C.L.A.P. with Science Bound

Science Bound at Iowa State University is changing a generation through science and math education. Science Bound is a pre-college program to increase the number of ethnically diverse student who pursue ASTEM (agricultural, scientific, technical, engineering and mathematics) degrees.

Students are invited to participate during the end of their 7^th grade year. Student participants must meet program requirements, including satisfactory completion of a science fair project and an essay that demonstrates a desire to give to, and learn from Science Bound. High school participants must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.0, participate in 75% of the program activities, and present a satisfactory oral justification yearly for continuation.

Iowa State University provides core administrative and financial support, including scholarships. Regular meetings with teachers and visits to the Iowa State campus are the program's core. Additionally, students participate in summer academic programs, overnight retreats, and study tables.

Science Bound is an opportunity for students to learn more about higher education, and if the student successful completes the high school program, and meets the admissions to Iowa State, and pursue a technical degree, the student will receive a full-paid tuition scholarship from the university.

Students expose to higher education, at an early age, benefit by developing a more positive attitude towards science, math, and improve their academic achievement.

My first experience with Science Bound students was on Saturday, February 25, 2012 at the Iowa State campus. Over 200+ students participated in a day full of educational events and sessions. During each session students had the opportunity to learn more about the ASTEM degrees, ask questions to students, faculty and staff, and heard motivational speakers.

At the beginning of the day I was challenged to have meaningful interactions and conversations with the 7^th - 12^th grade students. At some point, I had to stop to think and reflect on my previous experience teaching 3^rd grade and high school classes in Elsik High School, Houston, and asked myself how can I have an effective interaction with students.

I was challenged to interact with the students participating in the event, because I have been working with college students. College students are expected to be more mature, they are responsible for their own behavior and own learning. While high school students still need someone to consistently remind them about their behavior and responsibilities. Yes, there are some college students that still have not change their behavior or responsibility from high school, so responsibility is to challenge them to develop leadership and personal integrity, demonstrating respect for others, and understanding the value of individual responsibility and hard work.

In Science Bound I learned how to C.L.A.P. and how to help student succeed with P6.

Check your attitude
Lean in and learn
Ask and appreciate
Participate

P6 = Proper planning and preparation produces powerful performance.

During my experience with Science Bound I learned some new techniques to inspire the uninspired, how to have effective interactions with students. Also, it was a great opportunity for me to reflect on why I enjoy the work that I do: helping student succeed.

Relating my experiences to their experiences

The pozole and menudo (Mexican red soups) were made for special occasions to celebrate family gatherings, the tasty tamales were made during the holiday season, winter break, the pastel de tres leches (three milks cake) during birthday celebrations, and the pinto beans were cooked as an everyday meal. The streets were full of color, the public transportation was full of people with their grocery bags, and the children played soccer or hide-and-seek in their neighborhoods. But my reality, in a new town, Madison, NE, seemed unreal. The pozole and menudo were transforming into chicken noodles, the tamales into pizza, the pastel de tres leches into brownies, and the beans into french-fries potatoes. Everything was different. Slowly, I learned to adapt to the American culture because that is the way society does things around here. I was forced to learn English fast because there were not many Latinos around with whom I could have communicated in Spanish.

I learned to value what I had left behind at home [Mexico] when I tried to make friends at my new school. In Mexico my friends never made fun of me. In Madison, students were amused with me because I was the new student who did not speak English, and if I spoke English I would sound humorous to others because of my accent. During the phase of making new friends I had the power to ignore those people that did not accept me for who I was. Being the new kid in school who did not speak English was not fun but it was a learning experience. I learned that I am an intelligent young man because of my capacity to learn a new language quickly, adapt to a new culture, and with aptitude I am able to form friendships. I faced many challenges and I bravely confronted others until I felt accepted in a new culture.

Today, as a student affairs professional, in my current position, I have the opportunity to work with international students. I am able to relate my experiences to their experiences. Over the past three months I have learned to recognize that some international students are challenged to adapt to the American culture. They do not understand why in America we focus so much in race and ethnicity. Then, I have to have a conversation and explain why are we asking for acceptance, that historically has not been recognized. They miss traditional homemade food; they miss their family and friends. I have learned to ask about their experience, to create a safe-space, to validate those experiences and their identities, and to provide mentorship, resources and support.

