Isabella Delach Loomis Chaffee GESC

My Global & Environmental Identity

  • As a global citizen, I not only appreciate and enjoy the multitude of cultures around the world but also come from a colorful background. As a person who has Chinese, Polish, and Croatian heritage, I’ve been able to experience a diverse set of values, traditions, and foods that have shaped my perspective on equality and conflict around the world. I perceive cultural differences and language barriers in a more empathetic and abstract light, which allows me to understand the way global conflicts can affect different peoples and societies. As an environmental citizen, I try my best to lessen my impact in the way that I carry out my day: using less grocery bags at the store, finishing all the food on my plate… the list goes on. To me, these two areas of study represent the world’s future– without either of them, we can descend into global disarray and destruction. Things such as international relations, environmental agreements, and global collaboration stem from my interest in global and environmental studies. My passion for these fields can influence others and directly impact our world. My goals for GESC this year is to find global and environmental connections in the people around me. Second, to gain a deeper understanding of how my abilities can impact those outside the Loomis community, and find a way to serve the common good.

Global & Environmental Resume

GESC-designated Courses

  • World History: Systems of Justice and Injustice
  • Civilizations That Changed the World
  • CL History Seminar: Immigration and Ethnicity in the United States
  • CL History Seminar: Topics in Modern East Asian History
  • Topics in Ethical Theory
  • CL Social Science Seminar: Globalization
  • Developmental Psychology
  • CL Statistics
  • Graphic Design and Digital Art I
  • Orchestra

Elective Courses

  • CL Spanish Literature V: I studied Spanish at the fifth level, where content is more discussion-based rather than memorization. I was able to learn more about the colonization of South America and the differences in Hispanic cultures.

GESC Experiential Education

Italy: Blue Zones

The participants in this course traveled to Rome and Sardinia to learn about habits that create longevity and happiness. We were able to eat authentic Italian meals, make our own bread, visit Seulo(an Italian town in the mountains with a very high percentage of centenarians) and visit Rome's historic sites.

If applicable ...

  • Pan-Asian Student Alliance: I am the president of this affinity group on campus. Although it is not entirely global, the "pan" in Pan-Asian always teaches me that Asia is still incredibly diverse, with different countries all having various cultural traditions.
  • Norton Center Project: I worked with World Relief, a non-profit refugee organization, to volunteer at a summer camp. I was able to teach thirty refugee kids about English literature, poetry, and art. In this experience, I was able to gauge the experiences of a person who had just arrived in America and their struggles in adjusting.

Learning Artifacts

GESC Coursework

  • Unit 2 Final: Jofre, Red Clay, and British Colonialists: Spain’s Hybridized Domination of Tennis
  • For this assignment, my CL Globalization Seminar challenged me to think about globalization in my own experiences. We learned about the different types of cultural adaptations due to globalization, such as cultural preservation, hybridity, and assimilation. We were then asked to recount a time when we encountered a cultural experience that we can conduct research on to find out why that cultural aspect assimilated/hybridized/stayed the same. For this assignment, I chose to focus on tennis and its various cultural influence in Spain. I make the argument that Spain hybridized British tennis with their own culture to create two of the best tennis players in the world.
  • This assignment specifically connects to the Alvord Center Matrix as it teaches me to seek knowledge and enhance understanding. Through this assignment I was able to dig deeper into my own experiences as a tennis player in Spain while connecting it to globalization. I was also able to clear up misconceptions about tennis and analyze how globalization affects sports in general.
  • This assignment was impactful to me as it showed me the ever-increasing connectivity of our world. Without globalization, many sports teams would not exist, and recent rises in popularity of sports would not be as prominent. It's fascinating to see how a British sport combined with Spanish geology and values can create the best possible conditions for tennis success, and it makes me question how other parts of the world was able to succeed in sports, science, and more due to globalization.

GESC Seminars

Seminar #2

  • As a GESC scholar, I am always on the lookout to broaden my knowledge and gain new insights into the different cultures, environments, and dynamics of our world. Before speaking with the refugees from Syria, Turkey, and Albania, I was nervous and did not know what to expect. However, I had forgotten that these people were also teenagers, and our discussion of favorite TV shows, books, and activities flowed warmly and naturally from the start.
  • This trip at the Islamic Center was also a great way to learn about Islam, as I had never been to a religious institution other than my own. We were able to learn about gender expectations and differences within Islam and compare it to the US. To quote one of my friends about marriage, “My money is my money, and his money is mine too!” This lighthearted exchange shows just how cultural differences can affect the way that one perceives America.
  • The GESC matrix especially focuses on seeking knowledge and enhancing understanding. I was able to gain knowledge and understanding from Maha’s talks about her project and from the refugees that I spoke with. This new perspective will continue to motivate me as a scholar, as I now understand the strength in speaking with those different from myself. Breaking these cultural barriers made me want to learn more about different religions and how their values can be compared to our own.

Seminar #4

Courageous Conversation with Robin Okunowo

I felt that Robin Okunowo took action by educating students all around the world. Her five elements of environmental activism– fire, earth, water, air, and most importantly, heart– made me see environmentalism in a different, more simplified light. Her philosophy of having heart and passion has been employed many times with her work at Captain Planet, as it is not an element that we usually think of. She places a lot of emphasis on us teenagers, who are the future of the world. I used to think that environmentalism was something that only people who were incredibly resolved could put into action, but Robin made me realize that everyone, including me, can do it. I also enjoyed the interactive activity where everyone moved to the elements that they were concerned about, and for me, it was earth. I’ve been inspired to learn more about the organization Captain Planet, especially when she mentioned that kids my age and younger are making a difference in the world.

