Proposal text
Summarize your proposed experiential learning activity, including the primary focus of your activity, your intended actions, and the expectations of your supervisor and/or organization/partners.
For my leadership activity, I am currently the President of Phi Lambda Upsilon/Free Radicals, the undergraduate chemistry/biochemistry club. I have been involved in the club since my sophomore year. I have been in the process of restructuring the club to be more adapted to the new online format. I plan on hosting more activities connecting undergraduates in the department, as the department itself is large and many undergraduates find it hard to connect and form communities. I will be discussing my ideas with the team of officers and my faculty supervisor as well, and my supervisor will oversee my plans and give feedback on ideas.
For my leadership activity, I am currently the President of Phi Lambda Upsilon/Free Radicals, the undergraduate chemistry/biochemistry club. I have been involved in the club since my sophomore year. I have been in the process of restructuring the club to be more adapted to the new online format. I plan on hosting more activities connecting undergraduates in the department, as the department itself is large and many undergraduates find it hard to connect and form communities. I will be discussing my ideas with the team of officers and my faculty supervisor as well, and my supervisor will oversee my plans and give feedback on ideas.
Explain how your activity demonstrates the values of the Honors Program Experiential Learning area you selected. Rather than reiterating our definition, outline how your activity embodies this definition.
My activity reflects the leadership area, as I hold a crucial officer role for the club. I will be generating new ideas and events for the club, and will be working closely with others in the department and collaborating with members of the officer board. I will be generating these visions and ideas and developing them into concrete action plans through collaboration.
My activity reflects the leadership area, as I hold a crucial officer role for the club. I will be generating new ideas and events for the club, and will be working closely with others in the department and collaborating with members of the officer board. I will be generating these visions and ideas and developing them into concrete action plans through collaboration.
How and why did you select this engagement? What skills or experiences do you hope to gain from it?
I chose this engagement since I am very interested and passionate about community building, and since the pandemic, most of the interactions between students and faculty have been virtual. It's already been difficult building community in the department since it is one of the largest undergraduate majors at the UW, with the online format it's been even more so. I am hoping to gain more community organization and event planning skills from this engagement, and learn how to adapt traditionally in-person connections to a virtual format.
I chose this engagement since I am very interested and passionate about community building, and since the pandemic, most of the interactions between students and faculty have been virtual. It's already been difficult building community in the department since it is one of the largest undergraduate majors at the UW, with the online format it's been even more so. I am hoping to gain more community organization and event planning skills from this engagement, and learn how to adapt traditionally in-person connections to a virtual format.
How does this activity connect to your concurrent or past coursework? How does it speak to your broader education goals and experiences?
This activity would allow me to build upon my goal of community organizing since I am passionate about advocacy and community. This club is related to my major, I would also be able to connect with other students regarding course work or the structure of the department and provide guidance in those areas. I am hoping this experience would allow me to eventually pursue a certificate in graduate school regarding public policy and community advocacy.
This activity would allow me to build upon my goal of community organizing since I am passionate about advocacy and community. This club is related to my major, I would also be able to connect with other students regarding course work or the structure of the department and provide guidance in those areas. I am hoping this experience would allow me to eventually pursue a certificate in graduate school regarding public policy and community advocacy.
How will your activity contribute to the larger goals of the organization/your partners?
The goal of the club is to connect undergraduates in the department and provide resources and opportunities to those who decide to join the honors society. My involvement will contribute to these goals, as I am planning and developing career workshops and promoting chemistry and biochemistry related seminars, internships, and research opportunities. Ultimately, I believe my activity would allow for additional community building for undergraduates in the department.
The goal of the club is to connect undergraduates in the department and provide resources and opportunities to those who decide to join the honors society. My involvement will contribute to these goals, as I am planning and developing career workshops and promoting chemistry and biochemistry related seminars, internships, and research opportunities. Ultimately, I believe my activity would allow for additional community building for undergraduates in the department.
Reflection
With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of the typical in-person events were not able to happen this quarter. Due to the format of the school year, we have largely chosen to plan and organize career-related events, attend outreach events hosted by the department, and be more of a resource center than a large social group. We hosted a Q&A session with professors and current graduate students catered towards undergrads to help them in the graduate school application process, and have begun planning for a career oriented Q&A session with alumni who work in industry currently. We have also accepted the new class of PLU inductees this quarter and will host and formally initiate them into the club beginning Spring quarter. Many new ideas have been suggested by students and other officers, and I plan to continue working with them in the following academic quarter with an emphasis on more casual community building events.