Photo Courtesy of Connecticut College
The third annual All-College Symposium is set for November 4th. 194 senior students across 12 Pathways and 4 different Centers will present the results of their integrative educational experiences, crossing departmental boundaries and incorporating their real-world experiences into a brief presentation. There will be 79 Center students, and 115 Pathway students presenting. The most popular Pathways for members of the 2022 class were Public Health, Entrepreneurship, and Creativity.
The College Voice reached out to several students who will be presenting their work on Nov. 4. Below are some of their experiences in their respective Pathways.
Sneh Shah ‘22
Major: Neuroscience
Minor: Computer Science
Pathway: Data Information & Society
Why did you choose to do a Pathway?
The initial decision was to explore an area outside of my current major and interests. I feel like most people choose a Pathway similar to their interests but I think it’s a great move to actually explore different fields and see how they connect. I would never have imagined myself taking philosophy or economics if it weren’t for my Pathway because it was a way for me to spark interest in how data is useful in all fields. As a newer Pathway it was pretty general and easy to apply to many departments and helped me decide to take many classes I would never have taken on my own. On top of that it gave me a chance to meet professors, students, and advisors in different departments beyond what I had in my little niche in my major.
What will your symposium presentation focus on?
My symposium presentation will focus on my animating question: how can data be used to cure epilepsy, which is reflective of my major/minor experiences and my Global/Local engagement internship where I studied epilepsy in a lab. The presentation will also go more in depth about the prevalence of data in clinical and basic research. It’s interesting, my question can’t be answered by just one experience because curing epilepsy is a collaborative effort that people devote their lives to. I never really answered the question but refined my approach. It’s a weird thing, it can’t just be answered but you have to find your own place in that collaborative effort to cure a disease.
Has your Pathway allowed you to learn more about your field of study?
It definitely exposed me more to the humanities, making me look into ethics, straying away from my path in a good way where I had to be less narrow-minded in my data-type approach. It’s really helped me strengthen my critical thinking and empathy skills which can be lacking when I spend most of my time looking at data and thinking analytically. The Pathway really helped me bridge the gap, especially when it comes to planning my post-graduate career.
What would you say to students looking into Pathways?
“It’s definitely worth it at least for me and I think it makes my life easier. By taking the Pathway it’s easier to finish my requirements at the very least.”
Eli Christopher ‘22
Major: Government
Minor: Film
Pathway: Media Rhetoric & Communications
Why did you choose to do a Pathway?
The concentration was definitely intriguing. It combines interests that I had in my major and minor, which are government and film respectively. It also assured me I would never have to take a math class at college if I played my cards right.
What will your symposium presentation focus on?
I’m exploring the different ways that companies, films, politicians & governments as well as media sources “sell” their products and ideas to people even if the people are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with what they’re selling
Has your Pathway allowed you to learn more about your field of study?
The only ways I think I studied the pathway themes were in our Media Rhetoric and Communications courses, essentially all the way back in sophomore year. I felt I had enough strong material and good class chemistry that it felt worthwhile. However, due to the pandemic I felt that a lot of our opportunities were limited and compromised. I’m sure if the world wasn’t on fire for a year and a half I would have gotten more out of it.
What would you say to students looking into Pathways?
Pathways are useful if your interests align really well with the Pathway; they’re not worth forcing. I had a particular interest; they’re nice if there is a class you don’t want to take and you do get an insight into some cool themes that they offer.
Mary DiMaggio ‘22
Major: Biology
Minor: Chemistry & Dance
Pathway: Social Justice and Sustainability Pathway
Why did you choose a Pathway?
I chose the Social Justice and Sustainability Pathway because I saw it as a way to continue my interest in food justice. I’ve worked as an educator at a community farm for many years, and my pathway allowed me to connect this passion to my Conn education.
What will your symposium presentation focus on?
I am doing a poster presentation for the symposium where I will share the experiences I’ve had during my time in the pathway, my main takeaways, and my future plans.
Has your Pathway allowed you to learn more about your field of study?
My Pathway has allowed me to connect coursework at Conn to my background in food justice and consider this topic from new perspectives. I had the opportunity to take an education class last fall that I counted as an MOI for my Pathway. This class allowed me to consider the education component of social justice more prominently, and inspired me to become a teacher.
What would you say to students looking into Pathways?
For students looking into Pathways vs. Centers, I would say to pursue what you’re interested in and passionate about, but also be open to new experiences. Take classes outside of your major and pursue experiences different from what you’re used to, you never know what will happen! Also, your interests and animating question will evolve so much over time, and it’s totally ok to not have it all figured out from the beginning!
Daniel Varela ‘22
Major: International Relations, Italian Studies & Latin-American Studies
Minor: Africana Studies
Center: Toor Cummings Center for International Studies and the Liberal Arts Scholar (CISLA)
Why a Center?
