Global Citizenship
Global Citizenship Synthesis Essay
Being a part of the Minnesota State University, Mankato Honors Program means striving for academic excellence and personal development. However, it also means striving to become a culturally competent individual by learning how to be a global citizen. A global citizen is someone who is able to recognize their own culture along with its prejudices and biases towards other cultures, build up knowledge of other cultures, and learn the complexity of communication both within cultures and between cultures. Prior to my First Year Experience course, I had never heard of global citizenship. Global competency was a brand new concept to me, especially as I was coming from a very rural community with little diversity. I discovered that global citizenship means significantly more than just learning another language. This course taught me how to recognize and understand characteristics of my own culture, and I learned how to identify preconceived cultural prejudices that I had. I had never actually analyzed my own culture before, so this was a great exercise for me to complete in order to start engaging in global competence. I began working towards minimizing my biases by engaging in different experiences with other cultures. This class was the perfect foundation for me to begin exploring the world through a new, open-minded perspective. I had the opportunity to expand my global competency when I began working as a direct support professional for four older men with physical and cognitive disabilities. In this job, I was able to indulge in a culture of which I had never been a part. I spent countless days and nights with the individuals and learned a great deal about the struggles they face as adults with disabilities ranging from fetal alcohol syndrome to obsessive compulsive disorder to cerebral palsy. At first, it was difficult for me to find patience and understanding for their difficult behaviors. However, after building a strong bond with each individual, I began to recognize the inaccuracies of the prior prejudices I had were interfering with my ability to understand and empathize with people from this specific population. Because I learned how to identify my own cultural prejudices in my previous First Year Experience class, I was able to become more accepting of our differences. I continued my growth towards global citizenship in a Gender and Women’s Studies course where I completed extensive research on gender issues in Afghanistan. This was one of my first experiences gathering data from specific regions of the world and comparing it to what I knew about my own culture. My previous experiences helped me learn thoroughly about my culture, and this was a chance for me to compare what I had learned about myself to what I learned about other cultures. I began to recognize more aspects of my culture by learning about Afghanistan. Specifically, I began identifying the privileges I have as a white American woman. I don’t face the same struggles as Afghanistan women, and this research allowed me to learn about why mothers in Afghanistan choose to raise their daughters as sons which is a concept known as “bacha posh.” The research I conducted focused on identifying a relationship between gender identity issues and bacha posh, so it was a great experience to begin drawing connections between different aspects of cultures. I also learned about false stereotypes that Afghanistan culture deals with and began clearing my mind of previous judgements to become more globally competent. Studying the Spanish language is where I began to develop my ability to communicate with other cultures. I completed four Spanish courses throughout my time at Minnesota State University, Mankato. These courses helped me develop a knowledgeable foundation of the Spanish language, and I learned about different ways to address specific groups of people, such as authorities and peers. I created a few different presentations centered around Hispanic culture. I was required to use my acquired knowledge and understanding of the Spanish language and culture in order to prepare detailed presentations as well as deliver them with accurate Spanish language. I was continuously challenged to improve my Spanish speaking skills by thoughtfully communicating with my peers on a regular basis. In Honors 401: Exploring Personal Leadership through Social Change, I created a social change project centered around domestic abuse. I volunteered at Committee Against Domestic Abuse in Mankato, Minnesota and completed research to understand the prevalence of domestic abuse on both a local and national level. I used the global mindset skills that I gained in my previous Gender and Women’s Studies class to step out of my comfort zone by interacting and connecting with a new population. In my experience of volunteering at CADA, I had several opportunities to interact with Spanish speaking people. The environment was judgement-free, so all preconceived prejudices were pushed aside which allowed me to interact with these individuals on a meaningful level. I had the chance to practice my Spanish speaking abilities by talking to native speakers about their experiences with domestic abuse. I began to understand and empathize with the individuals who were still in abusive relationships which is something I didn’t understand before. I learned about the challenges they face as minorities in Mankato that hold them in the abusive relationships. I will continue to work towards becoming an even better global citizen by engaging in intercultural communication of all forms. I want to use the skills and knowledge I have acquired through my experiences to provide psychological help to people of all cultures and background in my future career as a clinical psychologist. |
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First Year Experience - Global Citizenship Module
In my First Year Experience Class, I was introduced to the concept of global citizenship for the first time. At first, I thought global citizenship simply meant learning another or even several languages so I would be able to communicate with different cultures/ethnicities. However, this course taught me that global citizenship means so much more than that. Global competence means becoming aware of the world around me by understanding communication, behavior, perspectives, etc. within and between cultures. Global competence means learning to accept and even participating in cultural differences. I also learned that “culture” refers to so much more than just ethnicities and languages; it also refers to lifestyles, societies, ages, and several more characteristics.
