For this first self-designed Honors experience, I explored my role as President of Hall Government. Hall Government is a student-led organization within the residence halls that promotes advocacy, builds inclusive community, and hosts engagement events. This position was my first leadership role coming into college and the beginning of many to come. In this position my role consisted of leading weekly meetings, creating agendas, and working closely with my board and Resident Advisors to plan events rooted in student voice, diversity, and connection. I also engaged in weekly self-reflection and adapted my leadership to better support my community. This role helped me grow in confidence while looking at leadership differently. I learned to lead through discomfort and practiced active listening and empathy which are key qualities of a Global Citizen Scholar. This experience taught me that leadership is not about control, but about collaboration and responsiveness. One of my proudest moments was organizing our end-of-year carnival, which shows all the elements I’ve learned throughout this experience and end the year with a bang. I can use as I pursue a career in speech-language pathology, where I will continue leading with purpose and advocating for inclusive, equitable spaces. 

 I chose this picture because it captured the beautiful time spent bonding with the board members of Hall Government. This picture shows a moment from our event hosted for goal setting and insomnia cookies. Moments like these were my favorite as I got to know and grow with my board members over the year. Learning from and with them was a significant aspect of this experience. 

During the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing (NBASLH) Conference in California, I set goals to grow professionally, culturally, and personally. Before attending, I met with my mentor to set goals that focused on learning from others and reflecting on my identity in my future career as a Speech-Language Pathologist. At the conference, I attended workshops and panels that showcased different presentation styles ranging from interactive to research. These presentations helped to enrich my outlook on communication, culture, and care in this career. One of my favorite parts of this conference was experiencing strong cultural unity; being in a space where others looked like me and shared my passions made me feel seen. It was an empowering reminder of why representation matters in every field. Leaving this conference, I felt inspired to revisit my own ideas on researching technology and accessibility tools. I built meaningful connections with professionals who offered mentorship and guidance. As a Global Citizen Scholar, this experience equipped me with more knowledge on diversity, empathy, and my own global responsibility. Moving forward, I will continue to seek out opportunities that allow me to empower marginalized voices through research, advocacy, and innovation in this career field. 

 I chose to include a photograph of me standing in front of the NBASLH conference banner with the fellow peers I attended with. This photo captures the essence of the experience- representation, unity, and belonging. Surrounded by students and professionals who reminded me of the power of community and visibility in professional spaces.