During my sophomore year, my academic journey was integrated with the international experience across my three disciplines. After consulting with my senior and junior friends on campus, it seemed as though the Toor Cummings Center for International Studies and the Liberal Arts (CISLA) was the most ideal Connections program that intersected with all of my interests. I applied to CISLA with Italian as my focus language where I developed my skills in the field to prepare myself for a remote internship in Italy that summer. I also appreciated the atmosphere of like-minded people in my cohort who shared similar passions and aspirations as scholars to conduct a senior integrated project (SIP). CISLA has been one of my favorite experiences at Connecticut College, and definitely frames what academic opportunities are available to students like myself.
What is your symposium presentation?
“The African Diaspora in Contemporary Italy: the Challenges of the Migration Crisis in Lampedusa” is the title of my honors thesis project with the Italian Studies Department. My presentation on November 4th will primarily share my CISLA journey on campus. I will discuss my animating question, my core courses related to my research, my global engagement with my internship with Mygrants in Catania, Sicily (Italy), the intersectionality of my three majors and minor, the importance of understanding the ongoing migration crisis, and my team of supporters throughout this journey. I want my symposium presentation to synthesize the challenges and opportunities that come with indulging in an internationalized academic experience with the college community.
Has your Center allowed you to learn more about your field of study or opened any new doors?
My Center has truly enabled me to open my mind to the possibilities of what a global interest could turn into with learning, working, and engaging. I never would have thought of continuing my Italian skills in high school during my undergraduate experience, until learning about how I could channel my skills into a Center. CISLA has also provided a great resource of our alumni database to network and find meaningful remote and international internships during the global pandemic. I still continue to work for my team with Mygrants throughout the school year to continue to learn new skills when it comes to working with migrant communities. My hope is that I will continue to foster the mission of CISLA in my post-collegiate journey and grow my relationships with academic scholars and the migrant work sector.
What would you say to students looking into Pathways vs. Centers?
I would express to first-years and sophomores to challenge themselves at Connecticut College with creatively brainstorming your academic potential with Pathways and Centers. Whether it is through identifying major or minor field interests or meeting with professors who could share their background, taking steps towards your academic curiosity will ultimately lead you to a Connections program that will resonate with your values and determination as a scholar.
Majors: English, Sociology
Pathway: Social Justice & Sustainability Pathway
Why did you choose to do a Pathway?
I chose to join the Pathway in order to better integrate my majors with my central passions for environmental justice and the environmental humanities. I am lucky to have an environmental specialist in both of my major departments, each of whom I’ve taken very exciting classes with, but I still found myself eager for an academic outlet that would allow me to entirely dedicate myself to studying the environment. The SJS Pathway felt like the perfect place for this, as I imagined it would allow me to build on my past coursework and existing knowledge with a collaborative community of peers, using social justice as the core framework for imagining and enacting productive environmental change.
What will your symposium presentation focus on?
My animating question is: how can we combat local and global food waste in order to improve sustainability across the food system, with a focus on food equity and environmental impact? About 1/3 of all food produced for consumption each year is wasted, intensifying global food insecurity, wasting limited resources, and producing excess emissions. This is a deeply systemic issue, motivated by the proliferation of a capitalist-driven throwaway culture that unconsciously instructs those with food access to take it for granted, at the direct cost of all who have little to no access to nourishing food. The best immediate solution is source reduction, which requires a conscious effort to acknowledge the impacts of wasted food and actively trying to waste less. My interest stems from Professor Flagg’s Sociology of the Environment course, when I completed a research project focused on the socio-environmental impacts of food waste. After spending so much time better understanding the overwhelming significance of the issue, I realized that I wanted to know more and attempt to work toward potential solutions.
Has your Pathway allowed you to learn more about your field of study?
My Pathway experience has allowed me to engage in an interdisciplinary intellectual exploration of social and environmental justice. Using a variety of frameworks to collect and analyze knowledge granted me the ability to understand environmental injustice and various environmental harms on a deeper level. A notable part of my experience was taking Sculpture for a Small Planet, a sustainable art class with Professor Bailey. I designed and built my own compost bin using wood from a tree that had been cut down in the Arboretum. My bin is now actively composting food scraps at home, a physical manifestation of my ability to engage in an interdisciplinary exploration of my environmental passions. The Pathway also gave me the opportunity to complete an internship with Voiz, an organization designed to empower the voices of Gen-Z college students with a passion for sustainability and environmental justice.
What would you say to students looking into Pathways vs. Centers?
Joining a Pathway is a rewarding experience, providing a low-stakes environment to explore something that you’re passionate about with a group of peers with similar interests. Because everyone comes from different majors, class discussions incorporate a wide variety of perspectives. You’ll also have the opportunity to design a highly interdisciplinary courseload and take classes that you may not have looked into otherwise, then apply this knowledge outside of the classroom. My Pathway journey has been wholly worthwhile. It allowed me to explore my passion for the environment on a much deeper level than I otherwise would have.
The Symposium will be spaced out across campus in Oliva Hall, Evans Auditorium, Cro’s Nest, the 1941 room in Cro, Tansill Theater and in Ernst Dining Room in Blaustein. There will also be poster presentations in the Crozier-Williams 1962 room. There will be no class that day so stop by and watch your fellow students present their work.
