My path towards graduation has been a whirlwind of growth and personal development. Programs such as the GL Medallion remind me of why I chose to attend FIU for my undergraduate degree. In the past four years, I was able to attend numerous lectures hosted by the Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs(SIPA), events with the Multicultural Programs and Services and even the Peace Corps Prep program. SIPA managed to get the former President of the Dominican Republic and the Prime Minister of Israel to give lectures on campus. Both of these leaders face very controversial situations concerning the citizens of their countries and immigration that have led to racial tensions. I attended these lectures to learn about the politics of these states and ended up gaining a back ground into the failures and complexity of domestic and foreign policy. The situation between Haitians and Dominicans made me realize that race issues don't always start off as just that. Typically they start off due to some instability or discontent within one group then it develops into that. After listening to the former President dissect the situation and explain the laws that the DR has concerning immigration, I was able to understand why the situation has developed into what it is now.
It was from those small interactions with other globally minded people that I was able to find my places of engagement on campus. Through UNICEF and Sigma Iota Rho, I improved on my presentation and public speaking skills. I became aware of my goal to protect women and children through my research and writing. As a future M.A/PhD student, I aim to revolve my research around the issues of political violence, inequalities and the causes of poverty.