My Global & Environmental Identity
Following the pre-seminar assignment, I had an idea of who I was as a global/environmental citizen but was unaware of how my perspective played a role in the grand scheme of things. Reflecting on my origins, I realized that my background brings me into many different communities that allow me to stay informed in ways unique to me. Discussing my British origins and life in the heavily urbanized New York City, I got a better image of how the unique aspects of my background and perspective played roles for my preconceived notions of environmentalism and globalism. My connection to family overseas played a big role for me when discussing environmentalism on a global scale and how environmental issues occur and are handled in countries of varying resources and climates. For example, when discussing the dynamic of air pollution and plane travel, I had known that traveling internationally was something that played a role in the deterioration of our atmosphere, but I was unaware of the personal effect it had on the daily lives of those who live in landlocked countries and urbanized areas that accumulate air pollution unlike Manhattan or the UK. Learning the differences in life that take place in the home country of another student made me realize the immediate effect of pollution first, but second, the roles that global perspectives play in achieving an informed and open perspective on topics like these. This year, I hope to further expand my perspective on global and environmental matters and further my knowledge on topics lesser known to me due to my limited exposure to the personal backgrounds of individuals at Loomis. Overall, I hope to gain a clearer image of what I want to do with my expanded perspective for the future.
Global & Environmental Resume
GESC-designated Courses
- World History
- French
- The Middle East: A History of Peace and Conflict
- Philosophy of Non-Violence
- Advanced Seminar: History of the Present
Elective Courses
Sixth Course: CL English IV: Literature and the Environment
This class has changed my perspective on the issue of environmental conservation and broadened my understanding of nature and its role in the literary community. Reflecting on works from David Thoreau, Annie Dillard, and Octavia E. Butler has fostered a deeper understanding and greater appreciation of the natural world.
GESC Experiential Education
Iceland, June 2024
This trip enhanced my understanding of environmental issues by considering different global, political, and personal perspectives that go into efforts put toward fighting pollution and global warming. Being introduced to environmental culture via food, museums, monuments, and speakers gave me an appreciation for all forms of active citizenship. Seeing the Icelandic culture showed me that activism and global conscientiousness take many different forms across the globe.
Learning Artifacts
GESC Coursework
- Literature and the Environment Bricolage
- This assignment connects with the Alvord Center Matrix by encouraging an enhanced understanding of the world around us. Being open to the many factors that build our environment is the first step to any course of action to help our climate. This essay helped me become more connected with the delicateness of nature and influenced me to seek knowledge on it, leaning toward another area of the Matrix at the project's completion.
GESC Seminars
- Seminar #2: The Hartford Historical Society field trip enhanced my understanding of the historical prevalence of immigration and global conditions because it gave many hands-on lessons on the more personal concepts of immigration like working conditions and the difficulties of assimilation. The visit widened my perspective on immigration, helping my work as a Global and Environmental Scholar by deepening my knowledge by seeing through many different lenses. I realized that local issues greatly affect a community’s response to global issues, connecting how different cultures and situations develop different responses in individuals. My GESC course “History of the Present” connected with the issues of being informed in such a complex political climate and how that all plays into political decisions affecting the lives of many. The museum activities on Immigration to Hartford make me want to learn more about the lesser-acknowledged communities across America.
- Seminar #4: Nourish My Soul takes action by supporting impoverished families with food and economic support. The charity targets families that are not qualified to receive benefits yet are still in need. The manner in which Nourish My Soul gives back is done via local community farms which create stronger communities and advocate for sustainable agriculture practices which both stand to benefit the common good, all while adhering to their main goal of food donations. The way in which they implement environmentally focused positive change through sustainable agriculture practices is further supported by their education to local communities around Connecticut. The organization encourages volunteer work on their sustainable farms, which educates the community even more in an effective way. This type of hands-on approach is rarely seen in the classroom, but within science, the use of labs and projects leads to learning just like this charity: with activities that benefit education in a productive way.
