Community Compendium: Learning Stories

As a member of the 2016 Unity cohort in this year's Millennial Trains Project, I'll be traveling the USA via train, collecting and sharing stories about learning!

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My good friend Matt Bero, a fellow member of the 2016 MTP Unity cohort, design this piece of [virtual] public art for me. Matt’s MTP project, Look Up Art, focused on the role public art can play in creating a sense of community and/or community change. You can check out Matt’s work here: http://www.mattbero.com/ and I highly recommend following Look Up Art on Instagram @mbeero or Matt’s blog http://www.lookupart.com/. Use the hashtag #lookupart to share the public art in your community with Matt!

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Why I keep comparing the Millennial Trains Project to a unicorn and a tornado (an almost novella)

In the beginning of March, I began a crazy adventure. If you know me, you know I call most things "an adventure"; taking a road trip, an unexpected encounter at the grocery store, facilitating a program with a new group of youth. Being a member of the 2016 Unity cohort on the Millennials Trains Project (MTP) trip from Los Angeles to Detroit was an adventure for the memoir. There are only a handful of those: living in India, speaking at a conference in Tokyo, performing in the Vagina Monologues... these are the few that stand out until now. Now I have another epic adventure to add to the list.

On August 8th I started my transit adventure to California for the kick off of MTP. On the 18th, we set foot in my home state to wrap up the program. When I started, I thought MTP was going to be a "professional development experience" and I got great at explaining, what I now know is, the logistics. It would go a little something like this, "I'll fly to Los Angeles, our first stop, and from there myself and 24 other Millennials will take a train to San Francisco, Denver, Milwaukee, and end in Detroit. In each city we'll have programming from a local partner and then will have time to further our individual projects. While we're on the train, MTP has mentors who will facilitate us through activities and give lectures." Wow, was I wrong. Technically all that happened, but the logistic reality of MTP has very little to do with why the experience was immensely impactful. It's actual value is the part that is difficult to explain, and this is where the unicorn/tornado comparison comes in.

The past week have been consumed with me trying to figure out how to explain what actual result of MTP is in my life. To my mom, I tried to explain it with photos. To my friend Lauren who called me on the phone, I said, "I'll try to tell you when we're in person. I think my face tells it better than my words do." For Curt, who wonderfully came to Detroit the night of our arrival, I just introduced him to all my new friends as an explanation. Many people have asked, and no matter what I end up getting around to the same statement, "It's like being in a tornado or seeing a unicorn."

At this point I think it's important to note that I have neither seen a unicorn nor been in a tornado, so my entire comparison is built on assumptions I have about both of those experiences. Here's what I assume. I assume that when you experience something as traumatic as a tornado, many people empathize with you, but really the only people who "get it" are the other people who were in the same tornado. Or, if you and a friend saw a unicorn, in all it's sparkly, unique glory and then tried to explain it to someone else; your listener would never imagine it quite as spectacular as it was in person. The Millennial Trains Project is like a tornado or a unicorn. I've joined this special club and as much as I would like to share what it is like to be in the club, I just can't seem to do it justice. (Unless of course I'm chatting with one of my MTP friends.)

So with all that in mind, I'll try my best to share. I have some great people, wonderful people, in my life. Many of these people are amazing supporters of me in my any and all endeavors. I call them my cheerleading squad. Whenever I need some affirmations or building up I go to my cheerleading squad. I also have some people I go to when I need to process things. People who ask me tough questions to help me make decisions. There are a few, though I think they are rare, who do both. MTP turned out to all be the "both" people. I have this truly amazing group of people who immediately, upon shaking their hand in our initial introductions, gave me gifts. Gifts of empathy, of constructive questioning, and of unconditional support- no matter what.  

I am so grateful, and humbled to be a part of this group. We have this amazing shared experience and talked a lot on the train about imposter syndrome. This isn't the time or place to deconstruct what imposter syndrome is, but I will share that as I've talked about my experience I've said that I felt like the most "run-of-the-mill" out of all my peers on the train. They are MIND BOGGLINGLY cool. As I was trying to describe just how amazing they are to my colleague, Lisa, I also shared that immediately upon starting back at work I was feeling a distinct absence of those people. "I want to find a location where I can work to build a space to attract these kind of people so I can just be around them," I shared. Lisa said, "Oh, you found your tribe." and she is completely right. It's more than a community. It's like a family but we live all over the globe. These people are my tribe.

MTP reinspired me. There are people EVERYWHERE who overflow with optimism. People who care about things that are greater than themselves, who are more than entrepreneurs; they are change makers. MTP reaffirmed that the narrative around Millennials is wrong. The people and communities I have built relationships with are willing to make an investment in others and in their communities. The generation that I saw (and claim as my own) cares deeply about others; cares about growth and learning, about equality and building one another up, and about creating space and opportunity for all.

