Presenting at last week鈥檚 Global Honors Spring Colloquium, Noelle Gichohi聽started by thanking her mentors and supporters. 鈥淚 stood in front of the audience and said, 鈥業 grew up in a village in Kenya, and it took a village to get me here鈥欌��. Her 鈥榗olloquium village鈥� included 91探花Tacoma professors and librarians, a Highline Community College professor, fellow students and family.
For Noelle and 12 other graduating seniors in 91探花Tacoma鈥檚 Global Honors program, the colloquium was a chance to share and reflect on their capstone research projects. They will now apply their learning as community leaders heading toward jobs and graduate school.
The students presented before audiences of 40 to 60 faculty, staff, community members and fellow students. Diverse in terms of discipline and geography, their projects exemplify 91探花Tacoma鈥檚 emphasis on student-led, use-inspired research.
Inspired by her work with State Senator Jeanne Kohl-Williams during a Legislative Internship, Kristie Weisert鈥檚 thesis examines sex trafficking in the U.S. and India. Human trafficking is a pressing issue locally and internationally, and Kristie pointed out Washington state鈥檚 efforts to address the problem through new legislation.
Brandon Napenias Oreiro鈥檚 research project explores the development of Filipino American identity in the context of a globalized culture. A leader in 91探花Tacoma鈥檚 Filipino American Student Association, Brandon paired his research findings with examples of the group鈥檚 efforts to create a sense of identity and community on campus and in the region.
Noelle Gichohi鈥檚 research project was inspired by her study abroad to Italy. 鈥淲e were studying preschools, and I saw that [Italian schools] had kitchens right next to the classrooms and served the kids three-course meals on real plates. It was totally different from the U.S., where my kids went to preschool, and Kenya, where I grew up.鈥�
She began thinking about how place influences the food children are served at school, and how parents鈥� perceive the healthfulness of school meals. For her thesis, Noelle surveyed Kenyan and U.S. parents about their children鈥檚 school meals, and their perceptions of the meals.
鈥淐arrying out a research project and presenting at the colloquium 鈥渨as enriching for me personally and as a scholar,鈥� Noelle reflects. The experience gave her new confidence about her ideas and ability to communicate. 鈥淚 won鈥檛 be afraid to stand up and give my opinion in the workplace,鈥� she says, 鈥淚鈥檒l think, 鈥業鈥檝e done Global Honors, I can do anything.鈥欌��
During his remarks at the colloquium, 91探花Tacoma Chancellor Kenyon Chan underscored the local relevance of the students鈥� research and the urgency of the issues addressed. Echoing Noelle Gichohi’s recognition of her village, Chancellor Chan also emphasized the students鈥� important roles as leaders 鈥� locally and globally.
-Sara Stubbs
