Goal 4

Introduction

The fourth goal of the Honors Program is to engage with diverse perspectives in order to cultivate cultural competence and an appreciation of differences. Engaging in diverse perspectives is important because it allows for unique viewpoints through different backgrounds and thought processes. Diversity can also lead to better decision making and problem solving because it enhances creativity. We can learn from each other’s differences and life experiences which in turn, leads to more creativity. Diversity also promotes tolerance, acceptance, and understanding of different cultures and lifestyles. Through the Honors Program, I have engaged with many diverse perspectives, and I have met people with strikingly different backgrounds. I have also grown as a student, leader, and citizen from these diverse experiences. The following artifacts demonstrate the diversity of my educational experiences within the Honors Program.

Outcome 1: Analyze current and historical international issues and aspects of global culture

The first outcome of the fourth goal of the Honors Program is to analyze current and historical international issues and aspects of global culture. I completed this outcome through the Citizenship and Service class (395H). My artifact for this outcome is an essay response to the following questions “Consider the most significant changes brought about by globalization: What do you see as global influence at the different levels (internationally, nationally, locally, personally)? Is there such a thing as a global citizen?”. I began this essay by discussing the influences of globalization at the international level. Due to globalization, international trade now allows people all over the world to have access to products and materials that were not previously accessible. International trade also generates employment opportunities, a higher standard of living, and increased income. I also discussed how technological advancements affect globalization at all levels. In addition, technology is linked to other areas of influence such as economics, social, cultural, and science. At the national level, I discussed how globalization can influence politics within a country and between different countries. For example, our politically divided country has vastly different opinions on how to handle foreign affairs. The decision of how to handle a specific national situation could affect the citizens of multiple different countries. In conclusion, I discussed how I am not quite sure a global citizen truly exists because a person would need to understand the world from the perspectives of all countries and cultures. Through essay response, I was able to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of globalization and how it can create international issues.

Outcome 2: Demonstrate foreign language proficiency at an intermediate level

The second outcome of the fourth goal of the Honors Program is to demonstrate foreign language proficiency at an intermediate level. I completed this outcome through two semesters of German and also one semester of American Sign Language (ASL). When I first attended MSU in 2005, I took two semesters of German. Upon returning to MSU, I decided to pursue American Sign Language as it is a beautiful language and culture. Thus, my artifact for this outcome is a video of me signing the lyrics of “Imagine” by John Lennon which will display my current foreign language proficiency in ASL. In the video, I am signing in ASL format rather than Signing Exact English (SEE) which is how most people first learn how to sign in ASL. Students are taught proper grammatical structure in ASL II. Thus, I displayed my proficiency in ASL by signing the song in the correct grammatical format of ASL in addition to signing the correct vocabulary.

I chose the song “Imagine” because it is my favorite song by any artist or band. The lyrics of the song reflect my values as a person and my viewpoint on life. I believe in treating others with kindness and respect. More peace, love, and acceptance need to be spread around the world rather than hate, hostility and intolerance. Lennon wrote “Imagine all the people, sharing all the world”, and I too dream of a world where all people can live in harmony. Throughout my life and career, I will continue to treat people with love and kindness, striving towards making this dream a reality and hoping others will follow suit.

Outcome 3: Collaborate actively with diverse local and global partners

The third outcome of the fourth goal of the Honors Program is to collaborate actively with diverse local and global partners. I completed this outcome through the Citizenship and Service class (395H). The artifact for this outcome is an Action Plan of my Raking for Veterans community service project. This is the third year I have organized and participated in the Raking for Veterans project. The project began as a requirement for my Management class. There was a total of five students in my group when we started this project. One of the other students, Mackenzie Houston, and I decided to keep the project going due to the highly positive feedback we received from the veterans we helped. I was then able to use this project for the community service requirements of 395H as I was already organizing the project for another year.

To begin this project, I contacted numerous people working with veterans in the community. These contacts included Rick Gutierrez at Veterans Affairs, Andy Heitkamp at the MSU Military Resource Center, Orleen Orem at Community Action, Brad Starnes at Ward County Veterans Service, Colleen Weiand at ND Military Outreach, and Paul Engeldinger, who is the chapter 4 Minot chaplain of Disabled American Veterans (DAV). All of these contacts offered a diversity in opinion on how we can help veterans, which led to our project idea, and how to contact veterans in need.

I also collaborated with numerous people of many different ages and backgrounds in the search for project volunteers and participation during the project. Through the past three years of this project, we have had volunteers from all over the U.S. and Canada. We have had MSU students volunteer and people from the Minot community as well. Two of the veterans with very large yards have also helped us as much as they could with the fall cleanup. My friend Mackenzie and I have gotten to know these two veterans fairly well and have enjoyed numerous conversations. Through these conversations, I realized the drastically different political views we hold. Listening to people from across the political aisle can lead to a better understanding of the origin of their viewpoints and possibly a compromise on specific issues. At the very least, we can respect the fact that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Though we have different political beliefs, we also have a lot in common such as our love for animals and nature. These commonalities between each other are what connect us as humans and as a society.

Outcome 4: Appraise issues from multiple viewpoints

The fourth outcome for the fourth goal of the Honors Program is to appraise issues from multiple viewpoints. I completed this outcome through my Leadership Interview for the Foundations of Leadership class (250H). For my interviews, I chose my close friend James Dejournette, and my mother, Debra Kuchta. Though I share many of the same personal values with both people, they have lived vastly different lives. James has leadership experience from the military and as a citizen, while my mother, Debra, has leadership experience through her career as a special needs educator. The main value that guided James’ leadership style was fairness in the treatment of others, and as a civilian he also treats people with fairness and kindness. The values that guided Debra’s leadership were respect and relationships. She focused on building relationships with people in order to build trust and to create an environment in which her followers were treated as people rather than members of an organization. These interviews allowed me to view leadership styles from different perspectives of successful leaders. There are multiple different leadership approaches that may be successful for different situations. I hope to continue to grow as a leader throughout my life and career. To be a successful leader, I believe it is necessary to possess the ability to view problems and solutions from different perspectives.

Conclusion

Engaging in diverse perspectives has multiple benefits for personal development and society. Diversity inspires acceptance and helps diminish discrimination. I value equality, and I believe diversity is linked to equality. We cannot reach true equality without diversity. In order to treat people with an equal level of respect and provide equal opportunities, we must as a society understand each other’s different cultures, life experiences, and perspectives. Engaging with diverse individuals allows us to understand each other's needs and wants. Without diversity, life becomes an echo chamber which will ultimately hinder the advancement of humanity. Learning to coexist with each other as a human race despite our differences will advance society as a whole for the betterment of everyone.