As I look back on my past four years at Whitworth, there are many opportunities, lessons and people that I am very grateful for. As a part of the group of students who endured the wrath of COVID-19 on their college experience, these past four years have been hard. Now that I have made it on to the other side and have adorned my cap and gown, I can say the growth I have experienced has been very rewarding.

An integral part of my experience at Whitworth has been being an Honors student. From day one of my freshmen year, I have been pushed to be my best self and strive for greatness. I started in “Reading in Action” with Dr. Bert Emerson and a small group of other students and have now ended my experience working in the Spokane community, traveling across the world and being given the privilege to be one of the Whitworth 2023 Commencement speakers. As a communications major, I was provided a variety of skills through my wonderful professors. As an Honors student, I was able to expand those skills across a variety of disciplines and experiences.

 Last fall, I had the opportunity to work at the Spokane Public School district communications office. While I was there, I worked on their crisis communication guide, social media posts and on writing blog content (similar to this). While writing for the blog was not my main project, it was one of the most impactful. I explored different parts of the organization, what students across a variety of schools and ages were learning and how all these moving pieces interconnect to make SPS who they are. Not only did I learn about some of the cool initiatives at the school district or become more educated on the governmental processes that go into the public school system, but I also saw the collaborative effort it takes to provide students with a good education. In that moment in which I was working and learning across departments, I was so thankful for my experience with the honors program because it has pushed me to go beyond one discipline and to collaborate with students all across the Whitworth community. It is so important to lean into these connections as a student, as relying on others’ strengths and skill sets in the working world is crucial to the success of an organization’s mission.

Following my internship, I spent a month in Israel and Palestine during Jan Term. This trip was life changing. While I had prior knowledge about the Middle East, experiencing its beautiful culture was beyond anything I could learn in the classroom. Not only was I in awe of the historical sites that Jesus would have likely walked through and lived in, but I also got to learn about the present day conflict, which was arguably even more impactful. I stayed with a Christian Palestinian family, who I now consider to be my own international family. Over meals and stories, I learned about what an incredibly resilient group of people Palestinians are. From this experience, I was able to reflect on my own life and realized how important it is for me to do something with my vocation that impacts my community and makes a positive difference in the world. I learned how much my actions and choices mean, even across the world, as many American corporations and the government contribute financially to the Israeli Military. I was forced to ask what my personal mission and passions will be as I enter the workforce.

Both of these experiences point back to the importance of community, something that I have also been encouraged with in Honors. As I go out into the world, there are many possibilities that await me. Across interdisciplinary lines and passions, community collaboration is ultimately what will make a positive impact on our communities. Honors equipped me with the tools to make future impacts possible. I now know how to think critically, how to be challenged and reflect rather than get defensive, how to call up others to do better, how to work with those who I seemingly have nothing in common with. All of these and more are crucial skills to my future success that I am confident in my capabilities in them.

I am not quite sure what awaits me, but I am excited to encounter my next adventures and to discover my vocational and personal missions. I am excited to develop, grow and continue my learning endeavors. Thank you Whitworth and the Honors program, for providing me with the foundational knowledge that will allow me to launch into what the future has in store for me.