Experiential Learning with Gianna

Transcript

Say hello to Gianna, a senior from Warwick, Rhode Island, who’s double majoring in Political Science and Public Administration. She’s a first-generation college student, just like nearly half of all RIC students, and an emerging leader on campus. She’s gonna tell us about the many opportunities she’s had to connect her coursework to experiences outside of the classroom. Gianna, you’re up.

– Thanks, Alex. Hi, everyone. I was adopted from Guatemala as a baby, and it’s something that’s always influenced how I see the world. My education at Rhode Island College has helped me turn what I’ve learned in the classroom into real life change and inspired me to give back to my community. At RIC, learning happens both inside and outside the classroom. When I interned at the Rhode Island Office of Healthy Aging, I was a policy analyst for the state’s only pharmaceutical assistance program for older adults. I also interned in the United States House of Representatives in Washington, D.C., helping with constituent concerns, meetings and day-to-day tasks. I wasn’t just reading about government programs, I was seeing firsthand how policy can improve people’s lives. Currently, I serve as the sole student representative on the Rhode Island Council on Post-Secondary Education. RIC has given me the confidence and the education to sit in a room full of state leaders and know that I have something valuable to contribute. In this role, I’m using what I’ve learned in my political science and public administration classes to advocate for thousands of college students across the state. On campus, RIC has given me so many ways to get involved and lead. As president of the Political Science Club, I help create space for students to have open conversations about current events, civic engagement and real issues that matter to us. RIC really encourages building communities where every student’s voice is heard. At Rhode Island College, creating change doesn’t have to start after graduation. It starts here and now. Through my classes and field work, I’ve gained the academic background and skills to make a difference, and I’m ready to bring these skills with me into law school. That’s my story. Back to you, Alex.

– Gianna, we are so impressed by how you’ve stepped up to leadership roles, both on campus and off. Rhode Island College truly believes in the power of experiential learning with students doing internships, clinical rotations, practicums, and independent or faculty-led research. Gianna, you are proof that those experiences matter. Great work.