This class allowed me to reach the Honors Competencies of Self-awareness levels 1, 2, 3, 4 as well as Knowledge and Understanding level 1. Because of this class, I was able to reflect on my experience living in a very rural community and how my views changed when I moved to a college with a much greater level of diversity (Self-awareness 1). I recognized the lack of diversity in my hometown and high school and reflected on having a closed mindset in the past because of a lack of exposure to other cultures (Self-awareness 2). I learned that I am able to be a “small town girl” with a big city mind. Living in a rural community hindered my ability to view cultures with acceptance and understanding. I had my first exposure to people from different areas of the world and different gender identities. I was able to adapt my own cultural views to become a more accepting and open-minded member of society (Self-awareness 3 and 4). I also reflected on my experience interviewing a college basketball player with paraplegia. In the interview, we discussed the different challenges he has to face that mobile individuals like myself don’t have to deal with. In the interview, I asked several questions about the man’s culture in order to better understand his experiences and perceptions (Knowledge and Understanding 1). I was able to directly relate this experience to the global citizenship concepts I was learning in FYEX.
This class provided me with the perfect introduction to global competence. It was my first experience analyzing my own culture and recognizing past misconceptions I had about other cultures. I will always be able to use the skills I developed in this class because society is constantly evolving and changing, so it’s important to be able to know how to open your mind in order to be a more accepting and globally competent member of the world. In the future, I would like to participate in more personal interactions with diverse individuals so I can begin to understand other cultures on an even deeper level.
In my First Year Experience Class, I was introduced to the concept of global citizenship for the first time. At first, I thought global citizenship simply meant learning another or even several languages so I would be able to communicate with different cultures/ethnicities. However, this course taught me that global citizenship means so much more than that. Global competence means becoming aware of the world around me by understanding communication, behavior, perspectives, etc. within and between cultures. Global competence means learning to accept and even participating in cultural differences. I also learned that “culture” refers to so much more than just ethnicities and languages; it also refers to lifestyles, societies, ages, and several more characteristics.
This class allowed me to reach the Honors Competencies of Self-awareness levels 1, 2, 3, 4 as well as Knowledge and Understanding level 1. Because of this class, I was able to reflect on my experience living in a very rural community and how my views changed when I moved to a college with a much greater level of diversity (Self-awareness 1). I recognized the lack of diversity in my hometown and high school and reflected on having a closed mindset in the past because of a lack of exposure to other cultures (Self-awareness 2). I learned that I am able to be a “small town girl” with a big city mind. Living in a rural community hindered my ability to view cultures with acceptance and understanding. I had my first exposure to people from different areas of the world and different gender identities. I was able to adapt my own cultural views to become a more accepting and open-minded member of society (Self-awareness 3 and 4). I also reflected on my experience interviewing a college basketball player with paraplegia. In the interview, we discussed the different challenges he has to face that mobile individuals like myself don’t have to deal with. In the interview, I asked several questions about the man’s culture in order to better understand his experiences and perceptions (Knowledge and Understanding 1). I was able to directly relate this experience to the global citizenship concepts I was learning in FYEX.
This class provided me with the perfect introduction to global competence. It was my first experience analyzing my own culture and recognizing past misconceptions I had about other cultures. I will always be able to use the skills I developed in this class because society is constantly evolving and changing, so it’s important to be able to know how to open your mind in order to be a more accepting and globally competent member of the world. In the future, I would like to participate in more personal interactions with diverse individuals so I can begin to understand other cultures on an even deeper level.
fyex_global_citizenship_essay.docx | |
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Working as a Direct Support Professional
One of my first jobs in college was working as a direct support professional for four men with cognitive and physical disabilities. This job required a tremendous amount of patience. I assisted them in their daily lives and struggles. I completed common everyday tasks such as cooking and cleaning. However, I also helped them with more challenging tasks such as bathing, communicating, controlling temperament, using the bathroom, etc. Additionally, I brought them out into the community for different activities so they could get proper social interaction. I developed personal relationships with each of the four men and found different things to bond over.
