[{"id":63,"date":"2022-04-25T19:05:24","date_gmt":"2022-04-25T19:05:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/?page_id=63"},"modified":"2022-04-27T18:53:59","modified_gmt":"2022-04-27T18:53:59","slug":"essay-on-leadership-growth","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/essay-on-leadership-growth\/","title":{"rendered":"Essay on Leadership Growth"},"content":{"rendered":"

Evolving Definition of Leadership: Leadership is a process, not a position.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Being a member of the School of Public Affairs Leadership Program for the past four years has been one of the greatest professional experiences of my life. Prior to joining SPA Leadership, my definition of leadership focused on observational traits. For instance, I considered the definition of leadership merely the state of being in a position as a leader, such as the leader of a company, country, political party, student government, and more. During my time at American University, and even in the past several months taking the SPA Leadership Capstone, I have realized that the definition of leadership is more than just filling a position. Throughout the past four years of studying leadership in theory and in practice, my definition of leadership has evolved and changed–for the better. I now recognize that the definition of leadership is subjective–like an orange–and can be interpreted in many diverging ways. There are multiple theories and types of leadership scholars use to define leaders, which I have been exposed to over the past four years. However, my definition of leadership most aligns with transformational and adaptive leadership. I have learned that leadership is a process, not a position, by combining the elements of transformational and adaptive leadership into my definition.<\/p>\n

Transformational and adaptive leadership, to me, are the most authentic way to define leadership because both stipulate that great leaders are made, not born. Transformational leaders elevate the interests of their followers and empower them to achieve their highest potential and objectives, even encouraging followers to become leaders themselves. Transformational leaders are trusted more by their followers because they are charismatic and empathetic, two essential traits for leaders to have to wield power and influence as authentic leaders. In addition, adaptive leadership is when leaders mobilize followers, empowering them to tackle challenges and obstacles that hinder their goals. Adaptive leaders learn how to change their methods and practices to address the situation at hand successfully and thrive. My definition of leadership is a combination of both transformational and adaptive leadership. True leaders empower others and are adaptable to appropriately respond to external circumstances. The hallmark of a true leader in the face of crisis, such as John F. Kennedy addressing the Cuban Missile Crisis, is responding to external circumstances in a way that provides the best outcome for followers and results in the least amount of harm. This is a process, further stipulating that leadership is a process, not a position.<\/p>\n

Increased Self-Awareness and General Leadership Awareness:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Over the past four years, I have completed coursework on advanced leadership studies in SPA Leadership. This experience has increased my self-awareness and awareness of others in relation to leadership. I have not only become more mindful of my own words, thoughts, and actions, but I have also become more outwardly confident in myself and my abilities. I have become a better communicator in all mediums–oral, written, and interpersonal. I learned that being a successful leader is not about having the biggest ego or being the loudest in a room. In fact, to be a good leader it is important to let go of one’s ego for the greater good to solve problems, work well with others, be adaptable, and, overall, successful. I have become more aware of others’ leadership styles through short and long-term group work. As an individual and when analyzing others, I have learned that leadership is about putting oneself out there ethically and working hard at work worth doing–that is, something you are (ideally) passionate about.<\/p>\n

The experience that best helped me grow as a leader since my freshman year was being a student in the Immigration and Refugee Rights Issue Group with five other SPA Leadership students. I felt supported by the program, specifically by my Teaching Assistant at the time. She empowered my group and me to a level that I aspired to become a leader in the program myself. I applied to be a First-Year Teaching Assistant the next spring. There was a panel interview that I needed to go through that I was nervous about. I felt insecure about my qualifications and abilities, and I was intimidated by the fact that I would be interviewed by an entire group. However, once I got in there, I became more confident in myself and my abilities and was able to relax and succeed in the interview. I ultimately became a First-Year Teaching Assistant. Being a leader in SPA Leadership, then as a First-Year Teaching Assistant, and now as a Second-Year Teaching Assistant, while navigating the coronavirus pandemic in both roles, has been a challenging but rewarding experience. Working to motivate and encourage my students to complete excellent social action projects during these unprecedented times has been a difficult task. I have learned that it is important to be empathetic, accommodating, and supportive of others on an internal team, and towards one’s followers, as a leader. This kindness, of course, must also be applied internally towards oneself. One cannot be successful in any professional relationship if they do not value nor take care of themselves.<\/p>\n

