Other Activities

Although  I was originally interested in the Medallion of Excellence in Global Learning as a way to showcase the work I was already doing, I was pleasantly surprised by what I've learned doing the 1-point activities. Most of these included lectures and panel discussions, which I found the most insightful. Listening to experts in a wide range of topics, such as last summer's migrant crisis at the border to the need for water security as a way to promote gender equality in Africa, added an additional layer of complexity to my understanding of the subjects. As much as I've learned in my classes, I know my undergraduate experience has been overall richer because I heard multiple viewpoints on topics relevant to my life outside of academics.

Lastly, the final major activity I completed for the Medallion was volunteering at FIU's Take Back the Night. Take Back the Night is a yearly event which promotes awareness of sexual assault by encouraging community members to speak out against abuse, emphasizes the importance of mutual consent, and empowers victims to speak up about their abuse. At Take Back the Night, there were survivors of sexual assault who spoke about their experience, not to elicit sympathy, but to empower other survivors to not let their assault define them. There were also multiple on-campus organizations whose missions it is to inform the community on what does and does not constitute consent, so as to create a culture in which sexual assault is less likely to happen. All in all, Take Back the Night was one of the most powerful events I've ever attended on campus. I was honored to have been a part of it.