My Global & Environmental Identity
My name is Michael Hoffman, and this is my GESC Portfolio. I've been a proud resident of Windsor, CT my whole life, and those astute viewers may recognize the photo opposite this text as the pond next to the dam on Island Road. My interest in Global studies began with a love for history as a kid; I used to spend hours curled up with history books, losing myself in the past. Over time, that love for history blossomed into an appreciation for, and a desire to understand, the present that that history has created. Now, I still study history, but I do so not to escape from the realities of the modern day, but to understand it on a deeper level. My interest in environmental studies stems from my love of nature. An avid boy scout, I grew up hiking and camping all over Connecticut. I study the environment because I love to be in it, and to experience it. For the past several years now, I've thus immersed myself in the study of the environment, both at Loomis, where I took CL Environmental Science, and in my personal and professional life as well, where I've proudly worked as a camp counselor in the nature department of a local summer camp for some time. For me, to be a Global and Environmental Citizen is to combine those two loves, history and culture and nature, and to translate them into action. This year, I look forward to working with my fellow Global and Environmental Studies Certificate classmates to create a positive impact at Loomis, and in our broader community, to exploring my personal identity, and those of my colleagues, to gain a better understanding of the world, both manmade and natural, and to build a capstone project that will outlast my time at Loomis Chaffee.
Global & Environmental Resume
GESC-designated Courses
- World History
- French I
- French II
- French III
- French IV
- CL European History
- Orchestra
- CL Statistics
- CL Environmental Science.
- CL Modern East Asian History
Elective Courses
- Loomis Chaffee Model UN is an after school activity meeting primarily during the Winter Term. At Model UN, students focus on researching countries and issues of today and of the past, before representing them at conferences, where they hope to create innovative and original solutions.
GESC Experiential Education
In March of 2024, I visited Belgium with other members of the Loomis Chaffee Model UN team. There, we competed in a Yale-sponsored Model UN tournament, visited Ypres, where we learned about the Great War and its impact on European policy to this day, learned about chocolate-making and its rich history in Belgium in Ghent, and toured the city of Brussels, learning about Belgium's unique forms of government, and its complex history as a nation formed on the borders of three distinct cultures and languages.
- Debate Society: Loomis Chaffee's official debate team, where members learn about pressing issues of the modern day, and how to argue them effectively.
- Loomis Chaffee Model UN: Loomis Chaffee's model UN group, which brings together delegates of various backgrounds in immersive and comprehensive committees on a variety of global issues, encouraging them to look at these problems from diverse international perspectives.
Learning Artifacts
GESC Coursework
- In my sophomore year, I took the CL European History class. Herein enclosed, please find an essay I made regarding the Booth poverty maps. Charles Booth was a london-based social activist during the late 1800s, and his work to document poverty in London at the time shows a determined and engaged citizenship that we should all learn from.
- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tOprVlX2GRo51DokRrGy96gQW6Rv3mAjJMHfHnSluJE/edit?usp=sharing
GESC Seminars
- Seminar #2: During this seminar, we visited the headquarters of the Jiran program in New Britain. There, we had the opportunity to meet several refugees from communities in Syria, Albania, and Iraq, among others. We also had the privilege of being able to tour a Faith Center and Mosque, experiencing empathy by getting to appreciate the perspective of the Muslim faith, which I was grateful for as a religious individual. We also heard from and got to speak with an imam as part of the visit as well, further allowing us to seek knowledge. At the end of the visit, we shared a meal with our hosts, exploring our cultural identities through food. I enjoyed getting to know others from a different culture than myself, and I was grateful for the opportunity to experience the perspectives of a different faith. This was an interesting an eye opening experience. I am grateful to the GESC program for scheduling it.
- Seminar #4: During this Seminar, I attended a performance of Ameen Mokdad's The Curve. A self-taught violinist and composer, Mr. Mokdad began his musical journey in Mosul, Iraq, during its occupation by ISIS. His music is full of pathos and expression, and wrings emotion from the listeners. Afterwards, he was able to speak to us about his experiences, both in Iraq as a younger man, and about his work in the United States with the Cuatro Puntos, or Four Points, group. Cuatro Puntos is a non-profit initiative which seeks to aid artists from underrepresented and disadvantaged communities through financial and logistical support and backing. During our interview with Mr. Mokdad, we were able to hear about how Cuatro Puntos had aided him in publishing his music for the first time, as well as his own work as a member of its board. Of the seminars, this was my favorite, and I cannot recommend enough the music of Ameen Mokdad.
GESC Electives
- As a member of the Loomis Model UN team, I have been able to foster engaged citizenship by researching more about the nations of the world, and global problems that affect them, and discussing with others potential solutions to our shared crises.
GESC Experiential Education
Capstone Project
ALVORD: An Alvord Center AI Chatpartner
Project rationale
AI is, for better or worse, an advancing technology that we are going to do deal with. Ergo, it behooves us to ensure that this technology is put to some productive use. Alvord is an AI chat-partner which will help Loomis faculty brainstorm projects and collaboration opportunities for place-based learning, improving experiential education at Loomis Chaffee.
Target Audience
This project is designed to help Loomis faculty and teachers, by giving them a knowledgeable resource create new curricula for their students, and to integrate Loomis Chaffee further into the Windsor community by increasing local collaboration.
Project Process
Myself and my partners worked with Ms. Griggs, Ms. Matlack, and Dr. Alsamadisi to research opportunities for place-based learning involving the Environment, Loomis History, and the town of Windsor. I was responsible to researching and submitting profiles on major Windsor locations, and ways in which they could be used for place-based learning projects, which could then be fed to the AI, and integrated in its chat system.
Visual Interests
https://www.instagram.com/p/C5wKt2oJUlu/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Project Reflection (To be written upon conclusion of your Capstone, 250-300 words)
I am proud of the work myself and my colleagues have done on this project. While numerous lacunae exist within the current program, I am confident that further iterations upon it shall iron those kinks out. The current Alvord project enables Loomis Faculty and their students to engage with local environmental trends and history, understand other perspectives, and encouraging students to explore new environments and challenges. This project will help future generations at LC Enhance Understanding, Seek Knowledge, Develop their Skills, and ultimately, Take Action.
GESC Reflection
When I first filed my statement of intent, I said I wanted to pursue the GESC because I wanted to better understand the environment, other people, and the world as a whole, both here at Loomis, and further afield. I believe that my work towards the GESC has aligned with those initial goals. Since declaring my intention to pursue the GESC, I've had the opportunity to experience other cultures, meet new people and make strong friendships, and in courses like CL environmental science, as well as the GESC seminars, I've come to better understand our impact on the environment as a community, as well as my own personal footprint. I've also had the opportunity to take action. From service projects making community gardens, to designing white papers for conservation of food waste, GESC experiential learning programs and coursework has given me the opportunity to have a positive impact on my community.