BUILDING A SOCIAL IMPACT CONSCIOUSNESS

Reviews

The "proof is in the pudding" as they say, so here's what others are saying about their experiences taking the course.

Thus far...

/ 25 students have completed the course

/ 2 instances of this course have been taught

/ 100 % would recommend the course to a peer classmate/ colleague

Key anecdotes and quotes

Below are some select quotes from students who participated in the course

"Thank you so much for this course. It will be listed as one of my favorites."

Student - Georgetown SFS '23

Student - Georgetown College '22

"I grew a lot from this course. I explored concepts, ideas, and identities that I had not previously considered or paid much attention to. I feel like this course really grounded me as I prepare to leave Georgetown in a few weeks. It gave me space to explore my thoughts and beliefs about the world, myself, and others in a way that felt safe and inviting. This course also gave me the space to challenge some of those beliefs which did ultimately lead to growth. I feel like I am leaving this course with a deeper understanding of myself and my roles in society. I am also leaving this course with a greater understanding of how my actions have ripple effects, and though I can not control for everything I can at least make informed decisions and consider the trade-offs involved."

Student - Georgetown College '24

"I think I grew the most intellectually through this course and I confronted some of my preconceived notions. For example, I realized that I felt the most comfortable in the idea of working for public institutions instead of in the non-profit or private sector is because I see the end goals and interests of the government to be the most aligned in comparison to the other two. In my mind, I originally saw the government as something that had the end goal of improving the lives of the citizens it serves which was its exact purpose. But I realized that there are just as many mixed up and competing interests such as those in the non-profit and private sector. I had many other realizations such as this one which will be shaping my personal life and my professional life as I progress."

Additional quotes and reflections

Here are a few additional quotes and reflections from students:

On learnings:

"I most certainly grew during this course. I have used my learnings this semester to make important decisions about my next steps in the internship process. I am sure that at the beginning of the semester, I would have accepted an internship offer I received a couple of weeks ago. But practicing introspection all semester made me realize that I needed to take the time to think about how this offer would have aligned with my values. Ultimately, I did decide that this offer was not a good fit, and am (trying to) remain confident that a better opportunity will come." -- Student, Georgetown College '24
"The largest area of growth for me came through learning to be a better listener and appreciating different perspectives." -- Student, Georgetown College '24
"I do feel as though I have grown. I'm spending more time questioning what I do, and the actions of those around me." -- Student, Georgetown College '23

On advice for future students:

"Stay open-minded and do your best to engage with the discussions, whether it be through actively participating, or taking time individually to process your thoughts as well as what others have shared. I think that, from an individual standpoint, the latter is most important. However, for the sake of the others in the class as well as hearing responses to your own ideas, participating is also great."
"It is useful to buy-in early. Engaging makes the class worthwhile: showing up for the grade is a waste of time, and it detracts from discussion for others."
"I advise a future student to approach this class with an open-mind, lowered guard, and openness to reevaluate certain beliefs. I think that these things should help a student get the most out of the class. I definitely recommend that future students engage speakers and come prepared with questions because I learned so much from our speakers, they were definitely one of my favorite components of the course. Additionally, I would just encourage students to be prepared to hear perspectives and experiences that don't align with theirs; and to prepare to approach these experiences from a place of understanding and not judgement."

On Professor Wong:

"Nate, you were a breath of fresh air in my Georgetown experience. Thank you, in all sincerity, for creating this course, and in-turn creating such a beautiful learning environment for students to grasp a deeper understanding of themselves as well as the crazy world we live in. All of that to say, that I wholeheartedly approve of the course delivery."
"I really liked how open Professor Wong was when conducting and teaching this course. As a student who prefers discussion-based classes, it was refreshing to see a professor take a step back and allow the students to guide the conversation within a specific topic."

Feedback results

Below are the results of surveys based over the last instances of the course.

Fall 2022 results

Of the 11 students who took the class in Fall 2022, the results are below (as of Dec 2022):

100% would recommend it to another classmate
Students agreed (or strongly agreed) with the following statements:
- I have gained exposure to different ways to affect change (100%)
- I better understand the nuances of power and how they can both be helpful and harmful for positive social impact (100%)
- I better understand my own identity(ies) and how they shape how I can make an impact (100%)
- I have been able to have my own views and assumptions challenged (within this course) (100%)
- I have gained more insight into each of the sectors (public, private, social) (100%)
- I better understand the choices and tradeoffs I may need to make to create the impact I want to have (100%)
- I have gained at least one other friend/ companion/ journeyer (aka classmate) to help me navigate the future (100%)
- I learned new things about myself (100%)
- I have been introspective as a result of this course (100%)
- I learned new ways of receiving information through the course format (91%)
Students found the following modules helpful (or deeply helpful) in aiding in their overall learning:
- Levers for Change (82%)
- Problems By Design (73%)
- Sectoral Distinctions (100%)
- Our Choices (100%)

Fall 2021 results

Of 14 students who took the class in Fall 2021, early results have yielded (as of Dec 2021):

100% would recommend it to another classmate
Students agreed (or strongly agreed) with the following statements:
- I have gained exposure to different ways to affect change (100%)
- I better understand the nuances of power and how they can both be helpful and harmful for positive social impact (100%)
- I better understand my own identity(ies) and how they shape how I can make an impact (100%)
- I have been able to have my own views and assumptions challenged (within this course) (93%)
- I have gained more insight into each of the sectors (public, private, social) (93%)
- I better understand the choices and tradeoffs I may need to make to create the impact I want to have (100%)
- I have gained at least one other friend/ companion/ journeyer (aka classmate) to help me navigate the future (93%)
- I learned new things about myself (100%)
- I have been introspective as a result of this course (100%)
- I learned new ways of receiving information through the course format (100%)
Students found the following modules helpful (or deeply helpful) in aiding in their overall learning:
- Levers for Change (93%)
- Problems By Design (93%)
- Sectoral Distinctions (86%)
- Our Choices (100%)

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