Mandarin Wallace Loomis Chaffee GESC

I milked and fed cows in Costa Rica (Fun Fact: the family that owned this farm named their newest calf after my mom Kendra!)

My Global & Environmental Identity

My family and I picking coffee beans in Costa Rica!
  • I am a global and environmental citizen because I have been fortunate enough to experience travel. I have traveled to many different unique parts of the world and have seen the different cultural experiences that this world has to offer. I am environmental because I have dedicated lots of time to community service and projects with the aim of bettering our environment, such as my service trip where I sailed across the Caribbean and collected and disposed of litter infesting the ocean, as well as service collecting coffee beans in Costa Rica to donate to a local community. Global and environmental studies are aspects of the world that need tending to, global studies is learning about different parts, people, food, cultures, languages, etc. of the world and familiarizing yourself with other places and their situations. Environmental studies is learning about key environmental issues as well as progressions that we have on this earth, both studies teach us about the world that we live in.
  • I wish to learn about a modern humanitarian crisis and how it is being addressed if at all.
  • I want to engage in a dialogue regarding other people's backgrounds and cultures and learn more about my GESC group members.

Global & Environmental Resume

GESC-designated Courses

  • Spanish I
  • Spanish II
  • Spanish III
  • Spanish IV
  • World History
  • Civilizations That Changed the World
  • The Middle East: A History of Peace and Conflict
  • CL History Seminar: Immigration and Ethnicity in the United States
  • Philosophy of Nonviolence
  • Ceramics I
  • Concert Choir
  • Statistics I
  • Statistics II
  • English IV: Race, Roles and Religion
  • CL English IV: Creative Writing
  • Introduction to Economics
  • Social Psychology
  • Introduction to Ethics in Psychology
  • Geometry-Algebra 1
  • Algebra II
  • Precalculus
  • Topics in Discrete Mathamatics
  • Biology I
  • Chemistry I
  • Comparitive Anatomy
  • Forensic Science
  • Drawing I

LEAP

  • An afterschool activity where I was able to tutor kids from 2nd to 6th grade in anything that they were doing in school. We played games, did arts and crafts, worked on their homework and did all sorts of activities. This experience was incredubly rewarding as these students hadnt seemed to have been given much academic attention at their crowded public school, being able to use our resources here at Loomis it was amazing to give back and help them develope.

GESC Experiential Education

GESC Italy summer trip. This experience was amazing. In Italy I learned about the Blue Zones and how local Italians lived off of the land. They made their own food, walked miles everyday, grew their own crops, raised animals, everything to ensure a healthy natural life. Hearing how happy the locals were in their way off life was amazing and caused me to reflect on some of the inequality in the United States regarding the quality of the food that we eat. Did I mention that the Blue Zones consist of a population that is 100 years old and above? These people are thriving, as old as they are they are still doing everything themselves and are healthier than many Americans.

  • Broadreach Sail Caribean: I sailed around the Caribean Ocean and collected trash poluting the waters, while earning my International sailing license. I lived on a boat for two weeks and cleaned trash from the ocean as well as helping the comminties burn the trash down and repurpose it .
  • Peer Health Educator: Helping the community full of diverse students tackle issues regarding sexual health and wellnes and healthy relationships.

Learning Artifacts

GESC Coursework

Sex and Gender in the Middle East
  • In History of the Middle East I wrote an essay examining the reproduictive rights of women in the Middle East. I was able to examine the religious and political restictions preventing women from legal abortions, but was pleased to find that women in the Middle East have began to use their voices to combat the resistance of their rights. This assignment supported seeking knowledge and enhanced understanding aspects of the GESC matrix. This was impactful for me to learn about what abortion rights, and the general rights for women in the Middle East is like, I learned about the opression Muslim and Middle Eastern women endure while in the United states and feel as though I have a greater understanding of some of the progress that is ongoing withing Middle Eastern counteries.

GESC Seminars

  • Seminar 2 Visiting the Islamic Assosiation in New Britian: This trip was very insightful for me, I learned a lot about women in the Islamic world and the differences between the Middle East and America. I was originally very nervous about going to meet the girls at the center, I was scared they would think we were judging them and their beliefs due to the stigma about Muslims. I was scared they would feel we were judging them especially because of what is going on today in Palestine, I didn't want to seem like some privileged boarding school student observing their lives. I was very excited to see that many of the girls were enrolled in UConn and their families had made a successful life in the States. It was very interesting to learn that many of the girls whose fathers were doctors in the Middle East lost their medical licenses and ability to perform when entering the US, I don't think that this is fair at all. I also learned a lot about Islam when on this field trip, how women aren't required to pray during menstruation, how men and women are separated for prayer due to respect for the women, and much more about the center's goal of educating non-Muslims about Islam. I thought the center's involvement in the community of New Britain was also very important. This trip definitely enhanced my understanding of Muslims in America.
  • In this next seminar, we discussed the book "Glitter," which cleverly likened glitter to real-world systems, particularly activism. The analogy highlighted similarities in how both spread, stick, and leave a lasting impact. However, the discussion acknowledged the controversial perception of glitter, drawing parallels with activism often being scapegoated for societal issues. The seminar emphasized a nuanced perspective, suggesting that while glitter is criticized for environmental problems, its impact may be less significant than other factors. This prompted reflections on the fairness of singling out glitter amid more substantial environmental concerns. The session also touched on the growing initiative of producing plastic-free glitter in response to increased consumer demand for sustainable alternatives. The emergence of such alternatives signifies a broader shift in consumer preferences toward eco-friendly practices. Overall, the seminar provided insights into "Glitter," using its analogy to concisely explore activism, environmental impact, and the evolving landscape of sustainability. The comparison to glitter served as a compelling lens to examine complex systems and foster a more nuanced perspective on real-world issues.

