Reflection Paper Jessy Hart Senior Seminar Loras College emphasizes the value of experiential learning, as well as applying

what you learn outside of class. Loras has always allowed me to be involved on and off campus with many different events, organizations, and opportunities. The ability to try and experience different things allowed me to grow as a person and find out what goals I would like to accomplish with my life. Through the Loras College Dispositions of active learner and responsible contributor I learned more about myself and the world around me. I was first drawn to the psychology field by my MOI professor Dr. Mac McLaughlin in the Music, Emotions, and the Brain (M.E.B.) Modes Of Inquiry (MOI) course. An MOI course is an introduction course which aides in the transition of High School seniors to First Year students at Loras College and the liberal arts. The M.E.B. course was a psychology course that included the components of the MOI course which included teaching what the Loras College Dispositions are, critical thinking skills, and argumentative writing. The psychology aspects of the class were challenging, required critical thinking as well as active learning with great rewards of knowledge. The MOI aspects of the class taught me many skills that I continue to use in my Loras career. One of the very first skills MOI taught me was how to become a responsible contributor and group member, we began learning this in our first few days at Loras on the Ropes Course. Becoming an active learner and responsible contributor has contributed greatly to my Loras experience. It has lead me to try different things, attend new events, and get involved in things that sound interesting to me.

Hart|2 As I became more of an active learner at Loras the more extracurricular activities I found myself trying as well as different classes outside my first desired major of Biology. In my spare time, I still do not know how I found any spare time; I got involved at Loras with different things that interested me. One of the first organizations that I became involved in was the Loras College Activities Board (CAB), I thought it would be a good way for me to meet new people outside of classes because I was so shy. I was actively trying to meet new people and make new friends because I was determined to learn how to be more social. CAB allowed me to be active in learning how to meet new people, run events, become part of a team, and learn the balance of working hard and having fun at the same time. CAB also gave me valuable work experience as I worked as the Special Programs Coordinator during the 175th year at Loras, I helped in planning and running Homecoming, Family Weekend, and this spring Siblings Weekend. The more I learned about myself the more involved I became, I would actively seek out or talk to different organizations whose goal as an organization fit with what I wanted to do or knew about myself. I knew I wanted to help people, I wanted to work with those who suffered from disease, and I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself. Other organizations that I became a part or helped guide me in my active learning journey to learn who I am and what I wanted to do include: Overcoming Violence and Empowering Positive (+) Relationships (OVE+R), The Choirs, Breaking the Silence, Lead 4 Loras, Dance Marathon, UNICEF, and Peace & Justice. I became of so many organizations over my years at Loras, but there is one thing that all of these organizations have in common, you actively learn. You learn more about each subject as you promote it, work to change it, and enlighten someones mind. I became a Peer Assistant for Dr. Bagleys Introduction to Psychology class in order to get even more involved in my journey in the psychology field and to help enlighten other peoples minds about the field of psychology. I

Hart|3 have found myself having a deep passion for trying to change someones life and an even stronger passion for learning. My passion and joy of learning, especially being an active learner started to translate into my schoolwork. I actively searched out topics that interested me and gave it a try; I also tried to apply what I learned to life. Research Methods and Statistics for psychology was one of the classes that made everything click for me. The class solidified my love of psychology and challenged me in such a way I have to be an active learner with the material. I was able to fully apply what I was learning to real life, such as an observational study conducted in Walmart to see how people would react to someone whose clothing did not match what they would stereotypically should be wearing. We also created studies that we would want to conduct in the spring section of Research Methods; I proposed a study to see the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on the Mother Child Bond. I found that PSTD was fascinating to me and I wanted to learn more about it, especially after learning more about people who suffer from PTSD symptoms from OVE+R. I was actively researching and trying to find out more about PTSD especially its effect on relationships. In the psychology field I was able to learn more about counseling skills, which became important to me as I realized this was how I wanted to help people. Introduction to Clinical Psychology helped me actively learn and be an active learner every day in class as well as outside class. We would practice counseling skills in class as well as practicing possible skills that we may have not yet developed such as being observant or being able to read micro-expressions. Being able to practice and act out possible counseling sessions would have made it impossible for someone to sit back and passively learn, I took to it like a fish to water. I looked forward to every class, and every counseling skill we could learn. We also had assignments where we made videos in groups to show our practice of counseling

