A STLR Transformation

Yesterday I participated in the Intern UCO end of the year showcase.

            I've served as the Research and Assessment Intern for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion for two years. Through Research, Creative and Scholarly Activities, I have gained a greater understanding of Global and Cultural Competencies and Leadership. 

I dissected the structure and objectives of the following theories: Identity Diversity Development, Social Change Model of Leadership, Miami Spectrum of Service, Marginality and Mattering Theory and Intercultural Knowledge Value Theory.

I  discovered how these theories correlated with the mission of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and tied into the levels of transformation utilized in UCO Student Transformative Learning Record.

     I have combined creative and technical skill to fulfill the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s artistic vision: the quantifiable assessment of student growth in “knowledge, skills and attitudes,” which is usually qualitative and often intangible. 

            Through research, attention to details, appropriate contextualization, cross-referencing information, and tolerance for ambiguity in considering various possibilities I have become transformed in the UCO STLR Tenant of Research, Creative and Scholarly Activities. 

         This has been a great experience, and I believe the UCO Student Transformative Learning Record does give a competitive edge in the job market.

Agony of Analytics

I am the Research and Assessment Intern for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion on campus.

I research theories , create rubrics based on these theories and put together assessments to measure student growth.

 I have a knack for seeing trends in sets of data.

I'm an analytical thinker and I process better when I am able to place my experiences within a framework or compare it to a theory.

This makes a perfect intern, but  constrained 21 year old.

My younger cousin described me as, "angsty."

noun

1. a feeling of deep anxiety or dread, typically an unfocused one about the human condition or the state of the world in general.

Maybe I am, I really just think a lot. I even think about my thinking. 

I consider all life events to be interconnected, serve a greater purpose and a have potential reason. 

I strive to discover, assess and validate this reason, stepping across my responsibilities as Kalen Russell and into the job capacity of a higher power in which I don't understand.

My fellow intern and friend, Jaylon, described me best in saying, "Kalen thinks in rubrics. Everything has to have an explanation and quantifiable cause, effect and response."

Jaylon is not wrong.

Thinking critically is an amazing gift, and it even helps me with many creative pursuits.

But, “When all the details fit in perfectly, something is probably wrong with the story.” ― Charles Baxter

And as I continue to assess my assessments, I sometimes feel I'm missing out on the experience.

Sincerely and theoritically,

Kalen Russell

Sometimes You Say I'm Just a Friend

“Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell toils; it toils for the.”  Jonne Donn

        

I can grin when I am alone, I sometimes cry in solitude, I create my daily agenda, I can create and I can complete homework. I can plan events, run errands but all that I do has a limit.

I am an extension of others. I am the faith of my grandparents, the perseverance of my grandparents and the repercussions of dedication and care of my parents. I am product of a loving community, a supportive family, caring teachers, thoughtful mentors, amazing friends and a merciful God.

I am who I because of the intentionality and sacrifice of others.

I’ve always been comfortable with being alone and technological advancements have condoned a culture of seclusion.               

Technology has decreased the amount of intentional interactions humans have with one another.

Information was originally conveyed through storytelling. Tribesmenship was an essential component to individual survival.

Now one’s entire existence can be completed without ever having to physically meet another person.

Technology has made life more convenient than ever, but it has made fulfillment almost unobtainable. Satisfaction only derives when one feels they have earned something.

Despite the release of dopamine that I receive after a text message, Facebook like or Snap Chat- there is something missing.

It’s like using high-fructose corn syrup instead of sugar, like wearing an under-armor jacket instead of a coat, like eating frozen yogurt instead of ice-cream. It’s fun, it’s convenient, but it is so empty. The false pretense is so strong that you can actually go a long time before you realize how empty you actually feel.

Human relationships take time, sacrifice and intentionality.

My mom’s cousin is in a rehabilitation facility, he has been low-functioning since coming out a coma last year.

This week we went to visit him, and it was my first time to do so. In my heart I didn’t want to. I don’t like nursing homes, hospitals being around sickness that makes me feel sympathetic and reminds me just how well I am. It is humbling and uncomfortable.

In high school, I mentioned once that I didn’t like nursing homes or hospitals, and my chemistry patiently remarked, “Nobody does.”

That has always stayed with me.

I went to the rehabilitation facility because my mom wanted to go. My mom went because she wanted to see about her cousin, and she wanted to see about her cousin because she loves him. She loves him because she cares for him, prays for him and conveys her love through intentional and sacrificial actions.

She didn’t like a Facebook post, solicit prayer through a shallow status update or send him a card. 

She intentionally set aside the time to go visit.

Relationships don’t happen haphazardly, that is why so many people live empty lives because it takes effort that society has grown unaccustomed to.

When I consider some of my failed friendships, they dissolved because of lack of effort. Moving forward, it isn’t my goal to make more friends, but to be a better friend to the people I already know.

"I am whatever I say I am"

"Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth." - Alan Watts

It's easy, but kind of pointless.

My name is Kalen.

• I'm majoring in Strategic Communications.
• I like to read and write.
• I'm graduating next May.
• I think I'm pretty funny.
• I love to drink coffee and eat dessert.
• I have great friends.

I could easily list the people who have made the greatest impact on my life, or the experiences that "changed the way I thought about everything," but there would still no clarification on who I really am.

I am more than lists, more than just my preferences, characteristics or adjectives. I am the accumulation of my experiences, thoughts and interactions.

Defining oneself is intriguing, but limiting.

Identity is more fluid and it creates a bond between individuals.

i·den·ti·ty

ˌīˈden(t)ədē/

1. the fact of being who or what a person or thing is.

   "he knows the identity of the bombers"

    
2. a close similarity or affinity

Describing my identity allows for a more accurate interpretation of who I am. My identity portrays which groups I consider myself a member to, my perspective and my cultural affiliations.

I identify as a 21 year old, African-American, heterosexual female. I'm a Christian and I have an extroverted personality.

The terminology I've used to identify myself, reveals how I view myself and the cultural contexts that have shaped my perspective.

Humans are meant for relationships with others, so it is natural to identify and understand what groups we feel a part of. These associations create our identities, while our characteristics create our personalities.

Despite the words of Marshall Mathers, it only matters how you identify yourself.

And I am whatever you say I am
If I wasn't, then why would I say I am?
In the paper, the news, every day I am

-Eminem, The Way I Am 2000