extracurriculars
"Education doesn’t only happen in the classroom. In CEP, we encourage you to incorporate other forms of learning into your ISP that augment and enhance your learning goals. These commitments often take a significant amount of time, but they also contribute to your learning and broader educational goals."
Below, I outline the different extracurriculars I've been involved in at UW. Take a look at what an average husky gets up to on campus.
Study Abroad
London + Paris: Art Scene Past and Present
I had the opportunity to embark on a study abroad in August of 2018 for Early Fall Start. The program was called London + Paris: Art Scene Past and Present and explored both classical and contemporary art through painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, installation, street art, printmaking, and design. Led by UW faculty from the art department, the program also exposed students to local curators and art historians who offered insight and guidance as we explored museums, including the Tate Modern, the V&A Museum, Musée d'Orsay, and the Louvre.
Since I was a little kid, it was always a dream of mine to travel to Europe and study art and art history while getting the chance to paint and sketch. This was the perfect opportunity, for both personal and educational reasons. I was able to not only experience different cultures but also create new friendships and gain some independence traveling abroad without family.
My study abroad was an incredible experience that helped me realize even more how much I loved traveling, learning about new cultures, and taught me the importance of independence and self-reflection. I spent so many afternoons walking along the Thames River thinking about how meaningful the arts are in my life and to communities are large. Studying abroad definitely reinforced my desire to continually include creative, artistic elements into my educational goals and has even inspired components of my senior capstone project.
Getting Involved
Clubs, Committees, Volunteering, oh my!
Being a student at UW has given me many opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities on campus. Outside of my study abroad experience, I've spent time volunteering at the Chinese Information and Service Center (CISC) as part of a Service Learning opportunity through a class. The CISC, located in the International District, is a community center that aims to help Chinese-speaking community members with services such as job applications, taxes, voter registration, and supplemental classes to support those who are new to the country or would benefit from a Chinese cultural center. As a volunteer, I assisted with the after-school program and lent in-class support to the teacher of a 4th and 5th grade class. After completing my hours, I continued to volunteer at the CISC in the same position and during the summer for their English-learning summer camp program. I loved volunteering at the CISC, especially with the after-school program, because of my own heritage and culture and I enjoy working with kids. It was a great opportunity for community engagement with a wonderful center that has helped many in their community.
The summer before my senior year, I became involved with starting a Registered Student Organization (RSO) on campus called Dynamic Wellness Hour (DWH). The club, founded by a good friend of mine, promotes healthy lifestyles and behaviors be bridging the gap between art and sciences. Our mission is to cultivate spaces and environments that support mental health through creative expression, such as vision boards and yoga. I serve as the Director of Graphic Design and generate promotional materials and designs for the club. I love working with peers who are equally passionate about the importance of mental health especially at a competitive university where stress seems inevitable.
Being in CEP has also given me opportunities to go beyond my "class" requirements to become more involved in different committees. During my junior year, I was part of the committee that planned the annual Senior Project Night that celebrated 9-month long research projects from our senior cohort. Volunteering to be part of the committee was a great experience; along with my peers, I helped redesign the event to an online virtual format in response to the pandemic. I also spearheaded many graphic design and marketing campaigns to hype up the event and spread the word to family, friends, faculty, UW students, and alumni. I loved being able to work creatively with my peers and tackle the challenge of creating community engagement in an unprecedented time. The experience reiterated my love for creating space that celebrates the hard work and visions of people in my community.
