LYCOMING COLLEGE 2024 FALL MAGAZINE

“I chose to study political science after taking a class with

“Empathy and understanding are natural human qualities, but seeing the shared humanity across differences is sometimes hard. By giving students a chance to see the traditions and culture they grew up with in comparison to the upbringing and cultures of their classmates and the various cultures, time periods, and subjects they study, students are able to bridge differences, see how different choices can be justified and reasonable for others, and engage more deeply with their own traditions they want to uphold moving forward. The cornerstone of an anthropology class is to help students see those who are different than them as having a shared humanity and reasonable motivations for their different lives. Likewise, students often take the cultures they grew up with for granted but learn to see these traditions with fresh eyes when viewed through comparison with classmates or the cultures, time periods, and subjects they study in their classes. College is a remarkable window in a young person’s life when they are surrounded by people who are different than them. Unlike before college, students are living alongside people from other states and other countries. Unlike after college, most of their friends are not living in the same neighborhood or working in the same industry or workplace.” - Ryan Adams, Ph.D. Associate professor of sociology and anthropology Lycoming College

Dr. Payne. Local government and

politics were never my strong suit, so I always thought that political science was not for me, but I really found myself enjoying my classes like Human Rights and International Relations.

Learning Spanish and French has been one of the best decisions I have made, and it has opened up so many amazing opportunities. Had I not learned other languages, I would have never traveled to the Dominican Republic and met the incredible people working with Lycoming’s Warrior Coffee Project, nor would I have met my host family in Ecuador who have become an amazing support system. In Williamsport, I have been able to use my language

skills to provide interpreting and translating through Thrive International Programs, where I completed a WISE internship through Lycoming a couple of years ago. At Thrive, I was doing a lot of English as a Second Language (ESL) tutoring, which I loved. I really enjoyed working one-on-one with everyone, and I was able to put my interest in language learning to work. Near the end of the internship, I was working a lot with the immigration side of things, and I loved the direct impact that I was able to make in others’ lives. After graduation, I hope to teach ESL, but I would love to continue working in Legal and Immigration Services as well. I feel so lucky, especially as a college student, that I am able to have all of these opportunities and a great support system. I think public service is so important because everyone deserves a chance for the same opportunities. There are so many amazing organizations around Williamsport that work to do just that, and I hope to be able to become even more involved with them through Lycoming during my senior year.” - Rei Saar ’25 Political Science & Spanish dual major, French minor, Lycoming College

14 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2024 FALL MAGAZINE