The Social Transformation workshop for me was an exhilarating opportunity that allowed me to find a way to demonstrate my passion and commitment to improving international student and worker experiences. As an F1 student myself, the challenges facing me in creating Inclusive Health seemed nigh on insurmountable at the start. Too many resources to comb through, too many laws to read up on, and too many people to reach out to. Without the people at the Barger Leadership Institute running the Social Transformation Workshop, I feel as if I would not have been able to overcome these barriers.
One of the most important lessons I learned during the workshop was the value of thorough planning. Some of the earliest Social Transformation workshops involved planning out exactly which groups of people we needed to talk to and what their problems were. This step-by-step process helped me quite a bit in setting realistic expectations for myself, considering the massive social problem I was attempting to tackle. I remember reaching out to specific international students in order to hear their stories about healthcare in order to create a more comprehensive and relatable experience for other internationals.
Besides the workshop content itself, the staff at the Social Transformation Workshop were more than perfect. Instead of just giving me directions without context or feedback, they took an active role in monitoring the progress of my goals as well as providing valuable insight into public service as a whole. I went into the STF workshops with a basic idea of what I wanted to do, but no vision or long-term plan for success. Through a challenging but rewarding experience, I believe that I have gained a deeper understanding of planning, management, and outreach to impacted communities.
By, Yeonkyoung No
