Determination

I was introduced to the word interdisciplinary while training for a marathon— no clue what it meant; I just liked the way it rolled off the tongue! Team in Training is an interdisciplinary approach to fundraising for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I met the challenge though, reaching my fundraising goal of more than $15,000 and finishing the race.

Now that I am an Interdisciplinary Studies student, I know it means focused and far-reaching investigation. Taking micro and macro perspectives to consider relevant disciplinary insights is the goal of interdisciplinary research. To identify and describe, study and understand, analyze and resolve complex problems in a complex world needs interdisciplinary research. To design thoughtful strategies, dissemination is necessary to reach consensus, to discuss integrative techniques, and to implement systems.

Thus, the metaphor is a crucial tool of interdisciplinarians. It is concise clarity. The objective is finding common ground for understanding the mission, problem, or goal. As I prepare to graduate from the University of Central Florida, I have drawn this simple metaphor to describe the sometimes-grueling path to where I am today.

A passion of mine is raising, observing, and photographing Monarch butterflies. When I first started this hobby, I believed it was as simple as buying a milkweed plant and watching butterflies fly . . . that’s what the milkweed man said. From experience, I have learned the challenges of a complex ecosystem.

The life cycle of the butterfly is not a journey undisturbed. There are predators—lizards and wasps—scouting for eggs and caterpillars. Milkweed bugs, aphids, and rabbits attack the host plant. Fickle growing conditions present one catastrophe after another.

Yup, becoming a butterfly is a tough road. Like earning a degree, it takes determination, persistence, and conviction to stay the course. The chrysalis, finally, is the emerald prize; the cozy respite to gather resources and prepare for change . . .