My Global & Environmental Identity
I am a photographer. I am a runner. I carry my camera with me to capture moments in my life. I interact with my surroundings through my lens. I leave behind no trail of my presence when I explore new parks, towns, or destinations while running. I would rather walk than drive somewhere. I reuse items instead of throwing them away. I save leftover food from meals. I clean up trash that washes up on my local beaches.
I enjoy reading, especially to learn and entertain myself. I hope to encounter new perspectives through the stories in pages and empathize with the experiences of the characters. I like to listen to others and to hear how their lives differ from my own. These narratives help me grow by introducing me to the possibilities in life. They teach me the importance of living in the moment. I find value in staying mindful and appreciating the vast environment around me.
To me, global and environmental citizenship is caring for others. It is interacting with the nature and people in one’s community. It is ensuring society can obtain the resources necessary to live. It is preserving our home: Earth.
I care about human health, and I hope for patients at hospitals to receive beneficial treatments. I want there to be equal access to quality medical care no matter where an individual lives.
One of my goals for GESC this year is to learn how to take initiative and incentive to improve and benefit the lives of others. This year, I want to volunteer in my local community. I believe that one of the primary steps to becoming a global citizen is to be an active member in a smaller region.
Global & Environmental Resume
GESC-designated Courses
- World History
- CL Economics
- CL Literature & the Environment
- French V: Francophone World
- Developmental Pyschology
- Topics in Ethical Theory
Elective Courses
To fulfill my GESC elective title, I opted to participate in one of the domestic travel experiences. With Loomis, I traveled to Lake George and focused on activities and conversations to discover my qualities and values that contribute to my development as a leader and follower. My favorite memory from the trip was when we added trail signage to a public park for color blind hikers. This activity allowed the group to take action by using leadership skills we developed throughout the week.
GESC Experiential Education
During my junior year, I traveled on a service focused trip to Santa Maria de Dota in Costa Rica. While abroad, we shoveled and constructed the foundation for a neighborhood playground, and we worked at a local elementary school. I will always remember playing soccer with the students after we finished gardening and painting. This moment caused me to realize the direct impact, love, and appreciation of our actions by the community of Santa Maria.
Additional Club
At Loomis, I am a president for the Connecticut Children's Club. This organization on campus fundraises for the local children's hospital in Hartford. We have organized toy drives, card-making, bake sales, blanket making, and fun runs to benefit the hospital. By leading this club, I have learned to adapt plans in order to take action to benefit the hospital.
Learning Artifacts
GESC Coursework
https://loomischaffeeschool-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/mbromberg_internal_loomis_org/EcFKITLmaxJElKIuQH0pCnEBoTIat5WheTEwlarf5jZzXA?e=HcBt8D
In my CL Economics class, I did a project about supply and demand, specifically focusing on the decrease in supply of beef products and the increase in demand. The article I presented a project on was titled, “Why Your Steak is Getting Pricier” from The Wall Street Journal. I discovered that the cost of raising cattle has increased due to droughts on the farms. Therefore, consumers are buying less steak.
GESC Seminars
After our visit to the Islamic Association in New Britain during Seminar #2, I have a deeper understanding of the meaning, beliefs, and traditions of being a Muslim immigrant in Connecticut. I learned that being a citizen means reaching out to others in your community and learning about the interests of someone else. When we asked questions during our visit, we created bridges and connections between our lives, contributing to our development as a global scholar. I appreciated how the girls welcomed Loomis students, when we entered the Mosque, their place of worship. They cared for us by providing us with a comfortable seating environment and a delicious dinner. The adults leading the conversation explained that they hoped to treat us like their own brothers and sisters, regardless of our differing spiritualities and appearances. This trip enhanced my understanding about Muslim beliefs; I learned that Muslim women worship separately from men to prevent the women from feeling objectified, allowing the women to pray without distractions. I admired how the other teenagers fostered a love of practicing their beliefs and consistently prayed five times a day. This trip inspired me to continue to learn about the ways in which someone’s beliefs and life can be similar and differ from my own.
