Gianna Chaves

Majors: Philosophy and Human Development & Family Studies
Hometown: East Greenwich, RI 

What makes the College of Arts and Sciences at URI unique?
The College of Arts and Sciences at URI recognizes each student as an individual with their own unique passions and talents. My professors in particular made me feel like a valued member of the URI community, as more than just another cog in the machine, and provided an incredible amount of support and guidance towards my goals. I can’t imagine where I’d be without them, and am so grateful to have met and learned from them.

What accomplishments and/or activities are you most proud of while at URI?
I was given the opportunity to be Vice President of the philosophy club, which I am especially proud of because both the philosophy club and the department have had such a profound, positive impact on my life. I was also able to work for URI’s Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies as the 8th grade Gandhi essay contest coordinator. It was wonderful to be part of a welcoming team with such an important purpose, especially to do so during the essay contest’s 10th year running. 

What, if any, research projects, internships, and/or study abroad programs did you participate in at URI? How did they enhance your education? 
Currently I am interning at the Supreme Court Clerk’s Office in Providence, but last semester I interned at a daycare for children as well as a day center for adults with Alzheimer’s disease. These internships have allowed me to not only get professional experience, but to actively apply the skills that I’ve been working on for the past few years. 

What do you value about your liberal arts education? 
I used to see my interest in a broad range of subjects as a disadvantage, but my liberal arts education has shown me just how powerful of an attribute that actually is. A liberal arts education opens up a world of opportunity to students, and encourages learning as a lifestyle, rather than as something exclusively for the classroom.