Originally, when I signed up to be a Science and Global Change Scholar, I thought it would look good on an application for graduate school; However, SGC has opened the door to many opportunities I once deemed unrealistic. As I anticipated, being SGC Scholar has taught me an extensive amount about global change and the environment. What I did not anticipate to learn has become more valuable to me. I have learned the importance of having a community. My entire life, I have suffered from a severe anxiety disorder. Entering college evoked more anxiety than any other event in my life. It was a new atmosphere with an overwhelming sense of unfamiliarity. Being a part of the Scholars program made the university, whose size I once feared, appear a little smaller. The importance of having a community is the support that you receive from the members during a time of need. The day I arrived on campus my freshman year, I attended the scholar's welcome event. The moment I remember most fondly from this event is the rock paper scissors tournament. As it started, I was nervous of how my every action would be perceived. As the tournament progressed, I realized I was in the final two. They brought me onto stage for the final face off. Standing there, I could hear everyone chanting my name and in that moment the anxiety that had consumed me, dissipated entirely. That moment is representative of my scholar's experience as a whole. In every venture I have embarked on throughout my time in scholars, I have had a group of people rooting for my success.
Before SGC, I only had a brief understanding of what the hypothetico-deductive method of science was. I am a Hearing and Speech Sciences major which I always viewed as a "fake STEM" major. In comparison to many others in my cohort, I figured this method of reasoning would be of little importance to me. However, recently I was accepted into the Hearing and Speech undergraduate honors program. As a requirement for this program, I have to develop. My own research thesis and defend it to a council of people. This requires a significant understanding of the hypothetico-deductive method. Due to SGC I already was aware of the factors that go into formulating a falsifiable hypothesis. Many SGC lectures on this topic and exercises in employing the hypothetico-deductive method of science have undoubtedly aided me in developing a hypothesis of my own. I recall a specific colloquium where we were assigned a task that required us to sort between falsifiable hypothesis' and not well-developed hypothesis'. The practice that this exercise gave me has helped me to distinguish which factors may be viewed as not well developed when I defend my thesis in front of a board. Knowing what a good hypothesis entails gives me confidence that my thesis will be well developed when I present it to the board.
With the current political climate there has been a lot of misapplication of scientific information. This misapplication and misinformation have reached the public and empowered ignorance toward climate/global change. SGC has not only taught me how to identify this misapplication but also how to address it. When the pandemic was at its peak there was a significant lack in emissions due to the stay-at-home orders that were placed. Businesses during this time could not run as they once did which proved to have a brief positive impact on the health of the earth. I come from an area with a lot of misguided individuals who let their political views determine their scientific views. My grandmother happens to be one of these individuals. I recall a specific conversation had with my grandmother during this period where I acknowledged the benefit the lack of emissions may have on the planet. My grandmother then told me that climate change was not real and refused to listen to any arguments I had against her abrupt uninformed statement. Once the academic articles began to come out, I sat her down and explained the concepts. At the end she was much more accepting about the reality of climate change and the state of the world. Approximately a month later I was speaking to her about how the current administration had not been proactive about climate change. She then used the information I had taught her to essentially say that because emissions had decreased at the beginning of COVID that the most change could be attributed to the current administration rather than the pandemic. She has misapplied the information I had presented. I then used my information that I learned from SGC to re-correct her. I even ended up showing her some Panopto videos from the course to further establish her understanding. It has taken months but I have finally gotten her to understand that her views on climate and global change can be different than that of her political party. Without SGC I would not have had the ability to identify her misapplication or correct it.
In the fall of my freshman year, I took a course called GEOG140: Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Floods, and Fires. I knew from SGC that climate change was an issue that was devastatingly affecting the world we live in; however, I did not know the degree of devastation until taking this course. This class showed countless videos and examples of how the world was being affected by climate change. My group for the course did a presentation on how the increase in water level was impacting the earth. During this project I was able to integrate the knowledge I had learned with SGC to elaborate on an issue that will affect us all. When individuals feel they will be directly impacted by an issue they become more inclined to take action. This project also helped me in developing my thesis for my honors project. I know that if you add personal implications to the party for which you're presenting, they'll be more likely to support your ideas rather than invalidate them.
