Service
Time commitment: Varies for each experience -- hours to full weekends
Since graduating high school, I have had the pleasure of participating in a wide range of service activities from which I have learned a lot about myself and my community. Many of the activities are centered around providing children with STEM experiences as to encourage careers in science or engineering.
- The summer before I started attending UMBC, I was finishing working on my Eagle Scout project. My project was to build a pavilion at the local volunteer firehouse to be used for various community events such as Christmas tree sales or BBQs. The project took about two years to complete, during which I worked closely with local architects and structural engineers to design the pavilion.
- As a member of Tau Beta Pi at UMBC, I have also been involved in many service activities during my college years. I have volunteered at the annual Science and Engineering Festival in Washington DC, at First Lego League build days on campus, and at the UMBC community gardens. The first two aimed to introduce young children to STEM topics with hope of sparking interest in pursuing a STEM career. Working in the UMBC gardens allows me to make campus an inviting place for students and make new interpersonal connections.
- During the summer between sophomore and junior year, I worked as a teaching assistant for Dr. Carlos Romero-Talamás in a one-week Summer Enrichment Experience program. The goal of SEE is to provide middle-school students with hands-on experiences testing basic scientific and engineering concepts including electricity, heat transfer, and magnetism.
In each of my experiences, I learned that I enjoy sharing my passion and interest in science engineering. Seeing someone understand a new concept is great moment because I know I have made an impact on their view of the world. I also value the opportunity to create something new, such as my Eagle project. Every time I pass the firehouse I am reminded of the accomplishments my troop and I made. I am also reminded that although I may be the one who was recognized for the project, there was a large group of people supporting me without whom I would not have succeeded. Fostering an engineering and scientific interests in younger generations is a fundamental form of Engineering the Tools for Scientific Discovery. Without people willing to devote their careers to the pursuit of scientific advancement, future discoveries will never be made.
Meeting the Overall Learning Objectives
A majority of my service experiences have involved interacting with younger children and others who are less experienced in engineering than myself. As a result, perspective and realistic vision played a major part in how I communicated my thoughts and information. I needed to consider how the people I was teaching would perceive what I said and be realistic in the detail I conveyed. In all of my service activities I have found that teamwork and integrity help make the experience more meaningful for everyone involved. Knowing that I am being true to myself while connecting with others produces opportunities for creating strong relationships, even if it is with a person I only meet briefly. Lastly, persistence and flexibility is key when coordinating large projects. Things can often go wrong, but having the ability to adapt to the present situation ensures a successful experience for everyone involved.
Meeting the Service Learning Objectives
One of the great things about my active service involvement is that I was able to see a different side of my home, campus, city, and national communities. Each time I found an inclusive community that valued science and engineering and supported people of all ages who take an interest in the fields (Civic Agency, Engagement). Reflecting on my experiences revealed to me the importance of activism and involvement. There are many people who, if given access to learning and encouragement, will be drivers of change and innovation in the world. Part of my responsibility as a member of these communities is to continue providing others the opportunity to become involved and thus learn about their own interests and passions (Commitment/Reflection).
