Attending the Costa Rica Study Tour was one of the best decisions I have made during my time in college. Not only was the course informative and educational, but immersing myself in Costa Rican culture was truly life-changing. I chose to participate in this study abroad experience because I have had limited travel opportunities, yet traveling and exploring new places is something I really enjoy. When I discovered the Costa Rica Refugees and Social Justice TourI felt drawn to it. In the future I hope to become a traveling speech-language pathologist working with children in marginalized communities that have limited access to healthcare, and Costa Rica is one of the places I hope to serve in. Learning about the country’s government, social systems, and refugee population reshaped my perspective in meaningful ways. I felt well-prepared for travel, thanks to my professors, who did an excellent job preparing us and helping us feel comfortable with new experiences. The connections I formed with my classmates were unmatched, and this experience is one I will always cherish. Being immersed in the culture and working with native tribes, children, refugees, government officials, and seniors expanded my learning. When I left Costa Rica, the most valuable thing I took with me was not tangible, but the knowledge, relationships, and deeper connection I gained overall. This experience sparked a passion for future study tours and expanding my global understanding. 

Here's a few of my favorite memories from costa rica!

 As a Peer Leader, I had the opportunity to both lead and learn alongside a class of first-year students within my major. I entered this role feeling excited and prepared, as I already enjoyed helping others through tutoring and mentoring. However, I did not expect to learn as much as I did through this experience. During my first semester, I served as a Peer Leader for students majoring in Speech, Language Hearing Sciences. In this role, I designed lessons and activities tailored to both the academic expectations of the major and the overall college experience. Having just completed my freshman year, I was able to relate closely to students and view challenges from their perspective. I built meaningful relationships with each student, learning from them while also learning more about myself. Working with students who had different learning styles helped me grow in flexibility and confirmed that learning isn’t a linear path. This experience strengthened my skills in mentorship, facilitation, public speaking, and organization. This role influenced my understanding of what it means to be a global citizen scholar by providing early experience in my future career and excitement for what’s to come. I was challenged weekly to be creative and persistent, which allowed me to grow from setbacks and use them to better support my students. 

Above I included one of my favorite lessons that I created in my role as a Peer Leader. The week prior to this I noticed the students were really stressed about school, homelife, and more. I had originally planned to do a lesson on professionalism but after overhearing their situations, I decided to implement something fun for the following class period. In this class we got to take a pause. We started with creating a shared playlist of all of our favorite relaxing songs and after our lesson, I got everyone fidget toys that they were able to choose from and keep. Our discussion ended with students sharing what was on their midn and how we can make our learning community a supportive environment. This showcases an example of learning and listening to your audience. Though this wasn't my original plan I believe it came out better than I could imagine. When running into these students, they always share how much fun they had within this class and how beneficial the lesson was for their mental health.

 For this first self-designed Honors experience, I explored my role as President of Hall Government. Hall Government is a student-led organization within the residence halls that promotes advocacy, builds inclusive community, and hosts engagement events. This position was my first leadership role coming into college and the beginning of many to come. In this position my role consisted of leading weekly meetings, creating agendas, and working closely with my board and Resident Advisors to plan events rooted in student voice, diversity, and connection. I also engaged in weekly self-reflection and adapted my leadership to better support my community. This role helped me grow in confidence while looking at leadership differently. I learned to lead through discomfort and practiced active listening and empathy which are key qualities of a Global Citizen Scholar. This experience taught me that leadership is not about control, but about collaboration and responsiveness. One of my proudest moments was organizing our end-of-year carnival, which shows all the elements I’ve learned throughout this experience and end the year with a bang. I can use as I pursue a career in speech-language pathology, where I will continue leading with purpose and advocating for inclusive, equitable spaces. 

 I chose this picture because it captured the beautiful time spent bonding with the board members of Hall Government. This picture shows a moment from our event hosted for goal setting and insomnia cookies. Moments like these were my favorite as I got to know and grow with my board members over the year. Learning from and with them was a significant aspect of this experience. 

During the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing (NBASLH) Conference in California, I set goals to grow professionally, culturally, and personally. Before attending, I met with my mentor to set goals that focused on learning from others and reflecting on my identity in my future career as a Speech-Language Pathologist. At the conference, I attended workshops and panels that showcased different presentation styles ranging from interactive to research. These presentations helped to enrich my outlook on communication, culture, and care in this career. One of my favorite parts of this conference was experiencing strong cultural unity; being in a space where others looked like me and shared my passions made me feel seen. It was an empowering reminder of why representation matters in every field. Leaving this conference, I felt inspired to revisit my own ideas on researching technology and accessibility tools. I built meaningful connections with professionals who offered mentorship and guidance. As a Global Citizen Scholar, this experience equipped me with more knowledge on diversity, empathy, and my own global responsibility. Moving forward, I will continue to seek out opportunities that allow me to empower marginalized voices through research, advocacy, and innovation in this career field. 

 I chose to include a photograph of me standing in front of the NBASLH conference banner with the fellow peers I attended with. This photo captures the essence of the experience- representation, unity, and belonging. Surrounded by students and professionals who reminded me of the power of community and visibility in professional spaces.