish to help them reach that point is what gives me a sense of leadership. Simply being in a position of more authority or having more knowledge doesn't make me a leader. I wish it were that easy. Being stagnant in a position does not make someone a real leader, it makes them a figure head.
How Can I Best Prepare Myself for One-On-One Student Meetings?
Simple, having a flexible plan. I'll gather questions about honors for students to answer (what are your strengths, how do you want to utilize honors, is there anything honors can help you with now, etc.) and do research on University resources like CAPS or OMBUDS, but most importantly, I'll show up to the meetings ready for my plan to take the back seat. The students' voices need to be heard and if I railroad the meeting with my agenda, nobody will benefit.
How Can I Utilize My Strengths in the One-on-One Meetings and Class Sessions?
Context
I find it easier to understand things if I have background knowledge; I enjoy learning how things came to be. Active listening is a great tool to use when meeting with people and would allow me to learn more about students in a respectful manner.
Harmony
Conflict is not in my comfort zone, and I very actively avoid it. In the event I talk to a student with completely differing views from my own, I can easily find common ground or respectfully tread on uncommon ground.
Restorative
I enjoy challenges and problem solving. Faced with am issue, I'll feel compelled to get to the bottom of it and create a solution. I would enjoy the challenge of trying to help a student find solutions to problems they may face with honors or academics on campus.
Consistency
Recognizing that people are unique, but deserving of equal treatment is key to ensuring students feel valued in the classroom. I believe people function best in environments with equal playing fields, and can do my best to ensure students never feel left out or treated lesser than others.
Intellection
Keeping my mind happy requires challenge and meaningful discussion. I tend to get bored with menial conversation. This pushes me to strive to make meaningful connections with people through intellectual conversation instead of superficial.
What Take Aways Have I Learned from Facilitation Materials and My Experience Thus Far?
Students are much more receptive when the discussion is more of a conversation than a lecture. Gearing things towards a conversation allows for students to feel like their being heard and their opinions are being valued.
How Has Content Facilitation Gone? Are There Things to Change for Upcoming Lessons?
Pushing class towards more of a conversation allows for students to feel more valued but also allows for infinite more chances of straying off topic. To be capable of keeping on topic and steering discussions gently, but firmly back on topic is an important skill to have. Making connections between different points of focus of the lesson and segwaying from topic to topic seamlessly takes practice I quite frankly haven't had much of.
How Does This Compare to Student One-on-One Meetings?
One-on-one meetings with students went well, though most students did not arrive with talking points. Meaning there was no place to drive conversations back to. The majority of students had already met with their Honors Adviser and had all Honors related questions answered and the meetings became very conversational and sometimes struggled for a topic.
What Are Challenges I've Faced During this Experience? How am I Confronting Them?
As mentioned before, the ability to drive discussion and hit all key points of focus is a skill I haven't mastered yet. In class I am trying to observe how the professor controls the conversation, but watching and doing are very different.
How has this Experience Changed the Way I Articulate my UC Story?
Giving advice to the Honors Freshmen has caused me to realize my UC story is not what I may have wanted it to be. As I sit down with each student in peer meetings and tell them the do's and don'ts of college and how to best take advantage of the Honors Program, I realize I'm suggesting opportunities I never took full advantage of myself. I could have gotten funding to do unique side projects or joined more groups on campus or gone on more study abroad tours. Co-oping outside of Cincinnati, then being here for summer classes, and co-oping outside Cincinnati again essentially made me absent from campus and student life for an entire year. During that time, I lost connection to the University. Honestly, I didn't feel I was a part of UC during that time. I became disconnected from campus groups while on co-op and no groups were active over summer. The disconnect from the University carried over to Honors and I didn't take advantage of various opportunities - or couldn't because of my location. As a pessimist I can easily sit here and announce my regret over missed opportunities and use the excuse it was just to hard. And that's what I have done for the past four years. I've made myself feel better by saying it was just too difficult to maintain my grasp on everything at UC while away. I
I'm not sure I was expecting this experience to play out so perfectly towards my goal. Before class started, peer leaders were to come up with a goal, and I stated: "I am a firm believer in the idea that teaching and guiding others helps to strengthen an individual’s understanding of matters and propels his or her motivation towards new goals." I've learned it's time to stop taking the easy way out or pushing things off as too difficult. I want my UC story to develop into one I'm more proud of by the time I graduate. As of now, I'd say my UC story is incomplete. It's under construction as I work towards one filled with more adventure and experiences