This overwhelming gratitude is completely connected to the unicorn nature of the Millennials Trains Project. I learned a lot from the learning stories I connected along the way, and will continue to share those. My "high impact learning" (to use my own words from my project) was more deeply related to the collective experience and relationships built. I recognize how important lifelong learning is, and the equal importance of intentionally building the skill set be a lifelong learner. I also realize how important space is. I am curious how I can create a space for people in my geographic community to come together in similar ways, so I can surround myself with more of the MTP-like minds of Michigan.

With MTP, I joined a community where I didn't have to do a dance. I didn't feel a pressure to "sell" myself in terms of my value or possible contributions. I entered the MTP space and immediately felt valued. I felt like the people around me said- without prompting- "I know you care about the world, so I care that you're in the world." and because of that I was able to be vulnerable, open, and curious without judgement (from myself or others). MTP creates a space of 100% buy-in in one another, and the idea that I could switch gears, change projects, have other missions, and the MTP community would say "yes" when I asked (whatever the ask was), is amazingly freeing. I want to take risks. I want to try new things. I want to fail, so that I can learn, and be the best version of myself for me and my community. I have on train-shaped rose colored glasses whenever I look at the world now, and I never want to take them off.

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Airbnb HQ

“To live a creative life we must lose our fear of being wrong.” -Joseph Chilton Pearce

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Makena: Please describe your most poignant learning experience from your time as a learner after high school. Why do you think this experience resonates with you still today?

Megan: “Writing 52 Cups has to be the answer. In Sophomore year I started a website, met Brett [Kopf], started Gumball club, and learned about Bailey [Scholars Program]. Bailey gave me an opportunity for independent study with a writing professor that quickly morphed into a weekly mentorship. I had an ah-ha moment that there is such great power in meeting new people, and through my experiences and my writing mentorship, felt equip to write about it. I started a project to meet 52 people over the course of a year. Networks and the power of connection, I found a small North Carolina publisher to work with and spent six months editing. I launched the book in 2014 online. I still meet people do a few speaking appointments per year. It’s been two years but people are still buying the book- I can see the power a book like this has as people continue to buy the it for themselves and as gifts to share that knowledge.”

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Megan Gebhart: (Aug-12) San Francisco

Meet Megan Gebhart. Megan is a Wyoming native who pursued a degree in marketing at MIchigan State University in 2007. Megan received a full ride scholarship from her home state and found a place as a cross-country runner in her first year. Megan was highly involved in the Michigan State community. She worked at the Breslin Center, was on homecoming court, authored a book, and was part of an original group whose aim was dialogue around entrepreneurship and innovation. What really resonated with me from knowing and talking to Megan, is how in tuned she is to her own goals, strengths, and network. She and a small group of colleagues started the “Gumball Club” in order to ill a gap they saw in university affiliated student organizations. Gumball club became a space where design thinkers and entrepreneur students could connect with one another, minus the red tape of bureaucracy that comes with being a university affiliated registered student organization. Megan, and her Gumball peers, are an inspiration to me. Not only were they active learners, but they also were courageous enough to create their own path rather than follow in traditional. You know those people you come across in life and you say “Holy Cats Batman, this person is SO COOL.”? Well that is entirely how I feel about Megan. We met as members of MSU’s Liberty Hyde Bailey Scholars Program, and having the opportunity to co-learn with people like Megan completely shifted my worldview on learning and “what was possible”. Megan’s accomplishments in building relationships and learning from others gives her a level of wisdom and introspection that I think many Millennials lack. The other fascinating thing about my interview with Megan, was the tour she gave me through Airbnb headquarters. The space oozed creativity and innovation, and it got me thinking beyond the way faculty can facilitate a high impact learning experience, but the role of environmental design as well in terms of fostering critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity.

To purchase Megan’s book “52 Cups of Coffee", click here: www.52cups.com

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Makena: Where there any experiences you had in post-secondary education that you believe challenged/shaped you into the individual you are today? Derek: "Spending a semester in Europe was very life changing for me. I experienced so much of Europe and Asia, and the main take away was seeing how other people lived. If you live in one specific locale for your whole life, its nice to gain perspective- and travel can do that."

