I enjoyed learning about different people and their cultures. One of my groupmates, Jeremy, was a Chinese living in Brazil. The blend of different cultures made him very interesting to get to know and I am grateful that YYGS allowed me the opportunity to meet someone like him. In fact, recently, when I held the YYGS information session at my school, one of my classmates from Saudi Arabia recognized a girl from the YYGS flyer, who she knew from back home!
I can still recall when Dr. John Whalen asked “Who is a Human?” I questioned my peers if they think the guy “Mowgli” from the Jungle Book is a human. The opinions were definitely divided but we all ended up laughing at such an ambiguous question of finding who is the real human. I really felt proud when the instructor appreciated my question which shaped the entire discussion.
My YYGS experience took me by surprise. It was the true lesson of open-mindedness and embracing diversity. I believe my experience was enlightening because I stepped outside of my comfort zone to try out new things. I also discovered that a liberal arts education is ideal for me!
The unique background and perspective I have are valuable and make me inherently me. This is what IST at YYGS taught me–to escape the stereotypical confines of a Dominican man and inspire others like me to not be discouraged by the low percentage of “our” people in the career of technology.
Through YYGS, I had the privilege to converse with and learn from students from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. It was truly a hub for my own educational journey. YYGS has truly changed the way I think, intensified my drive to create tangible change in the world, and helped me to grow as an artist.
My favorite lecture was Professor Shelly Kagan’s on the Trolley Problem and the difference (if any) between killing and letting die. I particularly loved the interactive format of the lecture, as he would do follow-up questions to students about our viewpoints and push us to think critically – often resulting in us changing (or questioning) our original way of thinking.
I still remember each individual who was part of my YYGS family because of how unique they were, they gave me different perspectives on major global issues that our society faces, and they allowed me to think of a new way to approach them. Everyone was nonjudgmental and provided a safe environment for everyone to express their opinions freely. It comforted me in my belief that real change can only be implemented by including different ways of thinking, it is impossible to change the world if the world is not included.
The most attractive part of this program must be Dr. Quinn White’s lecture about Honesty and Discretion. He described why people should behave truthfully through different approaches, and I was so impressed by his so-called “The Relationships View.” In this chapter, he mentioned that the norms of truth-telling were parts of forming and changing a relationship. This resonated with my own ideas about perceiving truths and lies based on the interactions of humans with each other.
Oftentimes, there is a perception that the arts and STEM can’t be combined; indeed, YYGS proved otherwise. By attending cross-disciplinary seminars, I was able to gain greater insight into pressing societal issues through unconventional standpoints.
