Tag Archives: college

Taryn Painter: Unexpected Opportunities: Developing the New History & Human Rights Minor at TU

As you begin your college career, you will be presented with an array of opportunities, both personal and professional. Sometimes, you will be provided with instances that fulfill both simultaneously. That is what happened to me this past Spring semester as I worked for Dr. Kimberly Katz of the History Department as a Research Assistant.

Dr. Katz is the advisor for the newly established History & Human Rights minor. My first exposure to the minor was at the end of my Spring 2019 semester, when I wrapped up Dr. Dombrowski-Risser’s Ethical Perspectives in History course. She announced that the History Department was working on a new minor and that any of us interested in the material covered in her class could be further explored through this new program. I loved Dr. Dombrowski-Risser’s class and found the topics that we had covered interesting and relevant, (some topics included refugees and resettlement, fighting a “peaceful war,” and war crimes, among other things). Adding a minor in this particular field of study sounded like something that I would not only enjoy completing the work for, but sounded like a way for me to better understand the world that I live in and how I can improve it.

I mulled over the minor for a few months and officially enrolled at the end of my Fall 2019 semester. At the beginning of the Spring 2020 semester, History students received an email from the Department stating that Dr. Katz was searching for a Research Assistant. The Research Assistant would aid Dr. Katz in researching internship opportunities for Human Rights minors and aid in any promotional events for the History Department. Since I was now officially minoring in Human Rights, I thought that there was everything to gain with this position. To me, it would be mutually beneficial: I would be imbursed to help develop a program that I was interested in and piloting, while the minor would continue to be cultivated with student input— an important part of education!

After submitting a resume and cover letter to Ms. Shelley Cotton, the History Department’s Administrative Assistant, I was called in for an interview with Dr. Katz. A few days later, I received an email stating that I had been selected for the position and that I could meet back with Dr. Katz to begin discussion of my research. I would continuously update an Excel spreadsheet listing potential organizations that would be interested in both providing internship opportunities to TU students and hosting a “guest lecture” in HIST 200 (Introduction to Human Rights), where the speaker can reach out to students directly about their work. Throughout the course of the semester, I completed around seventy hours of research and gathered around fifty to sixty different organizations that were either providing internships in the future or were organizations that I thought could provide a guest lecture to interested students.

Though I am not completing any research for the History Department or Dr. Katz during the summer, there is a possibility that I can continue to do so in the coming fall. Dr. Katz and I have been discussing implementing further research on TU courses that could count for minor credits. We’ve also discussed researching and reaching out to TU faculty members that could contribute some of their time towards a HIST 200 lecture. Though the Human Rights minor functions out of the History Department, it is taught through a collaborative approach, meaning that certain English, Psychology, Anthropology, Political Science, Geography, and Mass Communication courses could count as units towards the minor. Having some input from professors in other departments on campus would help refine this idea of Human Rights as an interdisciplinary study. In the future, I’m hoping to integrate more courses from COFAC (College of Fine Arts and Communication) and Fisher College into the Human Rights curriculum and make the minor more appealing to students in the arts, mathematics, and science.

While I contributed a lot of work towards the development of the minor, there was much that I had gained personally, too. Because of the research that I completed for Dr. Katz, I have a better understanding of what I would like to do for my required internship. Throughout my time in undergrad, I’ve developed a deepened interest in immigration. Researching internships for the Human Rights minor has allowed me to determine refugee and immigrant oriented organizations that I could intern for in the coming semesters. I’ve also become more knowledgeable on a multitude of issues across Baltimore, the U.S., and the world at large. For instance, one of the organizations that I discovered focuses on food insecurity specifically within Baltimore’s Black community. Much of the research that this organization, (the Black Yield Institute), completed shows the disparity in access to nutritious and affordable food between Black and white communities, and how Black people’s inability to access nutritious foods stems from a lack of corporate and land ownership. While food insecurity is not a topic that I think I will pursue directly through the Human Rights minor, it is a phenomenon that I need to be cognizant of and care about. One of the most important skills that the Human Rights minor has granted me was the skill of empathy. While it’s also an emotion that people can feel, empathy is experienced across a spectrum. The more that you practice empathy, the more engaged you are with the people around you and the struggles that they face every day. Reading the various mission statements and research conducted by these organizations has made me a more empathetic person, sensitive to the wants, needs, hopes, and desires of others— the very core of the Human Rights minor.

If I did not have this research opportunity, I don’t know if I would be as aware of some topics that I am now familiar with now. It is my hope that each and every one of you will have the chance to complete a project or research within your own area(s) of interest and have an experience as rewarding as I felt mine had been. Of course, part of the challenge to obtain opportunities is finding out about open positions in the first place. As a student in the Honors College, however, you’ll have some additional help in this area. In addition to the Career Center, the Honors College sends out a weekly email with links and information to open internships, job positions, and programs that students can partake in and apply to. I highly recommend reading through the weekly Honors College email to take a peek at what on-and-off-campus opportunities are available to you!

Towson also utilizes a platform called HandShake. Similar to LinkedIn, HandShake is a website where departments on campus and organizations off campus can post job postings and internships to undergraduate students. HandShake also provides a link to each organization posting a position, so you can be assured that the information you’re receiving is legitimate. It’s a fairly easy website to navigate, and pulls up hundreds of positions that are fitting for your chosen major(s) or minor(s). If you have a free moment this summer, I would recommend setting up your HandShake profile and familiarizing yourself with the website.