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Derek WIntermote: (Aug-12) San Francisco

Derek Wintermote graduated from high school in 2003 and that fall because his learning experience at Montana University. Here he completed two degrees in five years; one in Environmental Design, and the other in Architecture. Derek now works as Francis Ford Coppola's architect primarily at his Inglenook winery locale. Derek acknowledged that the college experience cumulatively is a valuable one to have. He learned how to allot time which he finds helps a lot with working in the real world, as he now has to juggle multiple large projects at once. "Being on your own for the first time is a big education as well. Before that, parents often take care of most of the things for which you'd need life skills. College in general challenges you to learn things about time, money, and planning- all big things to face when you fly from the nest." Derek said. Derek also noted that because of the rigor of his program, he had very little free time to engage in extra curricular or social activities. What resonated with me most about Derek's learning story was the way he attributed large scale project presentations to his ability to now present his ideas and designs with clarity and intentionality. Those presentations helped him boost his self-confidence. That, paired with a study abroad to Europe, and a set of great professors in small class sizes, influenced Derek's great learning experience in higher education

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Makena: Please describe your most poignant learning experience from your time as a learner after high school. Why do you think this experience resonates with you still today? Brooke: "Working as a medical assistant after college. I feel that I learned way more in the working environment than in class. I learn better by doing than in a class room with lectures and tests. I tend to remember more with doing things rather that absorbing material to reproduce on a test. PA school is better than undergrad because of a lot of factors. I'm more mature now and have more direction today. I'm more focused. Working for four years before jumping back into graduate school was unexpected but really helped. I did take night classes in between but nothing like my courses now. The key is finding something you love. It makes you want to invest the time and be engaged. The first year and a half of PA school is classroom, but still with some practical applications. It's a different level of pressure; being but on the spot can be nerve wracking. In a clinical setting you're held accountable because it's real lives and you have to be competent. Putting in a little bit more time to be competent is worth it and that keeps me motivated. I need to do my best because its not hypothetical anymore. Plus in the medical field you always have to keep reading up and study because things change so quickly."

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Makena (M): Please describe your most poignant learning experience from your time as a learner after high school. Why do you think this experience resonates with you still today?

In addition to the reflections about working in the free, student run clinic I shared below, Joelle shared this story… Joelle (J): “I had a patient in the clinic. He was so negative and miserable; homeless, and no teeth. I tried to tell him that life is beautiful and how I was going to help him enjoy life his life. I got him a full denture before the christmas break and it made a huge impact. He got a job at a grocery store and a government subsidized apartment. He came back and was so happy. It showed him that people care, and reinforced how much I could do to help people in their day-to-day lives.”

M: Where there any experiences you had in post-secondary education that you believe challenged/shaped you into the individual you are today?

J: “When applying to dental school, everyone I knew was getting acceptance letters and I wasn’t. I had to stay positive and keep myself motivated. I had to work hard and believe in myself. Focusing on shielding myself from all the negative comments and be strong to not have those negative things people said have an impact on me. It made me stronger.”

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Joelle Elahad: (10-Aug) Los Angeles/Detroit

Joelle Elahad is an '06 graduate and started her Bachelors Degree at University of California San Diego the fall after her graduation. Joelle started at UCSD on an engineering scholarship and thought that career path was the answer for her. Come to find out, Joelle found engineering to be quite boring. It was through a friend that she was exposed to the UCSD free, student ran dental clinics where she began volunteering (and witnessing the large impact dental care could make in peoples' lives). She did an externship at University of Detroit Mercy Dental School in Michigan where she learned about UDM's unique curriculum and dual clinics; one at the school and one at a local hospital. Joelle pursued her program as a dentist and graduated with her license this spring. It seems for Joelle, attitude is everything. Joelle's high impact learning experiences were influenced by her compassion for others and her ability to always see the positive in a situation. A very active student in both of her degree programs, Joelle always sought out additional responsibility and challenge. While volunteering the student run dental clinic in her undergraduate program, Joelle realized the unfortunate problem that is access to care and emphasized the importance of people using their knowledge, experience, and skills to make a difference in the lives of others/their community. Joelle definitely approaches experiences with a growth mindset and doesn't seem to be slowing down on the pursuit of her lofty goals and the necessary hard work and continued learning required to achieve them.

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Brooke Pearson: (10-Aug) Los Angeles

Brooke Pearson is a 2006 high school graduate who pursued a degree at University of California San Diego immediately following high school. At UCSD Brooke was in the Eleanor Roosevelt College where her general requirements focused on international studies and liberal arts. Brooke always knew she wanted to be a part of the medical field but wasn’t sure what specifically was a great fit for her. After graduation and working for four years, Brooke began (and is currently in clinical rotations for) her study to be a Physician Assistant (PA). She considered a lot of options before pursuing her graduate degree saying, “I considered dental school, medical school, physical therapy, and pharmacy. I felt that PA was the best combo of life balance and health care; with more diagnostics than nursing but not tons of years of school like doctors and more patient interaction than a pharmacist.” Many things about Brooke’s learning story resonated with me, but the three main things are as follows:

1. One of Brooke’s high impact learning experiences came after she graduated from college and joined the workforce. It was in this environment, where she was constantly learning and applying new information. She realized that classroom based lectures don’t fit her preferred- experiential- learning style, so her most poignant learning experience came from a non-formal, full immersion job!

