My Global & Environmental Identity
Since I was little, I’ve been very involved in environmental and global topics. My parents wanted to make sure that I knew about the world, so I’ve been on many trips with my family. On these trips, we often explore non-touristy areas, learning more about the where we’ve travelled than what meets the eye. This has instilled in me a love of exploring new places and travelling off the beaten path. Similarly, I grew up in the outskirts of Philly, which, while very urban, also has lots parks and woods. As a child, I often went hiking with my family or explored the creek by my house. When I visited my grandparents in the suburbs outside of Philly, I would spend hours in their woods with my cousins and siblings, going ice skating on ponds in the winter and swimming in the creek in the summer. Now, within my community, I love going on hikes and visiting the waterfalls near my house. Water is really important to me and is my favorite way to connect with nature. I go to the beach every year, and am very interested in how ocean life is affected by climate change. Additionally, my dad is a science teacher and really cares about the environment, so we’re trying to be more green at our house. For me, this means being vegetarian and recycling. More recently, my trip to France really inspired me to learn more about other cultures. All in all, travel and exploring nature are both important to me and have been a big part of my childhood. Some of my best memories are from going on trips and being in nature. Through GESC, I want to learn more about ways to contribute to my community and give back to the world that has given me so much.
Global & Environmental Resume
GESC-designated Courses
- World History
- French CL V
- Migrant Stories
- Literature of the Environment
- Developmental Pyschology
- Comparative Religion
Elective Courses
Model United Nations:
Through MUN, I've learned a lot about other countries and have developed a deeper understanding of global issues. At conferences, I've learned how to voice my opinions and create solutions with other delegates through discussion and dialogue. Additionally, through the position paper requirement, I've learned about researching and synthesizing information.
GESC Experiential Education
Alvord Center France Trip:
In this trip, we learned about multiculturalism. Through discussions with French people who focused on immigration, we discovered more about how France brings together different cultures.
Summer Programs
Columbia University Summer Architecture Program:
- In 2023, I spent time at the Columbia Summer Program studying architecture. In the course, we looked at how sustainable architecture intersect with using spaces to bring people together. By analyzing buildings in NY, we learned about specific design techniques to bring down carbon emissions in construction and maintenance of buildings.
Fallingwater Summer Program:
- In 2024, I participated in the Fallingwater Summer Program which was focused on architecture and building skills in the studio. While visiting Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, we studied how nature affects design and how by thoughtfully designing homes, an architect can influence an appreciation of nature in the user of the space.
Learning Artifacts
GESC Coursework
CL Literature and the Environment
- This assignment was part of our unit on sustainable food practices. After learning about the harmful effects of the cattle industry on the planet, we looked at how crickets could be used as an alternative protein source to cut down on beef production. Next, we worked in groups to create a pitch and marketing plan for a company that sells cricket products. To create the pitch and plan, we looked at audience, environmental impact, and marketability.
GESC Seminars
Connecticut Museum of Culture and History:
In our trip to the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, I was able to connect global themes with local history. Through various activities, we delved into topics of immigration and culture, specifically of groups of people that came to Connecticut in the late 1800s- early 1900s. In concurrence with the Alvord Center Engaged Citizenship Matrix, I was able to enhance my understanding of immigration through an interactive activity of studying artifacts and travel accessories of immigrants. My group focused on a program in which Chinese students participated in an exchange program throughout the US. This helped me understand the students' situations as they were a similar age to me. Another activity that I found interesting was a primary source study in which we analyzed migration trends through a census from the early 20th century. In both these activities, I connected previous information gathered from classes and my trip to France to comprehend the material better. For example, In Marseilles, we learned a lot about how immigrants bring culture to their new homes. At the museum, I saw another example of this as immigrants brought belongings and cultural artifacts from their homes to Connecticut. This trip definitely helped me develop skills, a part of the Alvord Center Matrix, such as researching and analyzing primary sources. In the future, I hope to learn more about modern-day immigration and the differences between now and the past.
Nourish My Soul
Through AnaAlicia's presentation on Nourish My Soul, I was able to better understand the crucial role that local organizations play in taking action against pressing issues. Nourish My Soul's initiatives surrounding food insecurity and sustainable food production aimed to create lasting and important change. For example, they created many educational directives that strived to give students skills to help their communities in the present and future. In AnaAlicia's timeline of projects sponsored by the From The Ground Up Program, she detailed how students implemented meaningful changes in their communities, such as campaigning to the state to increase the amount of schools that offer free lunches. Further, the Bagel Bonding initiative, which was also started by From The Ground Up, rescues food that would otherwise go to waste, helping to eliminate food waste, which is a huge issue in this country. Similarly, AnaAlicia explained how the 40% of food wasted in our country ties into food insecurity. Because of the mismanagement of food, many people are hungry in the US. This topic was directly related to a current unit in my CL Literature and the Environment class- the power of food in preventing climate change. In both Her detailed explanations of the challenges of food insecurity and sustainable food practices inspired me to help more with this issue. As I talked to AnaAlicia on the way back from the seminar, she told me how Loomis students help with Bagel Bonding, inspiring me to help as well.
