Olivia Dunlea Loomis Chaffee GESC

My Global & Environmental Identity

As I think of my global identity, I am reminded of the experiences and relationships I have had that shaped who I am today. Among these are my parents, originally from Ireland, and my international friends from school. These relationships have made me appreciate the interconnectedness of our society and instilled a curiosity for the world.

I contribute to my role as a global citizen through my passion for politics and international relations. I am particularly interested in women's rights and I hope to incorporate this aspect of my identity into my GESC experience. My role as an environmental citizen has blossomed during my time in the GESC program and at Loomis Chaffee, where I am learned to tap trees for syrup, mapped and sign posted hiking trails, and worked in the community garden.

To me, global and environmental studies is about more than being connected to and understanding the world around you. It is about strengthening your empathy and curiosity to enhance one's role as a global citizen.

Global and environmental studies is particularly important to me because I believe that by expanding our knowledge of the world around us, we are more equipped to solve modern problems, such as healthcare disparities or global warming.

Throughout the GESC program this year, I hope to broaden my knowledge of global issues, as well as deepening my understanding of one aspect of global and environmental studies through my capstone project. I hope that I am able to create a project that truly matters to me and creates positive change in the community

Global & Environmental Resume

GESC-designated Courses

  • World History
  • Sustainability
  • CL Economics
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Religious Diversity in Contemporary America
  • Ceramics
  • International Relations
  • Cl English: Literature and the Environment
  • French V: Modern Writers, Cinema
  • CL Comparative Governments
  • Digital Photography

Elective Courses

  • Model UN, Debate, Hourlgass, World Bulletin
  • Model UN is my main elective course. I joined my sophomore year and immediately became infatuated with learning about history, politics, and global issues. Over the years I have vastly improved my writing, researching, networking, and public speaking skills. My senior year, I became the first ever Public Relations manager of the Model UN team, which has been a great learning experience for me.

GESC Experiential Education

I traveled to the Adirondack mountains the summer before my junior year with the Loomis Chaffee Alvord center. There, I studied servant leadership and how we can honor the people and land we work with as leaders. I got to connect with the New York landscape, including marking hiking trails with the local community and white water rafting.

If applicable ...

  • I spent a month studying at the American University of Paris during June of 2022. I studied Law and French, specializing in suffragete movements across European history.
  • Pelicans for the Teal - Sexual and Domestic Assault Awareness
  • LC Young Womens Group - Womens affinity group

Learning Artifacts

GESC Coursework

  • This course's purpose was to seek knowledge on different religions and ideologies, as well as the history behind them, which enhances understanding on how different ethnic groups and cultures interact with each other and within their communities. This assignment in particular stuck with me as it focuses on the idea of acceptance rather than tolerance.
  • Religious Diversity in Contemporary America - Religious Pluralism
  • Upon reading several passages on religious pluralism, one quote caught my eye. C. Everett Koop, a US Surgeon General, said, "The American ideal is not that we all agree with each other, or even like each other, every minute of the day. It is rather that we will respect each other's rights, especially the right to be different, and that, at the end of the day, we will understand that we are one people, one country, and one community and that our well-being is inextricably bound up with the well-being of each and every one of our fellow citizens.” The part of this quote that resonated with me the most was, “we will respect each other’s rights, especially the right to be different.” Two core doctrines of the USA are the right to religion and the right to freedom of speech. These two rights are important to me and a saying I choose to live by is “agree to disagree”. If people accept that not everyone has the same beliefs and appreciate that not everyone is like them, the world could approach a state where wars do not start over petty religious disagreements.
  • Another quote I noticed from our religious pluralism assignment was said by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare said, “I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, heal'd by the same means, warm'd and cool'd by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, do we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that.” In this quote, Shakespeare presents the idea that everyone is inherently human and therefore, the same. While this is true on some level, this ideology is not sustainable. To achieve religious peace, we must all accept that we are different. Our beliefs and customs all differ from each other in many ways. When we concentrate on only our humanity, we ignore the deeper layers of what matters to us, such as religion.
  • In conclusion, religious tolerance is only the first step to peace. To create a harmonious global community, we must fully accept our differences instead of simply tolerating each other while trying to convince ourselves we are all the same.

GESC Seminars

  • Seminar #2 reflection:As a CT resident, our group visit to the Islamic Center of Central Connecticut was an amazing opportunity for me to connect with the greater hartford community. The community we met was so welcoming and wanted us to experience the love and happiness they feel in their culture. We got to eat amazing food, including delicious authentic hummus. This trip exposed me to Islam, a far cry from the Catholicism I grew up with. Reading about the origins and history of a different religion introduced a contrasting argument I could compare my own beliefs with, allowing me to gain a better understanding of my own beliefs and values. Best of all, I made amazing friends during this visit and I still keep in touch with some of the girls I met there today.
  • Seminar #4 reflection: I thoroughly enjoyed Robin Okunowo's discussion on how to integrate climate activism with social justice. By working with the Captain Planet Foundation, she is able to empower students across the globe to take action in their own communities, whether that be starting a recycling initiative or educating classmates on water sanitation. My favorite aspect of Robin's approach to her work is the hope and optimism she carries with her. She acknowledged the "doom and gloom" that overwhelms those who take the time to recognize the dire state of our world climate while admitting the reality that facing these sometimes-scary facts is necessary. Her words reminded me that nothing easy is worth doing and to continue to persevere in my own pursuit of climate justice and social equity.

