Throughout the last four years, through the grit and the grind of earning an undergraduate degree, it was easy to forget the significance of continued learning. We often accumulate and take in information to pass exams and hopefully, retain that information. It is too easily forgotten why we are studying what we are studying. For me, I was periodically reminded why exactly I was pursuing a college degree and what specifically I was gaining. It was in the moments where I realized I was drawing connections between things I had learned semesters ago to the material I was currently studying. I was reminded specifically that what I was gaining was a love for learning, and this was from day one at Concordia. This happened time and again while studying neurochemistry. Politics, history, and current events-they were all discussed in the class, and I could draw on my knowledge of the chemistry, religion, psychology and more that I’ve learned here to give educated opinions and ideas. This, the knowledge I’ve gained, I truly love.
I gained skills like being able to effectively explain complex ideas to those unfamiliar with the material through writing blog posts on scientific journals and explaining specific topics during weekly “speed dating.” I was encouraged to develop my ideas and perspectives in areas outside of the sciences in weekly article discussions related to real-world problems that affect different cultures, disciplines and more. Additionally, in these weekly discussions, tt was imperative that I encourage others to share their opinions without casting judgement, because in a judgement-free environment people feel comfortable having difficult discussions when they might have differing ideas and thought processes. However, this did not come without disagreement, which I believe is also important in growing responsible participation. Through respectful disagreement, I learned how to navigate respectfully in civil conversations, which is extremely important in being able to responsible engage with others in real-world settings in my future.
Though my future career is still undecided, the skills and knowledge gained in this class will allow me to examine situations with perspective. As we saw in the many articles we read, the brain and what causes humans to make certain decisions and act certain ways is often extremely complicated. With this understanding, I will be slow to judge and quick to ask questions. This is invaluable as my future goals lie in helping those in foreign countries who are less fortunate. Often times, there are connections between health, economic standing, and behavior. So, with my goal being to aide in purifying drinking water in Spanish-speaking countries, an understanding of the economic and health burdens that come with the reality of a lack of access to clean water will be crucial in being able to effectively help. This understanding includes drawing on the neurochemistry that is affected by unclean water. Helping the whole person, not the isolated problem, is possible by having this perspective. If I were to highlight a skill on my resume, it would be this improved ability to examine problems with perspective and draw connections between many disciplines.
Through this journey of the last four years, the personal aspect most amplified was my improved ability to understand myself. In all things-my faith, health, ethical and moral standards, perspective on culture-I’ve grown in appreciation. I’ve better discerned who I am, what I believe and why, and I am better able to defend these things eloquently. To me, this is what a liberal arts institution has to offer. A liberal arts institution like Concordia pushes students to ask tough questions, and mostly importantly, fight and struggle to answer those questions. A liberal arts institution represents an open invitation to grow, gain understanding, and go into the world better for it.