This experience allowed me to reach Honors Competencies Self-awareness levels 3 and 4 as well as Knowledge and Understanding levels 3 and 4. This job allowed me to recognize my own privilege as a fully competent and able adult and compare it to the struggles that people with disabilities face (Self-awareness 3). I faced several challenges in this job that tested my patience. Over time, I learned how to accept difficult behaviors in order to provide the best personal care for these men. I recognized the prejudices in my own mind that had been causing me to misunderstand this specific population of people (Self-awareness 4). I spent a significant amount of time with these four men. I was there when they went to bed and when they woke up. I interacted with them and asked them many questions about their experiences living with severe disabilities. I began to understand daily living for adults with fetal alcohol syndrome, severe dementia, obsessive compulsive disorder, cerebral palsy, and many more mental/physical disabilities. Over time, I grew a strong and unique bond with each individual in the home which allowed me to be more understanding and accepting of their difficult behaviors (Knowledge and Understanding 2 and 3).
Being able to work with people of varying disabilities is an essential skill that I will use in my future career as a clinical psychologist. Each of these men required unique treatments/therapies, and someday I will be the one providing those services to individuals like them. In the future, I would like to learn how to open the minds of average people to be more accepting of individuals with disabilities.
One of my first jobs in college was working as a direct support professional for four men with cognitive and physical disabilities. This job required a tremendous amount of patience. I assisted them in their daily lives and struggles. I completed common everyday tasks such as cooking and cleaning. However, I also helped them with more challenging tasks such as bathing, communicating, controlling temperament, using the bathroom, etc. Additionally, I brought them out into the community for different activities so they could get proper social interaction. I developed personal relationships with each of the four men and found different things to bond over.
This experience allowed me to reach Honors Competencies Self-awareness levels 3 and 4 as well as Knowledge and Understanding levels 3 and 4. This job allowed me to recognize my own privilege as a fully competent and able adult and compare it to the struggles that people with disabilities face (Self-awareness 3). I faced several challenges in this job that tested my patience. Over time, I learned how to accept difficult behaviors in order to provide the best personal care for these men. I recognized the prejudices in my own mind that had been causing me to misunderstand this specific population of people (Self-awareness 4). I spent a significant amount of time with these four men. I was there when they went to bed and when they woke up. I interacted with them and asked them many questions about their experiences living with severe disabilities. I began to understand daily living for adults with fetal alcohol syndrome, severe dementia, obsessive compulsive disorder, cerebral palsy, and many more mental/physical disabilities. Over time, I grew a strong and unique bond with each individual in the home which allowed me to be more understanding and accepting of their difficult behaviors (Knowledge and Understanding 2 and 3).
Being able to work with people of varying disabilities is an essential skill that I will use in my future career as a clinical psychologist. Each of these men required unique treatments/therapies, and someday I will be the one providing those services to individuals like them. In the future, I would like to learn how to open the minds of average people to be more accepting of individuals with disabilities.
dsp_reflection_.docx | |
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Gender and Women's Study - Research on Gender Issues in Afghanistan
In a Gender and Women’s Study course, I read a book titled The Underground Girls of Kabul by Jenny Nordberg which was about how young girls are often raised as boys in Afghanistan because of the privilege differences. This book sparked my interest in gender issues in Afghanistan. I conducted extensive research on Afghan culture as well as various other cultures in order to understand gender identity issues in Afghanistan. By doing elaborate research on the inequalities that women face in Afghanistan, I was able to describe and address why people in Afghanistan choose to raise their girls as boys.
