Example Enrichment Reflections (Text)

Here you'll find example reflections from 2024, which in sum amounted to a Gold Level Distinction for one academic year. Students are highly encouraged to include *both a visual element and an accompanying well-written reflection* in order to receive a Gold Level designation for a Reflection Post. 

This post contains one example in each of the following categories:

• Faculty Mentorship
• Research & Scholarship
• Performing Arts
• Other Cultural Experiences
• Literary and Intellectual Events
• Networking
• Performing Arts
• Internship & Co-op Experiences
• Academic Conferences and Workshops

Faculty Mentorship: collaborating on a research project with a faculty member (5-8 points)

Meeting Regularly with a faculty mentor (2-3 points)

I am thankful to call Dr. Celeste Lee my Mentor. She has been such a strong addition to my academic and personal life! I always look forward to our weekly meetings, but I have so much security in knowing that she is always a text or call away. Throughout my senior year, Dr. Lee and I decided to amplify our frequency of 1-1 meetings to ensure my preparation and success post grad. Upon reflecting on our relationship, Dr. Lee expressed that my frequently positive reports created the illusion of security and confidence in her perception of me. Knowing this, it became crucial for me to alter my communication by being able to articulate ways that Dr. Lee could better support me. This inherently forced me to recognize the fear of 1) being perceived poorly and 2) being let down. This relationship has encouraged me to think critically about how I can benefit from academic and professional relationships. This lesson reminds me of an old saying that my great-grandmother would recite, “Closed mouths don’t get fed.” Proudly, I can relate the lessons I was taught in my upbringing to the lessons that are showing up in my academic matriculation. 

Research & Scholarship: presenting at a conference (6-8 points)

I had the pleasure of presenting my research on maternal maltreatment, storytelling, and media representation at the 2024 Georgia Sociological Association's Annual Conference alongside my research partner Angelica Pierce. We received some productive feedback and I am excited to enhance my work and continue sharing it. We also received some feedback that concerned me. One interesting event that occurred was being interrogated about our use of the term “birthing persons” in our research as opposed to “mothers.” My thoughts were initially filled with confusion and then annoyance. I perceived sociology as a place where all professionals are committed to the understanding of all humans and society, but I was quickly reminded that early sociologists referred to race as a biological category and not a social one (which is completely untrue). The empath in me acknowledged that ignorance is bliss, and just like early sociologists, we conform to comfort. However, the activist in me knows that excuses are tools for the incompetent. As my first ever undergraduate research presentation, the nerves were nothing compared to the gratification I experienced upon concluding my presentation and standing up to academic bigotry.

Performing Arts: Participate in a performance arts ensemble (5-7 points)

I recited Spelman's values of respect in the 2024 New Student Orientation's “When and Where I Enter program. This event has been known to capture the sentiments of entering into such a powerful place as like minded individuals. It has established the standard for decades of fruitful Spelman Women- honoring the community and standard of excellence so evident throughout Spelman's history. 

My favorite line is "Let your words, thoughts, and deeds be so exemplary that people will know you are a Spelman Woman by the way you move about the earth." This line captures the virtue of a Spelman Woman and provides explicit instructions on how to achieve this light. As a graduating senior, I remember feeling empowered to conquer, to do, and to accomplish in my journey ahead when I attended WWIE my freshman year. Moving to the present, I felt elated to recite those very words to the next generation of Spelman women. I am filled with a bitter-sweet joy heading into the conclusion of my journey here at my collegiate home.  I am also filled with thankfulness for Ms Dean and Ms Cason for their hard work on the program and dedication to me as a student leader under the Office of Student Life and Engagement. 

While this was a sentimental experience, it brought forth many foundational and administrative issues related to New Student Orientation. As the SGA First Year Liaison, I will attempt to support the next FYL by supporting my concerns to administration through survey documentation and hard data.

Other Cultural Experiences: study abroad (7-9 points)

I traveled abroad to Rwanda South Africa with Cultural Vistas and GLI for 2 weeks. This is my first time studying abroad despite my strong desire to experience cultural exploration. This program prioritized me as a first generation, financially restricted, marginalized student. It acknowledged that I deserved to have this experience to learn more about myself, my passions, and so much more. By supporting me through this highly subsidized experience, I was able to take away the experience of a lifetime.

Separating myself from what I know and embracing the unknown has forced me to think beyond what I assumed that I was capable of. This trip has altered the way I look at humility. To me, humility meant having a sense of unworthiness and having such deep despair of self that one constantly sees themselves of low value. However, now I know humility as thinking so much about yourself that you care about others and the impact that you have on the community around you. Overall, this trip highlighted the importance of accountability and agency.