I learned that food insecurity is a growing problem in our world while ⅓ of our food is being wasted. Robin Okunowo’s words tell me that there are many preventable aspects of environmental activism that everyone can participate in, including not wasting any food. This taught me to take action on my own part by not wasting any food.

I learned that age has no restrictions when it comes to activism. Robin’s stories of kids who were younger than me making a big difference in the world showed me that I don’t have to have a special ability or calling to activism– as long as I have a purpose, I can do anything, fulfilling the develop skills section of the matrix.

GESC Electives

  • In my CL Immigration and Ethnicity class, we were tasked with the assignment to send a letter to a politician of our choosing about the current state of immigration policy in the U.S. I chose to send my letter to two politicians: Representative Maria Salazar and Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, two women who proposed the Dignity Act. This act aims to manage asylum seekers and those looking for citizenship in a more efficient and humane way through more processing centers and detailed paths to citizenship.
  • This assignment made me realize that there are still many politicians in the government who attempt to find easier ways for legal immigration. Even now, thousands of migrants are in NYC without any means of work or citizenship, but with these representatives' inspiring actions I have continued to urge them to push this bipartisan bill so that it can be passed.
  • This assignment taught me to take action by pushing me to proactively write a letter asking these politicians to change their policies for the better-- an integral part of being a global and environmental citizen.
Me and my Immigration class getting ready to send our letters.

GESC Experiential Education

This is a picture of a wild horse on a plateau of Sardinia. They are unafraid of humans and we were able to get very close to them. This was a memorable moment for me as we learned about how the plateau and its natural features were formed in Sardinia and how the wildlife thrives on its weather and location. I really learned a lot about the importance of time in shaping our world's landscapes.
This is a picture when we were in Cabras, Sardinia while visiting the ruins of Tharros. The beautiful seaside was breathtaking to see. I learned about how different cultures were constantly fighting for Sardinia as it was a good location for trade, resulting in Sardinia's history mixed with other cultures. I always think of this place because of its incredible diversity and history.
If you can't tell from the picture, this is the Colosseum in Rome(moments before it began to pour rain). Such an iconic and historic site is hard to come by. I learned about the gladiators who fought in the stadium and how the Colosseum place was built. This place was breathtaking to see as its architecture ingenuity was very obvious, allowing me to learn more about ancient Roman life and its impact on modern Italy.
And, just for fun, the best ice cream I've ever had. No joke.

Capstone Project

Immigrants at Loomis: Their Stories

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aKCOZ1Q0NjWgKi9m3iaXtuyR5P4Kjym1/view?usp=sharing

Project rationale

This project is important to me because of both America's and Loomis' diversity. Knowing where our faculty and staff came from and their journeys to where they are today will help our community feel more connected and understanding of one another.

Target Audience

Students who are taking immigration related classes will find this helpful, as well as underclassmen taking the Best Self and Common Good seminars. This project provides insight into the struggles of being an immigrant in the United States, diversifying opinions and eliminating stereotypes.

Project Process

My process began by planning my interview out and reaching out to teachers who were interested in participating. Then I gathered my filming equipment, tailored my questions, and scheduled interviews. After filming the interviews, I would edit and provide finishing touches. One challenge I encountered was ensuring that each interview had the exact same setup and content. I was still unfamiliar with camera setup so I struggled to get the exact proportions in the first interview. However, I managed to edit these parts out in the final product.

Project Reflection

I believe that my final has impacted anyone who don't usually hear about our faculty and staff. I included two teachers and two staff members. Usually, there is nowhere to share these stories-- for example, one of the staff members is one of Vietnam's 'boat people', a group of refugees who escaped from Vietnam after the Vietnam War for fear of the Communist takeover. Listening to these types of stories can help us realize the true effects of war and migration as well as ground us in our own perspective of immigrants in this country. I believe that the part of the matrix that I took most advantage of is enhance understanding, as I tried my best to document my interviewee's stories in the clearest, most accessible way possible. I believe a lot of people will have a better understanding of the struggles that an immigrant can face in America but also how good of an opportunity they believe America is. This project has allowed me to be a better GESC scholar through the variety of perspectives I was able to encounter. I was able to understand that the word 'immigrant' encompasses so many unique experiences. I envision that my project will be used in the future by immigration/globalization/migration classes at Loomis and for the underclassmen seminars.

Chuck(a chef in the dining hall)
Andrea(a housekeeper in Howe hall)
Señor Cobo(a Spanish teacher)

To the left, Ms. Zamah(a French and Arabic teacher) is pictured speaking about her family's Guyanese background.

GESC Reflection

The two main goals I outlined in my statement of intent are: pushing myself in uncomfortable situations that will help me grow and becoming more action-oriented at Loomis Chaffee. I believe I have accomplished both these goals through my experiential learning, class selection, and capstone project. Through these experiences I have been able to put myself in uncomfortable situations through breaking language barriers, talking through cultural misunderstandings, and learning nuances in different languages. Being uncomfortable has taught me to problem-solve, think critically, and analyze my emotions whenever something challenges me. I have also become more action-oriented through my Norton Center fellowship as well as this capstone project. I believe I have made a true impact in my community through showing Loomis my capstone project, as their understandings will be enhanced. I've grown into a much more confident person, secure in my abilities. I am especially proud of how I independently planned the filming and editing of my capstone project, something I had never done before.