I ask international students, “How is your experience?” I am amazed to hear the challenges and adventures that they face. I am more surprise to know that they do not have faculty and staff that ask them about their experiences. My goal is to see them succeed in their academics and in extra curricular activities, so they can take leadership position.

MBLGTACC 2012

Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Ally Conference (MBLGTACC) 2012 was hosted this past weekend, February 10^th-12^th, at Iowa State University. The conference was chaired by valerie guerrero and Christine “Petey” Peterson, both are good friends of mine, and my scholar sisters. Both of them inspire me and challenge me in different ways to see things from a different lens, to create safe-space, critical and meaningful conversations with others.

I arrived to the conference on Saturday, February 11, 2012. On Friday, February 10, 2012, and the morning of February 11^th, I was in Minneapolis with students from the College of Design visiting different design firms (graphic design, architecture, interior design, landscaping architecture, industrial design). This trip was with the purpose to help students network with firms and companies, so in the future students can apply for internships or job openings. During the trip I was constantly checking the social media networks (Twitter #mblgtacc2012, and Facebook) to get updated with all the events of MBLGTACC.

I was only able to participate in the conference for a couple of hours both days Saturday and Sunday. Saturday night I had the opportunity to attend the Pandora Boxx show, I got to see students learn a dance routine to a Lady Gaga song, and then I got to enjoy the drag and queen show.

Sunday morning I volunteered to help in a workshop session, Theater of the oppression. In the workshop, I got to see students share their personal stories through their personal movement, facial expressions, and sounds. This workshop gave me the opportunity to reflect about my own sexual orientation, and personal believes. As I reflected about my personal experiences, I got to see and listen to students’ experiences through the movement of their body, sounds, and facial expressions. The students’ stories were powerful, their tears were powerful and spoke loudly the pain that they had or are facing because of their sexual orientation.

Overall, I am pleased to have participated in the conference for a few hours, and to see that MBLGTACC created a safe-space for the LGBTQ community in the Iowa State University campus. In the conference program my name was publish under the planning committee. I did not too much for the conference, but attending to this conferences it made me realize that I need to be involve by helping my communities, and other students to create a safe-space and environment where everyone is treated equally.

Dream it

If you dream it, it will happen.

Was I hired because I am Latino?

The first fourth chapters of Job One book, edited by Peter M. Magolda and Jill Ellen Carnaghi (2004) provide an introduction of the experiences of other student affairs both graduate students and professionals. Their experiences are relevant to my current experiences. Chapter two, Are They Hiring Me Because of the Color of My Skin?- Christana Johnson, caught my attention the most. In November 2011 I was hired as a full-time employee at my current university. There were various times I asked myself if I was hired because I am Latino or because of my skills and experiences.

Men of color are not graduating. This reason made me wonder if I was hired, because I am a man of color, to help the institution to meet their numbers. I had to came to myself conclusion that I was hired because of my previous experiences, my potential to make a difference and be part of the change, and my ability to help students succeed.

Over the past two months I have been challenged to think outside the box and to implement programming for students. I am responsible for a budget, coordinate the diversity committee’s meetings and events, provide support to faculty, staff and students, and write the multicultural newsletter, among other responsibilities. These experiences have helped me gain more confidence on my personal and professional development. The responsibilities that I have, reassure me that I was hired because I am a skilled and talented student affairs professional. I am learning to be more confident in my decision-making – the decisions I make today, are going to follow me tomorrow.

I am proud that I have a full-time job before graduating with my master’s degree. But at the same time, I am starting to realize that I will be here for the next few years. This realization makes me sad because my cohort members will be leaving soon to start their first job. Soon I will need to find another strong group of friends – I need to build a sense of community. I have started my job; I will continue to do my work by developing programming, advising students, attending to meetings, and making decisions that will impact my current and prospective students, among other projects and responsibilities. While my cohort members will be learning a new culture, a new system, and meeting new staff, and friends from a new institution.