For one of my Engaged Learning courses, I took UNIV390: Internship Seminar during the fall of my junior year. This course supplemented my internship at PAWS Chicago, a no-kill, no-cage animal shelter where I had previously been a volunteer. During my internship, I worked primarily at PAWS’s Welcome Desk, greeting potential adopters, answering questions both in person and over the phone, and filing adoptions electronically and on paper. My internship allowed me to further develop my communication and leadership skills, as well as interact with many of the wonderful families who provide our sweet animals with loving, forever homes. The photo to the left shows me with two PAWS residents, both of whom have since been adopted, and the video below, created by Loyola's Center for Experiential Learning, highlights my work at PAWS and why I found my internship to be so enjoyable and rewarding beginning at the 2:29 mark. The internship course I took through Loyola allowed me to be a far more successful and intentional intern; I feel that I was much better able to serve both my supervisors and the guests at PAWS by virtue of taking UNIV390. 

During my time at Loyola, I also participated in two Study Abroad trips, the first to Paris, France, during the summer following my sophomore year of school, and the second to Belize over Spring Break of my junior year. My trip to Belize, which I will be focusing on here, was through my ENVS398 Course: Conservation of Neotropical Ecosystems, which was also a Service Learning course. On this ten-day trip, my classmates and I sampled and analyzed various bodies of water for pollution; our findings were then compiled with those of other researchers and students in an effort to restore healthy water to the citizens of Belize. We also went on numerous birding trips, learned about the importance of keeping native plants and animals in Belize while preventing the introduction of invasive species, and gained a much deeper appreciation for Belize, including its natural beauty, its resources, and its inhabitants. At the end of the course, I submitted the attached Research Grant Proposal, which enabled me to learn both about coral reef safety in relation to sunblock and insect repellent and about the process of composing a grant proposal. 

I feel that my Engaged Learning course and internship, along with my Service Learning trip to Belize, were able to enhance my understanding of Loyola’s mission, thus allowing and challenging me to live this mission more fully. Through my internship, I was able to engage with the larger Chicago community to help deserving animals find loving homes where they could thrive. At PAWS, I served not only these animals, but also the potential adopters and guests in need of assistance or even just someone to celebrate with them the addition of a new best friend to their family. In Belize, I engaged with the international community by learning about how conservation efforts in this and other neotropical areas could be furthered and why these efforts are absolutely necessary, not only for the benefit of the people of Belize, but to advance the lives of people worldwide due to the interdependence of these societies. In sum, my Loyola experience was truly enhanced by my engagements outside of the classroom, and I feel that I have grown as a woman for others as a result.