I sook to understand the science behind the events discussed in GEOG140 on a deeper level. For this reason, I took AOSC 123: Causes and Implications of Global Change. In this course I learned the scientific reasons that these devastating events are occurring. Understanding the science behind global change helped me to expand my knowledge of the issue. I could better explain events to the members of my family and help them to understand the concept as well. Without SGC I likely would have not taken either of these courses. SGC pushed me out of my comfort zone and as a result I became more knowledgeable on a subject that I was passionate about but did not fully understand. My in-depth understanding made me feel as though I was qualified to advocate. I use my knowledge from SGC, and these courses to inform others of the dyer state our planet is in.
Many individuals in my cohort for scholars ended up being in the same classes as I was. SGC allowed me to develop a relationship with the individuals whom I shared classes with. Due to the familiarity, we had with each other we would often study in groups which undoubtedly aided in our success in the courses. Since we all lived together because of scholars we were easily able to find locations to study for said courses. I always felt as though the places dedicated to the Scholars community were at our disposal and provided locations dedicated to improving academic success. There was always a location available to study. I remember a particular night, a girl in the cohort and I stayed in the Cambridge community center until the late hours of the night studying for a final exam. Every chalkboard in the room was filled. The next morning, we walked to class together. Both of us left the classroom feeling as though our preparation for the exam had paid off. Having a community of scholars gives an unlimited pool of people to ask for help. Everyone is knowledgeable in something. I was able to increase my knowledge of many subjects by simply using the familiarity SGC had built to connect with others in my cohort and in scholars in general.
Before Scholars, I believed that an internship or volunteer opportunity was something that you saved for latter on in your college career. I always thought that you did not want to spread yourself too thin by becoming involved in that sort of opportunity to early on. Scholars challenged my belief on this and I am eternally grateful that it did. The practicum for scholars pushes you to reach outside of your comfort zone and find opportunities to increasing your involvement in the UMD community. One day the spring semester of my freshman year a woman came in to discuss ways to find these opportunities. Initially, I was overwhelmed. I was upset that this requirement had to be completed so early on in my college career. Over the summer I decided that it was time to find an opportunity that would fill my requirement. I had nothing in mind except filling the practicum requirement at this time. However, I got extremely lucky. I ended up in one of the top labs at UMD for Hearing and Speech Sciences. I developed a personal relationship with the advisor of the lab and found out that she is one of the most notable speech language pathologists in the nation and possibly even in the world. She urged me to join the honors program which I was recently accepted to. She now acts as my mentor for the development of my thesis. I will likely have the opportunity to publish my research and even present it at conventions. As of yesterday, I was actually volunteered a paid position in the lab I volunteered for. None of this would be possible if I had not felt required by scholars to find an opportunity to fulfill my practicum.
If I had not been blessed with the sense of community provided by my scholar's program to push and support me, I would not be where I am today. The lesson I have most valued from scholars is that it is crucial to get involved earlier than later. SGC taught me the importance of getting involved and how to go about obtaining these opportunities. This lesson has taught me to pursue opportunities I once viewed as unobtainable. I have no doubt that the opportunities I have had the privilege to engage in will aid my future success. I am getting a level oof experience that many do not get until graduate school. The confidence the scholars program has given me will push me to keep pursuing these opportunities for the remainder of my career. I am eternally grateful for the support scholars has provided me throughout my time at UMD. Though my time in SGC is coming to a close I know that the lessons I have learned and the relationships I have made will remain with me forever. I credit all of my professional success this far to the SGC program. I am being paid to do what I love because the SGC program and its faculty pushed me to get involved.