My ISS PortfolioA collection of work completed through the undergraduate Integrated Social Science Program at the University of Washington. Intended for my friends, family, and future self.
Whew, what a journey! I am so excited to present to you some of the most compelling research I completed while in the ISS program. When I first enrolled, I was most interested in studying global inequality. Working at a low-income community clinic introduced me to people from myriad cultural backgrounds. The patients I met ranged from immigrants and refugees to Seattle natives, some of whom were mothers, students, or people surviving homelessness. Their experiences were diverse, but I noticed similarities in the hardships they endured. I wanted to use my time in academia to better understand the bigger picture of socio-economic inequality and become a more conscientious global citizen.
I am proud to now share with you--friends, family, and future self--the progress I made. The broad range of subjects I studied in ISS allowed me to extensively examine inequality through various disciplines. By reflecting on the connections between my best work and a collection of artifacts, I hope to demonstrate how global inequality shapes our lives politically, socially, and economically. My artifacts focus on inequality close to home, or at least my home the UW campus, and extends to patterns of inequality in developing countries. Throughout the program, I kept a working document of keywords that integrated and expanded on important concepts. Most relevant to my research was the term inequality, which served as a foundation for my other two essential terms identity and empathy. These terms helped me conceptually link issues as seemingly disparate as access to healthcare, affordable housing, and women's rights. Additionally, ISS helped me become a more adept student through developing my scientific inquiry skills. Learning to conduct mixed methods research, visually present data in an engaging way, and adhering to strict standards for research ethics was critical for producing my research projects. Implicit to my success in ISS is the support I received from my friends and family. I designed this portfolio as a reflection of how ISS helped me grow as a student, citizen, and human being. When I revisit this portfolio years from now, I will think of the how all of you made completing my undergraduate degree possible. Thank you! |