Embracing Diversity
Welbith Mota '10
Why did you choose Connecticut College?
I applied to a lot of colleges, most of which were liberal arts schools. What attracted me to Connecticut College was how the campus community demonstrated a clear commitment to welcoming more students of color to campus. This commitment became really apparent when I attended Explore Weekend, which is a preview weekend for accepted students of color. Besides its commitment to diversity, I also liked the College because of the small classes and the one-on-one attention I knew I would receive from professors.
Did you know what you wanted to major in when you arrived on campus?
I didn’t have any idea what I wanted to major in when I came to the College, but I don’t think that is a bad thing at all. Since I didn’t have a clear vision of what I wanted to do, I explored as many different fields as I could. I think this exploration helped make me a relatively well-rounded person and I am happy to say that I am still exploring, even as a senior.
How did you make the decision to design your own major?
Being at Connecticut College helped me realize that education is not just a means to an end, but also a way of life. Specifically, education is not just about what you learn, but how you apply it on a daily basis. For example, if I learn something in sociology class, but forget it in the future, then it isn’t worth much to me. So, the thought was that by designing my own major I could make sure that the courses I took would be meaningful to me and applicable to my daily life and interactions.
What are the advantages of designing your own major?
Most obviously, designing your own major allows you to take more classes in the fields that have the most meaning for you. For me those fields include dance, sociology, religious studies, education and philosophy. Less apparent is what being able to design your own major implies about your relationship as a student to the College. By providing you with the tools and support to design your own major, the College is saying “We do not limit our students in their learning or as individuals,” which I think is an important message to send.
Are you close with your professors?
I came to Connecticut College expecting to have close relationships with my professors and I have not been disappointed. So far I’ve had great mentors such as Professor Feldman, who is an unbelievable philosopher and teacher and has helped make my major proposal what it is today. Others such as Professor DeLeon, who taught queer theory, have totally transformed the way I view life, living and becoming. I attribute the high quality of my education to the quality of the professors who teach at the College.
How did you come up with the idea for a social justice major?
I have an eclectic array of interests and was looking for a major that would combine my many passions. Social justice is an extremely interdisciplinary field, involving issues of economics, gender, equality and education, so it was an obvious choice. Now I can take classes in history, education, dance, sociology, religious studies, philosophy and economics and they all count for my major! Because social justice is such a comprehensive major, I feel comfortable having in-depth conversations with students and professors from all different major fields and backgrounds.
What types of research projects have you done?
We are studying how dance can serve as a lens through which queer theory can be employed. I am beginning to do research for my final project for the self-designed major, to be completed in my senior year. This project involves designing and teaching a curriculum that deconstructs and then reconstructs ideas about gender, using the medium of dance.
What internships have you had?
I’ve done a few internships, including one for the Hartford Youth Scholars Foundation, which takes inner-city kids from Hartford and prepares them to enter one of the country’s top Northeastern private schools. At this internship, I helped with programming and also published a pamphlet on how to succeed in private school. Last summer I returned to Hartford Youth Scholars to design my own curriculum and work more closely with students. I also did an internship with the YMCA Rising Star program, working with adolescents who have emotional, developmental and psychological challenges.
What are your plans for the future?
Ideally, I would like to get a master's degree in urban education. Regardless of what I do, I want to do it well and hopefully contribute in some way to building a better society.
Learn more about:
Simon Feldman (Welbith’s philosophy professor)
Self-designed majors
Explore Weekend