Kyle Rosa - Honors Portfolio

Cronon's essay about the importance of liberal arts definitely changed the way I look at the field as a whole. Admittedly, I use to think of liberal arts as the degrees that people chose who didn't want to narrow in on any specific subject or practice, but I now realize that it is more of a mindset than anything else. The decision alone to choose a liberal arts major, or even be involved in any of the associated classes shows an open-mindedness that many people fail to show nowadays. Cronon flawlessly explained how important it is to be an open-minded person, and even outlined ten specific traits that liberally minded person typically show. From having good listening and hearing skills to the ability to solve a wide array of problems, these are all traits that any person would consider desirable, so why not pursue that sort of mindset?

Personally, I am hoping that my studies in the IT field, while teaching me how to solve specific problems related to computers, will also strengthen me with a stronger mind to tackle all sorts of problems that I might face in the future. Skills I have learned in the classroom have certainly helped me in the past, such as my previous experience with computers coming in handy as I tackle courses like Computer Programming and other complicated computer-based classes.

In the past, most of my community and volunteering work has revolved around theater. On top of performing in the show/musical, many community theater companies ask that the actors help out with many of the behind-the-scenes responsibilities, such as building the set or managing/finding costumes for the performance. I have always loved helping out beyond just being a performer, as it helps enforce the sense of community and teamwork that is heavily involved in most theater groups. It is also very satisfying to see your hard work pay off in the final production, as many community theater shows would not be possible without the help of volunteers both inside and outside of the cast. I have also had a few wonderful opportunities to help choreograph and teach upcoming performers, which has definitely given me a new perspective on how important all aspects of a musical production can be.

On top of my involvement with community theater, my other major communities revolve around my college and work life. I hope to make many friends and help solve problems in both of these areas, and that those experiences will help me grow as a person. I believe that the honors program is going to influence this in a positive way, providing ways to serve that might have not been available to me otherwise. I am still planning on staying involved with performing arts, but I am excited to see what new experiences are in store for me!

Overall, the Group Project went very well with my group! There were no specific problems with any members of the group, and I think everything came together and we were able to give a solid presentation. The communication between the group started out really consistent at the start of the project, and we met multiple times on campus to talk over how we were going to organize everything and who was going to do what. Although we didn't meet as much as we got closer to presentation time, we were able to keep communication fairly consistent over a group chat we made on GroupMe

The assignment was a very fun and interesting experience overall! I really liked being able to be a part of a group, and it was super cool to see everyone compare the volunteering experience they found and why they thought it would be a good fit for them. I also had a great time watching the other groups present their topics, and I definitely learned a lot from it!