Hart|4 skills, with no real situation being dealt with but a made up one. We made two videos which helped show our progression in skills. Immunology in the biology field also promoted active learning with a creative group project; we needed to make a video explaining something from the class that we had covered. My group decided to make T cell development easier to understand by connecting it something that would catch peoples attention and get them actively engaged with learning about immunology. We created T cell development ~Harry Potter style~ which took the entire T cell development and explained it using Harry Potter themes. It was a great way to be active in our learning as well as creative to be able to teach someone else about Immunology. My classes always helped me with be an active learner through the use of projects and skills that I would learn to use for my goals for the future. Loras also helped me become a responsible contributor. I use the skills of being a responsible contributor every day. I need to contribute responsibly to every group I am involved in, especially in organizations in which I hold a leadership role in. In order to make a change in the world you need to contribute or put in effort to change the world. Dance Marathon relies on everyone to be involved and contribute towards the goal of raising money For the Kids (FTK), Dance Marathon grows every year at Loras as more and more people become more involved. Duhawks supporting Duhawks is always present when working with organizations and in different organizations. Group projects also helped me become a stronger responsible contributor. In Biological Statistics and Experimental Design there was a group project of conducting an experiment which required a lot of time outside of class. My group looked at the effects of EDTA (a chelating agent) on minnows that were exposed to lead poisoning, there was 1 to 2 observations taken a day to see the effects on the minnows as well as feeding the minnows. I had two other group members and we all worked together and put our time in to make sure the

Hart|5 project worked out smoothly and worked as a group to complete the paper. It is not always easy to be a responsible contributor to a project when you have a partner that does not put the same amount of effort in, but I found that in talking to them about the work load and point out where you need their help they are much more willing to work with you and towards the common goal. Other group projects relied on someone elses data along with your own and you needed to make sure you had your data ready for them as well. The use of two different data results from surveys lead to an interesting correlational study of the personality traits of courage and curiosity in college students, this study was completed in the spring session of Research Methods and Statistics. My favorite class that improved my responsible contributing is the choirs, Bella Voce and Concert Choir. Everyones voice is needed; everyone must be on the same pitch, have the same tone quality on the words being sung, and be watching Dr. Bruce Kotowich. When the entire choir works together and is filled with responsible contributors magic happens and glorious music is produced. I always feel important and needed in the choirs, my voice always matters. I first noticed how the choirs made me a more responsible contributor when I took the January term, Loras College Jazz Experience. On this J-term some members of the band and choir, I was the only first year from the choirs on the trip, went around singing and performing Jazz in malls, churches, schools, and nursing homes. The group was very small and so everyones voice was needed to fill the spaces as well as give the music enough depth so it can reach people more deeply. Singing in the nursing homes meant the most to me because I was actively working towards improving their days as well as getting to meet so many interesting people that I may have never had the chance to meet if I wasnt a part of the group. My experiences at Loras have shaped me to be an active learner and a responsible contributor in everything I do in and out of the classrooms. I have found one person can help

Hart|6 change the world, even if it is only touching one life at a time. I have discovered my passion for learning, helping people, learning about PTSD, and working with aging populations. I would like to become a clinical psychologist so I can actively work with people, learn their stories as well help them make changes to their lives. I have even considered having an emphasis or working more with those who suffer from PTSD or the aging population. Loras has allowed me to give many different classes, organizations, and attend different events that I may have never considered taking, being a part of or attending but I have learned so much about the world, the psychology field, and even more about myself. Loras helped me come out of my shell and become someone who is very active in many different groups and responsibly contributing in everything I try. Loras College will forever be my home, and the friends that I have made at Loras will always be my family.