GESC Electives

Yale Model UN Conference, 2022

I have been a member of the Loomis Chaffee Model UN team since sophomore year. Before joining, I was shy, quiet, and uncomfortable in my own skin. In the last 3 years, I have gained knowledge on global issues, politics, and history. But more importantly, the priceless ability to be confident in who I am. Model UN gave me a voice and a passion. For me, MUN connects to the Alvord center matrix as it presents an opportunity for me to take action and enhance my understanding of global affairs.

GESC Experiential Education

Adirondack travel group right before going white-water-rafting: This was potentially the most memorable experience from this trip as it truly took me out of my comfort zone. I had never been white-water rafting before but had heard horror stories and already possessed a fear of water. The 7-hour journey taught me how to work with the others in my raft to guide us to safety. It was also very enjoyable to observe the wildlife around us when we were blessed with smoother patches of river. This experience shaped my approach to my GESC studies as it showed me that sometimes it is necessary to leave your comfort zone and push yourself to learn new things, even if it can be uncomfortable.
My peers and I sitting around a strength cluster diagram: This activity was geared towards enhancing our understanding of our own leadership strengths and individual qualities. It was interesting to see what my peers thought their personal strengths were and what mine were, and how we could best support each other. This process supported my growth as an environmental and global scholar as it taught me how I can best contribute to my community and the importance of servant leadership.
Me standing next to the trail marker I had just put up: My group and I worked with a local environmental center to preserve the trail grounds in the area. We hiked roughly 5 miles, putting up fresh markers and removing old ones as we went. This was a great way for us to learn more about the native wildlife and vegetation while giving back to the community we were visiting. The experience contributed to my growth as a GESC scholar by reminding me of the importance of giving back to the land that gives us so much and teaches us centuries worth of knowledge.
The adirondack travel group exploring the historical sector of Brant Lake, NY: My travel group and I spent time at the local historical society to learn more about the history of the land. We got to walk around the whole town, including several crumbling military forts. The experience contributed to my journey as a GESC scholar as it demonstrated there are historical details and context that can only be extracted from the physical landscape.

Capstone Project

Indigenous Land Use in Connecticut

Link: https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/0e519gFve78xIAUpOC1qKaF3g#GESC_LESSON_PLAN__FINAL

Project rationale

When I started brainstorming my capstone project, I reflected on everything I learned over the past four years to find what had resonated with me the most. I realized that in every class, regardless of the subject, there was the same underlying theme of recognizing the history of the land and giving back to the environment we are so lucky to work, live, and learn on. I want to create a project that embodied what I feel is the core of the Loomis Community.

Target Audience

This project was created with Loomis students in mind, in particular, incoming freshman who may be coming from all over the world, all with different prior knowledge on Connecticut, Windsor, and Loomis Chaffee history. I hoped to create a mini introduction for these new members joining the LC community. This 4 day lesson plan includes information on everything from Connecticut ecology to specific Indigenous groups practices, giving students an insight on what life looked like thousands of years ago, and what we can learn from the people who once lived here.

Project Process

When I first began formulating my capstone project, I imagined my final deliverable to be a bulletin board. After discussion with my GESC advisors and various History department faculty, I decided to shift my approach. I instead put together a 4 day lesson plan after extensively researching connecticut ecology and how it has promoting agriculture, as well as Indigenous history in New England and specific regional practices involving the native environment. By splitting up these two topics into four intersectional 1 hour lessons, my final project is clear and easy to follow, as well as integrate into other 9th grade History curriculum.

Visual Interests

Here are several examples of curriculum from my final project

Slide detailing how the formation and existence of the Connecticut river enhances agricultural production
Slide detailing Indigenous cultural norms and crafting techniques regarding wild clay and pottery
Slide explaining the medicinal and nutritional uses of maple syrup by Indigenous groups in Connecticut

Project Reflection

I am proud of the work I have put into this project and I hope that it creates a lasting impact in the Loomis Chaffee community. In creating this project I have made connections with faculty and staff I would not have otherwise, broadening the horizons of my LC experience. First and foremost, this project allowed me to seek knowledge, a vital aspect of the Alvord center Matrix. I was able to discover how history, culture, and science shaped the modern landscape of Connecticut. Furthermore, I was able to make connections between current environmental trends and historical local environmental trends. This project taught me the importance of educating myself on and respecting the land live on. Furthermore, working on this project enhanced my study skills by teaching me how to research a less-covered topic and find quality sources. I hope that my project will be implemented in the World History department curriculum and taught for years to come!

GESC Reflection (150-300 words)

My GESC program statement of intent, written during my Freshman year at Loomis

During my time at Loomis Chaffee, I have grown immensely as a global and environmental scholar, thanks to the depth and breadth of curriculum, as well as the vast array of extracurricular and academic opportunities. The GESC program, being one of those opportunities, has invited me into a world where we question everything and strive to understand the root of each problem.