This experience allowed me to reach the Honors Competencies Knowledge and Understanding levels 3 and 4. In my extensive research, I learned primarily about different gender identity issues as well as attitudes towards genders in Afghanistan. I also gathered information from other areas of the world in order to compare them to the information I found about Afghanistan. I learned about the intense struggles Afghan women face that women from my culture don’t (Knowledge and Understanding 3). Specifically, I asked the difficult question of whether or not raising young girls as boys leads to gender identity issues later in life. The research I conducted provided me with answers by comparing several different gender perspectives from different cultures (Knowledge and Understanding 4). This experience helped me recognize my privilege as a Caucasian woman in America.
I will definitely use the skills I acquired through this experience in my future as a clinical psychologist. A huge part of my career will be to ask complex questions about different cultures in order to psychologically understand different areas of the world. This experience was a great opportunity to expand my knowledge on already existing gender issues in today’s world. In the future, I hope to have the opportunity to interact with more individuals who have been affected by gender biases and learn how they have been affected psychologically.
In a Gender and Women’s Study course, I read a book titled The Underground Girls of Kabul by Jenny Nordberg which was about how young girls are often raised as boys in Afghanistan because of the privilege differences. This book sparked my interest in gender issues in Afghanistan. I conducted extensive research on Afghan culture as well as various other cultures in order to understand gender identity issues in Afghanistan. By doing elaborate research on the inequalities that women face in Afghanistan, I was able to describe and address why people in Afghanistan choose to raise their girls as boys.
This experience allowed me to reach the Honors Competencies Knowledge and Understanding levels 3 and 4. In my extensive research, I learned primarily about different gender identity issues as well as attitudes towards genders in Afghanistan. I also gathered information from other areas of the world in order to compare them to the information I found about Afghanistan. I learned about the intense struggles Afghan women face that women from my culture don’t (Knowledge and Understanding 3). Specifically, I asked the difficult question of whether or not raising young girls as boys leads to gender identity issues later in life. The research I conducted provided me with answers by comparing several different gender perspectives from different cultures (Knowledge and Understanding 4). This experience helped me recognize my privilege as a Caucasian woman in America.
I will definitely use the skills I acquired through this experience in my future as a clinical psychologist. A huge part of my career will be to ask complex questions about different cultures in order to psychologically understand different areas of the world. This experience was a great opportunity to expand my knowledge on already existing gender issues in today’s world. In the future, I hope to have the opportunity to interact with more individuals who have been affected by gender biases and learn how they have been affected psychologically.
gws_final_paper_.docx | |
File Size: | 138 kb |
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Spanish courses - Learning a Second Language
I took a series of Spanish courses including Spanish 101, 102, 201, and 202. Throughout these courses I was able to develop my Spanish speaking abilities significantly. I had no experience with a foreign language prior to coming to college as my rural high school did not offer a foreign language courses. In Spanish 101 and 102, I learned basic Spanish vocabulary and grammar. Spanish 201 and 202 are the courses that helped me actually practice speaking Spanish more fluently. I also began to learn about Hispanic cultures.
These Spanish courses allowed me to reach the Honors Competency Communication levels 1 and 2. I developed and presented with Spanish language a presentation centered around Madrid, Spain and their cultural habits. This presentation included an itinerary of a trip that included diverse events that indulge in Spanish culture (Communication 1). In an additional project, I created an educational trip to a Spanish speaking country that would provide the travelers with many culturally unique experiences (Communication 2). For both of these projects, a great deal of background research was required to understand Hispanic cultural habits and experiences. I needed to use creativity to create trips that reflected my knowledge of the culture.
Being able to speak Spanish will absolutely come in handy in my future. Already, I have encountered Spanish speaking individuals in school, at work, and in the community. In my presentation experiences, I felt nervous speaking in front of a large group of people, so I need to work on building confidence and fluency in the future.
I took a series of Spanish courses including Spanish 101, 102, 201, and 202. Throughout these courses I was able to develop my Spanish speaking abilities significantly. I had no experience with a foreign language prior to coming to college as my rural high school did not offer a foreign language courses. In Spanish 101 and 102, I learned basic Spanish vocabulary and grammar. Spanish 201 and 202 are the courses that helped me actually practice speaking Spanish more fluently. I also began to learn about Hispanic cultures.
