Steven Arriaza
Psychology and Business Administration
Global Citizenship
My Views
The world we live in is more connected and increasingly diverse. Therefore, our understanding of the world must be equally diverse. Being a Global Citizen means understanding different people and perspectives as well as acknowledging the impact we all have in shaping our society.
Culture in Infancy
Learning Culture from Finnish Infants
The way a society treats its future generations reflects a great deal on the values of that culture. That is why a course on Infancy helped me further my understanding about culture. In my Advance Topics: Infancy class I explored the customs and traditions of Finnish citizens in regards to the care of their infants and parents. The different social programs in place for parents shows a clear contrast to our own culture, and I make the argument that it is these differences that help illustrate a nations values. Being a Global Citizen means understanding others, and this course gave me that opportunity by focusing on a nations future generation.
Global Citizenship
My Experiences
My first experience as a Global Citizen is as a multicultural citizen. I grew up in a diverse household and understood from an early age the importance of a world perspective. However, I do not believe this is necessity to understanding other peoples culture. My essay highlights the importance of understanding ones culture as a prerequisite of understanding that of others. Attention must also be focused on the similarities and the differences that exist. Proper communication is always key in any form of interaction, and in a diverse world this is especially true. I believe that understanding these concepts encompasses the responsibilities of a Global Citizen.
Equity Ambassador
Seeking Equity
In the Spring of 2017 I co-wrote an article for our Honors program newsletter—The Honors Beacon. This was one of the hardest essays I have written as it was filled with much emotion and conflicting thoughts. The source of this essay comes from my experiences as an Equity Ambassador. This was a committee composed of domestic students of color seeking to improve the representativeness of our program. Although what we were trying to accomplish was at a local level, the implication is greater. In my essay I reflect on the reasons why a program like Equity Ambassadors is needed, some of which are highlighted in the Honors Beacon. I have come to realize that the history of The United States has been that of immigrants pursuing their dreams and their subsequent cultural impacts. Throughout the history of our nation it has been the diversity of the many that has served to shape our country for the better. From the founding fathers to revolutionary scientists, it has been this diversity, and our Civic Nationalism, that has ensured the progress of our country. Therefore, it should be clear to see why a program that seeks to increase the diversity of our domestic students of color, such as the Equity Ambassadors, is necessary. The work that we did was both small and large. From acknowledging our acceptance of diversity to rethinking what it means to be a leader, the changes that we implemented were for the continuing improvement of our program. I believe the culture of our Honors program is one of academic excellence and social responsibility. It seeks to develop leaders, researchers, and global citizens, and it does so regardless of race, ethnicity, or religion. It is my hope that the Equity Ambassador program is the first of many that continues to give students a fair opportunity at accomplishing academic excellence and social responsibility.