The Community Service Project was the prefect conduit to expose the learning community to the resources made available. Initially the project familiarizes us with the faculty and staff. The project then allows peers to become comfortable with one another. The resource necessary for the project requires the introduction to the support centers and library. The project then furthers its goal of instilling a sense of giving back to the community with student clubs that can help with the process.
The Community Service Project was introduced and explained by the Honor Program Director, Mr. Medina, and Peer Mentor, Maria Guglielmo, who would later introduce us to the resources and opportunities provided by Baruch. The group placement allowed us to interact with the peers of the Learning Community. The previously mentioned resources and opportunities included STARR Career development program, SACC, and the Writing Center, which are all available for the benefit for the students. The introduction to the library and its unlimited reserve became a beneficial resource. The Honor Program’s private librarian, Stephen Francoeur and his knowledge of the extensive research databases would become a useful tool towards the Community Service Project and future projects. The Community Service Project itself was the catalyst that allowed us to immerse ourselves in the available resources.
The Community Service Project has made known of the available resources. The choice not to utilize these resources would be foolish and hardheaded. The library and librarian Stephen Francoeur has been most helpful; when entirely lost and confused, an expert in a field of research is always helpful. The resources provided for the Community Service Project can be applied to all classes and courses. The knowledge of the available resources and each specific expertise makes searching for particular help easy.
My understanding of community service has evolved, not due to the project but Freshman Seminar; Mr. Medina’s story about the Midnight Run expanded my schema of what community service encompassed. Community service is giving back to the community and by doing so, you are also helping individuals who value and appreciate these acts in ways you cannot imagine.
The role of a Baruch Scholar is to represent the Baruch Honors Program well. A scholar has already been recognized for his or her academic excellence; it is what the student does past academics that make the student a scholar. A scholar should play an active role in the Baruch community and the broader community. A Baruch Scholar in this sense would be a suitable role model for peers and colleagues.
My role at Baruch at the moment is that of a student. I am trying to obtain a firm grasp on the changes and adjustments of college. I intend to branch out into the Baruch community first. I intend to join an honor society within Baruch and become an active member of the club and their events. Branching out to clubs that are both interesting and beneficial to my academics still require a bit of searching at the moment. My involvement in the community itself is a work in progress that is taking place during freshman seminar. As of now, I do not consider myself a full Baruch Scholar. I am a scholar in the making; freshman year prepares the student to be able to and want to reach out to the community.
The Honors Program promotes a sense of “giving back to the community.” The initial feeling should be inherent but freshman seminar helps build upon it. The opportunities are present and provided by the school. The Baruch community and the Honors Program provide everything necessary to build a foundation from which scholars should build upon to become outstanding members of the community. I think that the Honors Programs goal would be to provide the basis and environment for scholars to want to give back to the community and make that feeling their own.
I over-analyze everything to death. A single thought, idea, situation, gesture, or question, enters my mind and I will process it through multiple perspectives. Over-analyzing is not perfect because there are limits to the number of views I have, which omits the foreign perspectives and usually the most obvious views. The over-analyzing can be advantageous at times but the negative results become the fixation of my over thinking. My beliefs on the origin of this obsession, which might have also been skewed due to over-analyzing, began in school.
In grades four to six of elementary school I belonged to a specialized class. The class of thirty or so students varied slightly from year to year; a handful of students left and joined between the years. At the end of my elementary years, I was active, loud, spontaneous, and mischievous. My belief is that the isolated environment rendered me naive.
When I made the transition to middle school, the enormity of the world became apparent. My natural defense was to withdraw. My new-found introverted personality left me with little to do but watch, observe, think, and let my imagination wander. It seemed inevitable that I would develop an obsession with over-analyzing everything.
Entering Francis Lewis High School with its open atmosphere and welcoming students made it hard not to make friends. Despite a short period of relapse after transferring to the Bronx High School of Science, I found friends who made it virtually impossible to be alone. Although I cannot say that I have completely strayed from my introverted self, I can say I have made progress and wish to continue that process.
Baruch College and its courses have an emphasis on public oration and presentation. These emphases will provide the motivation and the necessity to improve myself, which will benefit me in my career and personal life. The departure from my detached self doesn’t mean leaving and forgetting everything; the attributes like patience, tolerance, and over-analysis would hopefully useful and beneficial.
My only hopes and concerns for my first semester are to familiarize myself with college and embrace what Baruch has to offer.