For seminar #4, I attended an event where Robin Okonuwo led a conversation about the connection between environmental and social justice. She “takes action” by pursuing her passion for the environment by speaking to students. She inspires her audiences to promote positive change by sharing stories about younger generations influencing and helping the environment. She explained the different elements of environmental justice which includes the earth, wind, water, fire, and heart. One of my major takeaways from Robin’s conversation was about food deserts and that someone’s main source of energy should not be processed or packaged food. In addition, she encouraged the audience to consider where our waste, garbage, and recycling ends up after it is thrown out or donated. During the discussion portion of the event, I developed my skills by listening and collaborating with my classmates who opted to share their feelings about one of the environmental elements. This activity represented the empathy and community that must be established to care for each other and our home, Earth.
- Your post-seminar reflections from Seminar #2, #4 and #5 assignment. Note that we may ask you to revisit/revise your writing as your portfolio comes together.
GESC Electives
GESC Experiential Education
Capstone Project
Food Bags for Food Insecurity
Project rationale
As a runner, I am reminded of the value of balanced meals to provide me with energy and keep me healthy. Initially, I became interested in food insecurity to understand the benefits of food, and why there are societal barriers that prevent people from accessing this necessity. I realized that people’s limited access to food is an environmental, economic, and social issue, which affects the way individuals interact with others in their community.
Target Audience
We aimed to educate the Loomis community about food insecurity in Connecticut. Loomis has the luxury of an expansive dining hall, which causes people to forget about the food struggles in the rest of the world, especially locally. The snack bags contributed to the efforts of Windsor Food and Fuel Bank, specifically their Weekend Wheels project. This program provides meals to families that are challenged to provide their kids with nutritious food options without the help of school lunches.
Project Process
To complete this project, Sofia and I began by learning about different programs surrounding food insecurity in CT. We volunteered at a hydroponic and researched local organizations to learn about their mission and efforts to aid the food challenges in our area. Throughout this process, Sofia and I were unsure what our final deliverable would be, as it was difficult to find a way to connect the information we were learning with Loomis. To overcome these challenges, we frequently brainstormed ideas together and communicated with our GESC advisors. We contacted and met with CT Foodshare and then Windsor Food and Fuel Bank. Ultimately, the kind and welcoming staff of the food bank were interested in helping to educate Loomis about the cause and seeking assistance with their donations to Windsor residents.
Visual Interests
Project Reflection
Our final product created healthy snack bags for other students living near Windsor. I appreciate the number of students that assisted in assembling and writing kind notes to include in the bags. During the event, the participants were engaged and listened to Susan Nunes who shared various anecdotes about the causes and impacts of food insecurity. This project connects to the Alvord Center Matrix since it involved seeking and enhancing knowledge, taking action, and developing our skills.
To begin this capstone, Sofia and I researched local trends of food insecurity globally and then specifically in CT. We discovered that this issue is not only the struggle to afford food but to be able to consume healthy options. We were surprised that 1 in 5 children in Connecticut live in households that experience food challenges. Through our project, we hoped to help minimize the barriers to access healthy food. Our newfound understanding motivated us to contribute to the efforts of the food bank in our local community. These bags created a positive impact on the lives of the families in the Weekend Wheels program. We hope that the students will be able to enjoy snacks when they are hungry and feel included among their peers by being during snack time at school.
This project helped me grow as a global scholar because I realized how easy it is to become involved in my community, and all the opportunities that exist to have a positive impact on others. I appreciate the kindness and relationships we created with the employees at the food bank and their gratitude for our event. In the future, I hope Loomis students feel fortunate for the food that the dining hall provides and continue to connect with Windsor and the area surrounding the Island.
GESC Reflection
When I joined this program, I wrote that I was looking forward to listening to guest speakers. During these seminars, I learned about environmental social justice, the impact of glitter on social and environmental movements, and the economic cost of climate change. I have a newfound awareness that when the environment is preserved so are humans.
As a GESC student, I learned how to enact a positive change on my surroundings. For my capstone, I organized an event that benefitted individuals in Windsor and engaged the members of the Loomis community that participated.
Through the certificate program, I realized that being a global and environmentally focused individual means consciously leaving behind a positive impact on the spaces and people in the world. To limit my carbon footprint in the world, my actions must match my believes about preserving the environment. I learned that inhabiting Earth requires me to meet new people and learn what makes humans similar and different. This program taught me to learn, to act, and ultimately to care. Lastly, to live on Earth means to live with love.
Finishing Touches
Check spelling/grammar, check links, and insert some images to enhance visual interest.