Final Reflection

Final ISS Reflection

My journey through the Integrated Social Sciences program has been a testament to the power of education. It has reshaped my mindset from when I entered the program and enhanced my social comprehension, providing me with social service principles and teaching me how to align those in stewardship, cultivation, and philanthropy. As a student from the foster care system, my education was more than an academic pursuit; it was a journey that equipped me with the knowledge and understanding of social systems and prepared me for a philanthropic role in addressing societal issues rooted in my lived experience sharing inequities that happen first hand. This journey of determination and resilience proves education's ability to change lives.

The interdisciplinary nature of my degree has been a strong avenue toward stewardship because it helped me develop multidimensional views on human social dynamics. It has offered me courses like communication, sociology, criminal justice, and educational equity classes, in which I have gained an in-depth view of its social structure and human interaction, whether within family structures or other settings. My diverse academic journey can be characterized by my deliberate approach to nurturing personal knowledge and a more extensive understanding of how social systems impact individual experiences, especially in youth and young adults and their families. My experience in foster care has been the lens through which I have approached my studies, turning what might have been a disadvantage for me into a strength I learned to tap into. This has brought authenticity and depth to my work, setting me apart from my peers. My philanthropic spirit drives my academic and professional aspirations. It is deeply rooted in my history, motivating me to Want to make significant changes in the youth and child services sector. This unique perspective from my experience has given me a deeper understanding and empathy for the struggles families and minorities face in public systems of care, like the foster care system, enabling me to make a significant impact in this area.

The skills I developed and fine-tuned throughout my ISS degree go beyond typical degree program learning. Research methods, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary problem-solving have become my tools of social stewardship. COM 437 (Rhetoric in Health & Medicine) and T CRIM 434 (Criminal Homicide) are courses that have significantly changed the way I address learning and understanding of multilayered narratives and systemic issues facing our society. My dream is to earn my Master's in Business Administration to go to a company in youth and child services and secure a role in development at the end of my studies, which directly shows my commitment to philanthropic leadership. My ISS degree's interdisciplinary foundation offers a unique lens that exceeds most traditional perspectives about social services. Instead, it's also about building a trauma-informed understanding of social systems that will prepare me for stewardship and championing meaningful change in communities that need it most.

My inconsistent GPA reflects that my academic journey has not been smooth sailing. The events in my life causing these fluctuations only strengthened my determination further. Every withdrawal and every academic struggle I have endured despite my pride has allowed me to develop my resilience, adaptability, and a deeper understanding of the importance of continuous effort. These experiences have shaped my character and deepened my knowledge of the challenges within our social systems. My cumulative GPA of 2.99 is a number and a journey of understanding, development, and commitment to social learning. I look forward to completing my ISS degree and its help in my future in philanthropy to help streamline my career. I will move toward altering the system instead of just making personal achievements. Whether through research into the social sciences, educational policy development, or community management, I am determined to steward social improvement in matters closest to my heart, such as improving youth and child services. My social services background makes me unique, allowing me to approach social challenges with empathy, insight, and a different level of commitment to nurturing potential and societal change for future generations. 

My journey through the ISS degree program attests to the power of stewardship, experience, and social transformation. It is a journey of ongoing cultivation driven by a philanthropic spirit that sees past individual actions to the joint footprint we can create in our communities.