There are so many opportunities like this that are or will be available to you in the coming semesters. Whenever you see a posting, especially in an area that you are interested in, seize it! Send in an application or request an interview. Though it may be intimidating to do so at first, think of all the benefits that await you on the other side: experience, knowledge, and a deepened understanding of the topic that you hold a passion for. If you’re unsure of what you’d like to study at the moment, that is okay! You have plenty of time to discover and explore your interests as an incoming first-semester student. Regardless of your major or field of study, be assured that Towson will provide a host of opportunities for you to develop yourself personally and professionally.

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The Human Rights and History minor introduces students to the origins and development of human rights. Students explore a range of topics for the purpose of investigating the role they have played in human history. These topics include: slavery, genocide, sexual assault, forced migration, environmental degradation. The Human Rights and History minor will challenge students to think about issues historically, geographically and thematically. The minor will also investigate how human rights have been implemented, abused and restricted. If you are interested in learning more about the History and Human Rights minor and how you can enroll in it, feel free to send an email to tpaint2@students.towson.edu. I’ll be more than happy to tell you about the program and my experience with Human Rights coursework.

Taryn Painter ’22 is a History and Political Science Major with a History and Human Rights Minor. You can read more about her on our Student Bios page. 

Paris Rodgers: 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Attending College

If you are anything like me before freshman year, you’re watching college vlogs and advice videos on youtube and trying to figure out the color scheme for your dorm. The summer before your first year can be so exciting and nerve racking at the same time so I wanted to give you all five pieces of advice before you embark on this new phase in your life.

I’d like to start off with a mantra to live by: College is an exploratory time in your life. Everything that I am about to tell you all goes back to this simple mantra so if there’s one thing I want you to take away from this post, it is that.

  1. Things may not go as planned and that is ok. Don’t think that you can’t do everything you planned and more because it is very possible. However, life has a way of steering you in another direction whether it is changing your major or career goal, picking up a new hobby or even meeting a close friend standing in the line at Au Bon Pain (great restaurant btw, HIGHLY recommend checking it out on campus). The best thing you can do is embrace this new unexpected life and understand that everything happens for a reason. When I came into college, I thought I’d get all A’s my first semester, become best friends with my quad mates and I’d make the TU pom squad. None of that happened and honestly, I was devastated. I felt like I had failed myself and I considered commuting because college just wasn’t going as planned. Now as a rising junior, I look back at that time and realize that I would be so different than I currently am if that vision of my freshman year was my reality. It led me to join greek life where I made some of my closest friends, work harder in my classes to achieve my goals and join a dance group with over sixty girls which was a fun and interesting experience.
  2. Use your free time wisely. Maybe in high school, you had a few AP or honors classes, sports, clubs, honors societies and work which took up all of your time. In college, you have more free time and freedom than you’ve ever had. Unless you find ways to fill up your time, your only obligation is school. This is your time to truly explore new hobbies, people, organizations and most importantly yourself. Going back to that mantra, explore what Towson has to offer. Don’t just stay in your dorm all alone, unless it is another corona situation. If you truly want to make the most of the college experience, you have to put yourself out there and seek new opportunities. At the same time, don’t forget that you have to study outside of class and you can finish homework early if you have the time. Try to make a schedule for yourself so that you get everything done and still have time to enjoy yourself. I would recommend getting a planner and a big calendar to hang up in your dorm so that you can keep track of all of your activities and school work.
  3. Time will go by so quickly, cherish every moment. In the grand scheme of things, college is a very short time in your life. Just like high school felt like it flew by, college will feel the same way. Truly savor every moment, the good, the bad and the ugly. You probably won’t have another time in your life where you can walk to all your friends’ dorms/apartments, your food is always made for you and you can have spontaneous nights and adventures. These are the memories that you will be looking back on once you graduate and maybe even tell your kids about. I still remember my first few days of freshman year like it was yesterday and it is crazy to think half of my time in college is already behind me. So as you are enjoying your freshman year, remember that you can’t get this time back. Enjoy it all while you can.
  4. Don’t forget your friends and family back home! You may have days where you are a little homesick or just tired of school in general. Calling your high school friends who may be going through a similar college experience as you or your family can be very comforting. Not to mention, they miss you too. The first semester of college can be tough so knowing that you have a support system back home can help you get through this time. You will also be around tons of new people which can be overwhelming and at first, they don’t know you. Your friends and family will be there for you to remind you of who you are and push you to do things so that you can grow into the person that you are meant to be. I called my high school best friend and my mom so much throughout the first few months and they helped me put my life into perspective. As you are exploring Towson, remember to keep those who have been there for you prior to college up to date on your experiences.
  5. YOU ARE IN COLLEGE FOR A DEGREE! This may seem very obvious now but it is so easy to let your grades drop because you are involved in other things on campus. Do not forget why you are going to college though, that degree will be worth the struggle. I remember multiple people telling me “Don’t skip classes” and I laughed because I couldn’t fathom why someone would pay so much money and not attend class. And then I actually got to college and realized that it is actually VERY easy not to go to class. Some professors don’t take attendance so you might not see the point in going. You may tell yourself “I can teach myself the material” or “I can get the notes from my friend” which may be true. But once you start skipping classes, it will become a habit. You need to keep yourself accountable and remind yourself that you are in college pursuing a career. Also take advantage of the opportunities that may help you get an internship, a job or a mentor in the career field that you are seeking to work in. TU holds a lot of job fairs that are looking for college students to intern or work for them. The Honors College has a mentor database with Towson alum in multiple professions who would be willing to help guide you in college and beyond. The bottom line is, remember why you are in college.

Hopefully, you found these tips helpful before you begin your college experience. I wish you all the best first year and feel free to contact me for more advice/comments/questions at prodge2@students.towson.edu!

Paris Rodgers ’22 is a TU Biology Major with a Concentration in Functional Biology of Animals and a Public Health Minor. You can read more about her on the Current Student Bio page.