From classroom to community: how humanities in action is shaping my path in human development

Growing up, I was an incredibly shy child. I would avoid talking to people at all costs. My mom didn’t like what she was seeing at all. Her solution was to put me in after-school programs where I could talk to other young girls. I wasn’t entirely for this decision at first, but the more I went to these meetings, the more I would find myself talking and participating, something I would have never thought to do before. As I am older now, I can reflect on the programs and see how much of a positive impact they had on my life.

This realization showed me that I want to be involved in programs like these, where I can help children grow and build their skills. I started working at my local library by hosting children's programs. This was the basis for the experience that helped me start my college career and led me to the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where I am majoring in Human Development and Family Studies. 

At the start of freshman year, I was looking for student organizations to join that would help me develop more experience in my field. I joined the Illini Mentor program and have been very involved in it ever since. I also joined the Humanities in Action organization. I went to their website, read more about their mission, and I was really interested. I attended their meeting and was hooked.

I then applied to this program and, to my surprise, was named a Humanities in Action scholar along with six other students. Now I'm working with the Angel’s Youth Center in collaboration with this program, and I feel as though I am making a true change in this new community I am a part of. As a Humanities in Action scholar, I work as a paid intern for one spring semester to help in an area of need in my community. This is my ultimate goal to help children and families in different communities get the resources they need and better develop the skills they need to be successful. Applications close in October and more information can be found at https://wecu.illinois.edu/student-engagement/humanities-in-action. Humanities in Action has given me the opportunity to accomplish my goals and truly execute my ideas.