Africana Studies and Political Science double major

Hometown: Pawtucket, RI

What makes the College of Arts and Sciences at URI unique?

The College of Arts and Sciences at URI is special because it allows students to take control of their education and how they want to apply it. In the College of Arts and Sciences you’re allowed to apply the information that you are learning directly to issues and topics that may be of great concern to you. The College of Arts and Sciences also has a very diverse staff; this diverse staff allows students to gain additional knowledge on a variety of backgrounds while also getting a range of first-hand experiences.

What, if any, research projects, internships, and/or study abroad programs did you participate in at URI? How did they enhance your education? 

While at URI I’ve had the opportunity of interning at Providence City Hall. The internship allowed me to experience some of the processes and day to day tasks that go into the decision making that we see in local governments. Additionally, it gave me valuable experience in listening to the concerns of members of communities and being able to empathize with them. Being able to empathize with people is something that has been crucial to enhancing my education and furthering my own knowledge, so the internship was pivotal to me growing as both a student and a person. In my time at URI I have also conducted two research projects. The first explored the relationship between labor provisions within free trade agreements and if they can improve labor conditions in the countries in which they are implemented. The second research project focused on the criminalization of Black communities and how it allowed for the rise of the Prison Industrial Complex and the deterioration of public-school systems. Both research projects forced me to think outside the box in order to fully explore the issues, and in the end, I was able to further my own knowledge and move closer towards my goal of helping underprivileged communities.

What do you value about your liberal arts education?

What I value about my liberal arts education is that it has allowed me to explore issues and topics from a variety of angles and helped me to develop my own views of the world. With my liberal arts education I feel as though I am adequately equipped with the tools required to critically analyze societal issues and be able to work towards solutions. Overall, my liberal arts education has also made me more aware of things happening in the world that I otherwise would’ve never given any attention to.