- Seminar #5: Sitting in on the debate of environmental policies in the US government was very interesting. I found myself walking out with three major takeaways from the ideas discussed and the perspectives shared. The most obvious was the diversity in perspectives and the intrinsic values of the students in the debate from other countries like China and Canada. It was obvious that having a different experience of governmental structure and challenges was because of how they grew up in their countries and my understanding of global perspectives were enhanced as the students announced why they came to certain conclusions on their views. Many examples that these international students brought up were completely unknown to me and led me to seek knowledge after I attended the discussion, with many Google searches. Lastly, seeing the participants speak factually led me to realize many skills for holding an educated conversation that I did not have. I kept notice of how they posed questions, responded concisely, and moved on after acknowledging disagreements, and I now realize that I can and will do this as well in similar contexts in the future.
GESC Electives
GESC Experiential Education
Capstone Project
Hartford & NYC: Examining the Evolution, Challenges, and Future of Urban Water Systems
Project rationale
This project is vital because water infrastructure is crucial to public health and environmental impact. By analyzing historical systems, both successes and failures, it reveals how poorly planned and environmentally efficient infrastructure jeopardizes communities. Advocating for sustainable upgrades like gravity-fed aqueducts brings forth solutions that reduce pollution and improve cities overall. The research educates students to prioritize safe, clean, and sustainable water access for future generations.
Target Audience
My audience was Loomis Chaffee students, as I believe that educating the younger generations goes miles further because it plants sustainable ideas in future policymakers, public planners, and voters. Students are more likely to be open to new ideas and engage in spreading awareness themselves.
Project Process
To complete this project, I began by conducting research on the historical and contemporary water systems of New York City and Hartford. This involved analyzing primary sources, government reports, and historical articles to understand each city’s infrastructure evolution. I then synthesized data on challenges such as aging pipes, combined sewer overflows, and pollution risks. A key step was comparing both systems to identify shared lessons and unique solutions. Challenges included reconciling discrepancies in historical timeliness. To address this, I cross-referenced multiple sources. Drafting the final presentation required balancing the depth of the content with accessibility to make sure that the content was both informative and engaging across academic departments.
Visual Interests
Project Reflection
By examining New York and Hartford’s water systems, I uncovered how historical decisions like the Croton Aqueduct or Hartford’s early sewers contribute to or take away from modern environmental sustainability. These case studies reveal the fact that sustainable water management is a critical foundation for our societies and not just an afterthought. When Hartford’s outdated combined sewers are compared to NYC’s century-old aqueducts, the consequences of ignoring environmental impacts make for an engaging lesson. Exploring NYC’s gravity-fed systems and Hartford’s Clean Water Project, I made it my goal to offer lessons balancing innovation with historical wisdom.
I learned to synthesize report data, historical context, and environmental ethics to address global issues like climate change. My project also proved to me the importance of community advocacy and awareness for causes close to us, yet unknown to many. The Alvord Center Matrix guided my exploration of actionable change to make a product that educators could use to teach urban sustainability, while spreading awareness to future voters and policymakers to evaluate ecological infrastructure investments that go unnoticed. Most importantly, it empowers communities to demand systems that prioritize long-term resilience over quick fixes.
Looking ahead, I envision this work contributing to a growing dialogue on equitable climate adaptation. Centering water as a shared human experience, it invites collaboration across academic subjects, proving that solutions rooted in history can make a more sustainable future.
GESC Reflection (150-300 words)
In my Statement of Intent, I shared that “awareness is a powerful tool because change is almost impossible when there aren’t many showing up in support,” which is a principle that has defined my role in the GESC program and as a student at Loomis Chaffee. Through my capstone project analyzing NYC and Hartford’s water systems, I was able to lay a foundation of collective awareness that hopefully one day will drive tangible progress. The GESC expanded my understanding of environmental citizenship beyond individual action, showing me how research and community engagement make an impact. The program improved my ability to make an engaging call to action by combining data with human narratives. Studying Hartford’s sewer overflows taught me to frame local issues as easy-to-see proof of larger global challenges and adapt to any context from Latin to science. Collaborating in seminars and workshops on sustainability and global awareness helped me greatly in establishing my project with flexibility. Moving forward, I aim to continue leveraging awareness for change, and making sure that sustainability efforts honor both scientific data and the diverse social communities they serve.