These Spanish courses allowed me to reach the Honors Competency Communication levels 1 and 2. I developed and presented with Spanish language a presentation centered around Madrid, Spain and their cultural habits. This presentation included an itinerary of a trip that included diverse events that indulge in Spanish culture (Communication 1). In an additional project, I created an educational trip to a Spanish speaking country that would provide the travelers with many culturally unique experiences (Communication 2). For both of these projects, a great deal of background research was required to understand Hispanic cultural habits and experiences. I needed to use creativity to create trips that reflected my knowledge of the culture.
Being able to speak Spanish will absolutely come in handy in my future. Already, I have encountered Spanish speaking individuals in school, at work, and in the community. In my presentation experiences, I felt nervous speaking in front of a large group of people, so I need to work on building confidence and fluency in the future.
undidad_2_proyecto_final_.pptx | |
File Size: | 5504 kb |
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Exploring Personal Leadership through Social Change - Domestic Abuse Social Change Project
In Honors 401, I learned how to use leadership skills to achieve social change. In this course, I was required to choose a social issue that I was passionate about and work towards understanding that issue. I chose to focus on domestic abuse. I volunteered at Committee Against Domestic Abuse in Mankato, Minnesota as a child care worker. I looked after the children of domestic abuse survivors while they attended support group meetings. Additionally, I extensively researched the trend of domestic abuse on a local level as well as a national level.
This experience allowed me to reach Honors Competencies Knowledge and Understanding level 4 as well as Communication levels 3 and 4. By researching the trend of domestic abuse on a local and national level, I was able to recognize patterns in prevalence of domestic abuse. I also looked into city records to see who specifically was working towards progress in this social issue. Since this was nationally scaled research, I used statistics from all over the world and drew conclusions from the gathered information (Knowledge and Understanding 4). In my experience of volunteering at CADA, I had the opportunity to continuously interact with young children from many ethnicities without judgement. There were several Hispanic families that attended the support group meetings at CADA, so I was able to practice communicating with young children and adults using Spanish (Communication 3). I recognized the difference in communication between them and myself; I noticed the differences in body language and the way the children addressed adults. I recognized that my experiences and perceptions as a Caucasian American do not align with all other cultures (Communication 4).
t’s no secret that our society becomes more diverse every day, so I will undoubtedly use my acquired Spanish speaking skills in my future. I will be able to use these skills in everyday life, such as at the grocery store, as well as in my career as a clinical psychologist. I need to continue to exercise and develop my Spanish speaking abilities. While interacting with Spanish speaking individuals at CADA, it was difficult for me to understand their fast speaking and accents.
In Honors 401, I learned how to use leadership skills to achieve social change. In this course, I was required to choose a social issue that I was passionate about and work towards understanding that issue. I chose to focus on domestic abuse. I volunteered at Committee Against Domestic Abuse in Mankato, Minnesota as a child care worker. I looked after the children of domestic abuse survivors while they attended support group meetings. Additionally, I extensively researched the trend of domestic abuse on a local level as well as a national level.
This experience allowed me to reach Honors Competencies Knowledge and Understanding level 4 as well as Communication levels 3 and 4. By researching the trend of domestic abuse on a local and national level, I was able to recognize patterns in prevalence of domestic abuse. I also looked into city records to see who specifically was working towards progress in this social issue. Since this was nationally scaled research, I used statistics from all over the world and drew conclusions from the gathered information (Knowledge and Understanding 4). In my experience of volunteering at CADA, I had the opportunity to continuously interact with young children from many ethnicities without judgement. There were several Hispanic families that attended the support group meetings at CADA, so I was able to practice communicating with young children and adults using Spanish (Communication 3). I recognized the difference in communication between them and myself; I noticed the differences in body language and the way the children addressed adults. I recognized that my experiences and perceptions as a Caucasian American do not align with all other cultures (Communication 4).
t’s no secret that our society becomes more diverse every day, so I will undoubtedly use my acquired Spanish speaking skills in my future. I will be able to use these skills in everyday life, such as at the grocery store, as well as in my career as a clinical psychologist. I need to continue to exercise and develop my Spanish speaking abilities. While interacting with Spanish speaking individuals at CADA, it was difficult for me to understand their fast speaking and accents.
social_change_project_.pptx | |
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research_paper_.docx | |
File Size: | 117 kb |
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