2. Additionally, Brooke talked about the influence working with a professional in the field that she is now studying to join was the cherry on top of a culmination of experiences, that solidified her desire to be a PA. She described this mentor as “everything I wanted to be” and now that mentorship has turned into a friendship as Brooke pursues the same professional graduate program of study.

3. The last piece of Brooke’s learning story that was big for me was her advice to anyone who graduates from high school- travel to a place that isn’t where you live. If you have the means, Brooke advises traveling abroad. She found her short time of living with a host family and studying Spanish in Costa Rica to be highly influential on her life. She says international travel helps push you beyond your comfort zone, helps you gain perspective and appreciation for the things in your life, and believes that if all people in our generation were to travel abroad we’d be better adjusted to engaging actively in today’s interconnected world.

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Officially day 1 (spent entirely on the train) and a tad of day two (in SF).

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Makena (M): Please describe your most poignant learning experience from your time as a learner after high school. Why do you think this experience resonates with you still today? Jennah (J): "It wasn't necessarily in a specific class or subject. Learning how to communicate with people from different places and backgrounds was so valuable. In college there is a lot of new people to meet, so using those meetings to practice interacting with people I didn't know helped me develop a great skill; talking to strangers and trying to find a connection, something we had in common. I use these in my job all the time." M: Is there an experience that you had, that you think all learners should have after high school? J: "Go out and do things on your own. Get out of the house. Get a part time job. Do anything that isn't where you started. You learn a lot about yourself and you grow through those experiences. That's how you really prepare for a real job."

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Learning Story: Jennah Patel (10-Aug), Los Angeles CA

Jennah Patel graduated from high school in Los Angeles in 2006 and immediately pursued her post-secondary education at University of California San Diego. She was in the Management Science program because of her interest in business. After some exploration, she decided she wanted a career in the marketing field. After graduation and her first job, Jennah was recruited for her current position as a digital marketer. Jenna’s learning experiences that shaped her into the person she is today weren’t specific courses or her program of study. Instead she noted transdisciplinary learning experiences- learning how to learn, communicating across difference and finding commonalities to build trust and respect, and keeping your life balanced- as things that were most beneficial from her post-secondary learning experiences. Jennah’s position creates an environment where she is constantly a teacher and a learner. Working as manager of a team and actively with other teams in different departments, cities, and countries means Jennah is engaging with many people and varying perspectives and has to teach them about the work of their organization, expectations, and best practices. Additionally, in a field that is heavily dependent on technology, Jennah has to be intentionally active as a learner- maintaining her training in various platforms and staying abreast on new trends. In talking with Jennah about her learning story, I found her to be extremely articulate and content in her role as both a lifelong learner and an active organizational educator.

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Makena: Is there an experience that you had, that you think all learners should have after high school? Colin: “I feel that everyone needs to get their butts kicked by a class at some point. For me- and my original friend group from high school- it was my first college calculus class. I had to take it over again because I failed the first time. This helped me realize that not all learning is like high school, where I was pretty successful without doing much work. College is different- it takes dedication.”

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Learning Story: Colin Dailey (10-Aug), Santa Cruz, CA

Colin Dailey is finishing up his final year at University of California Santa Cruz. He graduated from high school in 2008 and originally attended University of Toledo on a scholarship for civil engineering. Colin never imagined that he would be living on the west coast (away from all of his family in the Midwest) and, upon high school graduation, hadn’t considered pursuing a degree/career in biotechnology. Colin explored multiple institutions of higher education (both four year institutions and a community college) and was inspired by a great microbiology teacher to think critically about his desired course of study. That, combined with some non-academic obstacles, made Colin’s adventure to his current place diverse and sometimes tumultuous. What resonated most for me about Colin’s interview was a side thought he added casually at the end of our conversation related to this. He mentioned that he has never been a believer in the “everything happens for a reason” mantra, but upon reflection, has realized the following: “If I had come to SC fresh out of high school I would have hated it; I wasn’t in a place to enjoy and relax in this kind of environment. Thinking about it helps me realize that I’ve always been where I needed to be. I really feel like I’m in the best place now.”