GESC Electives

Me!
  • In my final year at Loomis, I was asked to try ouit for the Vasity Girls Fields hockey team. I had never played feild hockey and was an ice hockey goalie, so I was quite perplexed when I was met with the offer. I tried out for the team during pre season and immediatly fell in love with the sport. The teams enviornment made me really enjoy the game even more. The feild hockey team fostered an enviornment of community. We supported one another, motivated each other and held eachother resposible during the season. I made connections with people I had never imagined interacting with, and I am forever thankful that I choose to try out for the team. The enviornment of the Feild Hockey team was absolutly fantastic, and we as a team made sure to represent Loomis in a positive light. As a team we dealt with the loss of our Coach, Ms. Williams, when she suddenly departed in the early days of the Fall. Through that adversity our team came together and became closer and better than ever.

GESC Experiential Education

On the way back from the market our tour guide took us to an unplanned stop. A friend of his makes amazing prints, from handmade stamps and olive ink. This craft had been passed down and the technique was truly remarkable. This man welcomed us into his studio to show us his work and he amazingly had a print of the tents that we were staying at (he is holding it pictured above). This was truly a special moment, as we saw the care and pride he had for his work.
On one of our earlier days in Italy, our guide took us to a farmers market, each floor had different types of foods with independent stalls and their vendors. One gentleman consistently offered us fruits. I love fruit so I was over the moon. He offered us cherries and plums and all sorts of ripe deliciousness.
One evening we were invited to our guides home! Where they cooked us a delicious meal. When we got to the house we were taught a series of traditional Italian dances, it was a blast. We then moved on to flipping the fish on the grill. I was chosen to flip the fish- which was so stressful, the fish was burning hot and I dipped my fingers in water and quickly flipped the fish over to continue cooking. This night was so much fun and was so special. The entire evening was incredibly gracious and we all had a wonderful time.
While this photo may seem strange, as I was at several beautiful attractions and many gorgeous sights this picture makes me incredibly happy. We bought all of these items from the marker, and afterward, we drove a bit away to have a picnic. The food that we ate was genuinely life-changing, it was so fresh clean, and light. Everything was delicious and implemented one of the reasons that I had come on this trip, was to see other people's way of life in the Blue Zones. The food that they eat is generally made, and so fresh. This truly impacted me and made me realize how special real food is.

Looking through my camera roll to collect these photos I am reminded of how amazing my opportunity to travel to Italy was. I had an amazing time and met so many great people. The trip was incredibly rewarding and taught me a lot, not only about the Blue Zones in Sardinia but I learned about myself.

Capstone Project

Project Title: and add a link to the project if applicable.

Project rationale

Why is this project important to you/the community? (50-80 words)

Target Audience

Who specifically should use/interact with/engage with your project? Why? Who does your project help? (50-80 words)

Project Process

What steps did you take to pursue/complete your project? What challenges did you face along the way? How did you overcome those challenges? (120-150 words)

Visual Interests

Add images of the project process and/or final product. (There is no minimum number of images, as this is largely based on individual experiences and project trajectories.)

Project Reflection (To be written upon conclusion of your Capstone, 250-300 words)

How do you feel about your final product and its impact? How does your project connect to the Alvord Center Matrix? How did this project help you grow as a global and environmental scholar? How do you envision your project being used in the future?

GESC Reflection

When joining the GESC I was enthused by the countless academic opportunities that the program would provide. I was able to take courses that I was interested in and provided a foundation of global and environmental studies. From the GESC I was able to delete an understanding of the world around me. I live in a bubble, I go to school in a smaller bubble and I always craved more. I have always been interested in global issues as well as people of the world, their cultures, religions, races, genders have always interested me. From the GESC I was able to gain a greater understanding of how big the world is and how so many different people contribute towards it. I have grown in many ways from the GESC, I have been forced to reflect on myself and my family's history which has been very meaningful. I have had to push myself to express and search for more, to dive into the depths of knowledge, whether it be about the immigration of Middle Eastern communities in New Britain to environmental issues in such simple things like glitter. The GESC had provided me a place to search for more, to search for the truth and to find what else is out there. I am now interested, more than ever, in continuing to search for other cultures and people in the world and to educate myself on peoples' histories and conflicts. I am also now interested in the environment, I am more thoughtful about my energy usage and more mindful of waste. Overall the GESC has pushed me and I have grown along the way. I have come out of this program a more culturally and environmentally aware person, now I yearn to learn more and do something with what I learn.

Capstone:

For My capstone project my friend and I decided to take a culinary journey, hopeful to indulge in knowledge of our cultural cuisine. Ella chose to learn more about her Jewish side of her family and explored three dishes that she and her family enjoys. We both interviewed our grandparents, I skyped with my Ouma and Oupa in South Africa where they shared three recipes for the three dishes that I most enjoy when I visit my family. With my Oumas handwritten recipes and substitute ingredients I was able to create the dishes that I love. While the results were nowhere near as delicious as my Oumas cooking, the outcome was great. I was able to learn more about myself and my culture as well as being able to share that part of me with my peers. Ella and I cooked in the common room with the intent of attracting a flow of people to try our dishes, with no surprise we had many of our friends and neighbors down to try our food. We also shared our journey with Richmond and Cutler, where we created a hybrid dish that connected Jewish and South African cuisine. This project allowed both Ella and I to connect with our cultures as well as educate a portion of the Loomis community on the similarities and differences of global food. Our hybrid dish portrayed the unity of our world and how similar groups of people are without even knowing. The enlightenment of global unity through food was amazing to learn about and act on. With our project, we hoped to educate and inspire, displaying how connected we all are.

Finishing Touches

Check spelling/grammar, check links, and insert some images to enhance visual interest.