Literary and intellectual events: attending author talk/book readings (2-3 points)

On September 6th, 2024, I had the privilege to attend a Luncheon in Reynolds Cottage with President Dr. Gayle and the honorable Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. This opportunity to hear intimately about the First African American Female Justice's life and contributions of success empowered me. The Justice made statements about her upbringing and marriage deeply resonated with my personal life. I resonated with her experience of support in the career from her partner, as I too have an extremely dedicated, understanding and flexible partner that cares about my growth as a black woman. If I did not have their support, being as intellectually and socially engaged as I am would not be an option. I am truly able to be a student of knowledge because my partner not only believes in me, but provides an environment where I am safe and where I am reminded that my intelligence is valued. Reflecting on my experience, I understand that privilege in this space is mainly being able to focus on school only. While my parents weren’t fortunate enough to pass this experience on to me, having a supportive village is what has gotten through Spelman, much like Ketanji in her trailblazing role. One weakness of the event is that more students were not able to attend. However, understanding exclusivity and honor, I am appreciative of my second row seating in honoring black women. I am blessed to have been able to attend such a historic event that allowed me to appreciate my village and specifically my partner.

Networking: developing a professional mentor relationship (4-6 points)

Through Alpha Kappa Alpha’s professional Mentor-Mentee program, I have developed a relationship with Alice Jenkins. Alice’s longstanding background as an Executive Director and wealth of experience provides me with a knowledgeable and sound voice of reason and support as I transition into the workplace. Already, we have so much in common professionally, including AKA, NCNW, and strong engagement in social equity. I find solace in my Spelman sister (‘85) and Soror, as she has shown up for me and clapped so loud for my accomplishments in our brief time of knowing one another. I feel in my heart that this will be a lifelong relationship of learning and growing.

Performing Arts: attending performance (2-3 points)

For the first time in my life, I encountered the infamous “Nutcracker” by observing the ballet in theater. I realized that I knew what the Nutcracker was, but I did not know the story of the Nutcracker. It was a beautiful experience indeed; experiencing a first, celebrating my birthday, and now knowing the story. I was surprised to find out that one of the reasons why the show is so popular is because it is many people’s first experience with ballet.  It galvanizes grand donors all in the name of tradition, nostalgia, and love. Shortly after attending, I did a deep dive on the story itself and the message it conveys. Some say its a story of courage; I say courage to do what? Some say perseverance. Then my question becomes, well what is loss? Is that not the opposite of perseverance? Others say that the story conveys transformation and this leaves me utterly confused because they typically refer to the young girl and not the Nutcracker that actually transforms. So, I am still a bit concerned about why this story has become so popular that it has been reiterated and adapted across generations. While I fear I am quite too old to appreciate the perceived richness of the story, I did, however, enjoy every other aspect of this experience, from the ballet, to the theatics and elaborate stage props, to the musical selection and cultural diversity. 

Internship & Co-op Experiences: completing a paid internship (4-6 points)

Holding a leadership position in an internship (6-8 points)

Job Shadowing (3-5 points)

As a Social Development Intern, I have jumped at the opportunity to immerse myself in the development world at Saint Vincent de Paul Georgia. SVdP’s mission is to bring hope and help to those in need so they may achieve stability and move toward self-sufficiency, Respecting the dignity of each person. WIth three main pillars, housing, hunger, and health, SVdP aligns with my career focus of gaining exposure to non-profit organizations that focus primarily on serving the community’s needs. I love that their mission includes advancing their neighbors towards self sufficiency through dignity. This dignity is displayed even in the act of referring to clients as neighbors, confirming the collective nature of community. Through this internship, I mainly work with social media engagement, but what has made this experience so valuable is that I have the voice and flexibility to insert myself in spaces I believe will support my growth. For example, in this picture, while taking pictures for the Souper Bowl, Rene Bazel, the Sr Manager of Institutional Giving, invited me to attend a donor engagement meeting at the DeKalb County Integrated Community Care Initiative Board. As the youngest in the room, I was able to learn about SVdP’s role in this initiative, connect with other non-profit stakeholders, and engage with DeKalb County Commissioners who are dedicated to the proper allocation of support to DeKalb County residents. This initiative provides $1M of rent and utility expenses to the community through corporate partnerships and alliances. Due to my high performance and engagement with this event, I now sit on the SVdP Institutional Giving committee under Rene’s leadership. While I am not paid for this portion of my work, I am gaining invaluable experiences that continue to propel me towards my career ambitions and goals.

Academic Conferences and Workshops: attend a general interest workshop (2-3 points)

I attended Emory Rollins School of Public Health’s Destination Public Health, an open house event that hosted students from around the world with interests in their various Master’s and dual degree programs. Notable faculty, administrators, current students and Alumni shared presentations on the intricacies of each department and application advice. The individual workshops were tailored to crafting a competitive application and how to highlight one’s achievements and potential assets to the program. 

While extremely informative and helpful, ironically, this event was a contributing factor to my decision to abstain from applying to MPH programs specifically. Though my background is medically based, my main focus has always been to contribute to social equity through project management roles like my Health Equity internship at the American Heart Association. My passion for nurturing is not limited to healthcare, as seen in my professional impact. My passion for nurturing lies more in my desire to help people live better lives, and I have decided that I can concentrate more on that goal by not specializing in something as limiting as public health.