Shultz Open Discussion
At the event I attended, the Shultz Open Discussion on sustainability, I learned a lot about the role that the US plays in global environmental initiatives. Through their discourse on the responsibility of the US in spearheading sustainability efforts, I thought more deeply about our position as a global power. Additionally, they talked about how involved the government should be in the lives of US citizens in regard to environmental laws. I thought this was really interesting and intersected with other current issues. Finally, I learned more about specific issues happening in the US right now, like the indigenous population’s loss of land due to mining practices. Overall, I thought this discussion was really interesting and it inspired me to look more into how countries develop sustainably in ways that are in agreement with their economic status.
GESC Electives
This image depicts myself and other delegates at Yale for a Model UN conference. In this committee, the Creation of the East African Federation, we discussed the various implications and structural issues that would go into creating this federation. As I played an environmental expert from Burundi, I focused heavily on environmental initiatives, connecting to topics I've learned about in GESC.
GESC Experiential Education
Image one:
- This is an image of one the lavender farm we visited near Aix en Provence. At the farm, we learned about lavender products and how to make soap. Through this activity, I was able to better understand how local industries contribute not just to the economy of a place, but also the culture.
Image two:
- This image shows our hike to the Calanques. I really enjoyed this trip because we got to explore the beautiful nature around Marseilles. Further, it was interesting to venture out of the city and learn about the suburbs and less populated areas. For our picnic lunch, we had various local foods, which was very delicious.
Image three:
- This is an image of one of the streets in Marseilles. I took this photo on one of our tours focusing on the history of the city. I thought it was really interesting to learn about the city's historical context and it made our exploration of the current city more in depth.
Image four:
- This is an image of one of our day trips to Cassis. While being really fun because of the picturesque town, this venture was also very informative as our group looked at the differences between Marseilles and Cassis. As a more touristy place, the village was very different from the city.
Capstone Project
Sustainable Architecture:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1cNxO9zDW476C5MaCaui6-NPya8ifaFYKH07biRAgFZM/edit?usp=sharing
Project rationale
This project is important to me because it intersects architecture and sustainability, both topics that I’m passionate about. It is important for the community and world because housing affects such a wide range of issues and is a crucial piece of the search for environmentally friendly development.
Target Audience
Our project was created with the goal of educating the Loomis community about climate change. As we worked on the project we strived to make it accessible to the class we presented to, a class taught by Ms. Griggs about climate change. We wanted our work to be applicable to students and connect with the diverse group of interests, backgrounds, and identities present at Loomis.
Project Process
Our process to make our project included a variety of different methods. Firstly, we researched sustainable housing and put together a cohesive list of methods for creating environmentally friendly houses. We then put this research together in our plan for our house through sketches and digital programs. After drafting thorough plans, we started working on our model. To build our model, we gathered our materials and plotted the sizes of al the cardboard we would be using before cutting our pieces and assembling the house. Next, we added our sustainable features using various materials, including plexiglass. Lastly, we added all of our research and process notes into a presentation and prepared to teach our class. In our presentation we included real-world examples of sustainable housing and made a kahoot to make the class more interactive.
Visual Interests
Project Reflection
Overall, I really enjoyed the process of working on my capstone project. My project related to many of my interests, making the experience very interesting and rewarding. I think my project turned out well and I’m proud of my work overall.
Through my project, I was able to delve into various aspects of the GESC matrix. Through the research portion of my capstone, I sought knowledge of architecture, specifically sustainable architecture, and enhanced my understanding of the topic. Our presentation to the class related to the take action aspect of the Matrix as we shared our knowledge with the community and strived to create change through education. Overall, we were able to develop our skills in architecture, but also in creating interactive and intriguing ways of transmitting information to peers.
This project helped me grow as a global and environmetnal scholar by connecting the two global and environmnental aspects of the GESC through one cohesive project. By researching environmental housing, creating a model, and making a presentation, I was able to bridge the concepts of being a global citizen, while simultaneously being a scholar focused on environmental sustainability. I envision my project being integrated into future climate change classes and educating the generations of Loomis students to come. I believe that by looking into sustainable housing, students can focus on a topic that intersects some of the most pressing issues of our time, such as the housing crisis, climate change, and quality of life in a time of growing resource shortage and abuse of the environment.
GESC Reflection (150-300 words)
After reading over my statement of intent, I have realized how many of my goals the GESC has helped me achieve. In my initial pursuit of the certificate, I hoped to connect my love of travel and global experiences to topics about which I am passionate, specifically architecture and sustainable housing. Through my capstone project and trip abroad to Marsaille, I was able to accomplish these goals as well as discovering new interests and learning about global and environmental topics.
Throughout this experience of international travel, attending seminars, working with peers, creating my capstone, and presenting my work, I have come to better understand the intersectionality of the myriad of subjects about which I have learned, helping my growth as a global and environmental scholar. I believe I have developed skills in presenting my work and creating a feasible plan for the process of ideating and executing on a meaningful project.