Collaborative Skills:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

I have demonstrated the skills to work collaboratively during my time in SPA Leadership. In my first year, I worked on a year-long social action project on a team. From playing team sports at a young age to now, I recognize that teamwork is a part of life and one will end up working on a team at least multiple times in their life. The most important component of working collaboratively is communication. Communicating well with others is essential to working well with others. Open communication does not mean that one needs to divulge every detail of their life but simply needs to notify others of what they are capable of accomplishing under their current professional and personal circumstances. If one is able to communicate openly and honestly, other collaborative skills such as dependability or loyalty to a team, in my opinion, come easily. From SPA Leadership and other classes to internships and full-time jobs, this program has prepared me to work on a diverse array of group projects and professional teams.<\/p>\n

Applying Leadership Theoretically and Practically:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

I have built upon my theoretical and practical knowledge of leadership during my tenure with SPA Leadership Program. Throughout all my coursework in the program, I studied leadership theory and then applied it in practice on community-based or university-based projects. This was done through a problem-solution approach. For instance, during my second year in SPA Leadership, I completed my own individual, community-oriented, social action project. For my social action project, \u201cProject Food Oasis,\u201d I studied urban food deserts in Washington, D.C., specifically in Wards 7 and 8, from an intersectional perspective. The first phase of my project focused on the causes of food deserts in the city related to unfavorable policy outcomes and the adverse impacts they have on marginalized groups. For my research question, I asked:<\/p>\n

“What is a food desert? Are there food deserts in the Washington, D.C. area? If so, how are D.C. communities and their residents affected by food deserts?”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I spent an entire semester answering this research question through extensive qualitative and quantitative research, which I communicated in literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, policy memos, grant proposals, and other academic deliverables. Based on the information I gathered over numerous months, I determined a community-centered solution to help alleviate the adverse consequences of food deserts in D.C.’s Wards 7 and 8 from my research. Phase two of my community project, applying leadership in practice, involved volunteer work with Martha’s Table, which was disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, I was fortunate enough to apply leadership in practice during my first year in the program on my group social action project.<\/p>\n

I worked on a team with 6 other students to complete my first year-long social action project on immigration and education policy. Our project, titled \u201cImproving Services for Immigrants and Refugees In D.C. Schools,\u201d sharpened my policy-oriented thinking as I developed a method to enhance immigration policy in relation to education. My team and I conducted independent and group research and interviewed non-profit leaders, local elected officials, and residents to inform our academic deliverables. For the implementation phase of our project, applying leadership practically, we had the opportunity to collaborate with an immigrant support group in the DMV area. My teammates and I presented a college preparatory workshop with information pertaining to different areas of the college application process. From these experiences, SPA Leadership taught me how to apply leadership theory to practice.<\/p>\n

Leadership Development:\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The ways I am now a better leader because of SPA Leadership are my increased confidence and tenacity in seeking out opportunities to enhance my leadership development and improving my hard and soft professional skills. I have engaged in leadership behaviors. As previously mentioned, I sought out the opportunity to enhance my leadership development by becoming a Teaching Assistant. I engaged in leadership behavior because I actively sought out a mentorship role that would allow me to learn how to guide and empower others. I also took the initiative to apply to be a Shift Supervisor at my other campus job at the AU Museum at the Katzen Arts Center. As a result of my experience being a Teaching Assistant and a student in SPA Leadership, I obtained the promotion and led a large team of students through daily operations at a prominent political art museum. These experiences made me more confident as a student and professional. I finally understood the advice from my mother on the importance of taking initiative in getting the things you want out of life. And I took that initiative during my time at American University. I did not have as many opportunities in public affairs as I would like outside of my coursework, therefore, I made the time to learn the skills I needed in my roles as a Teaching Assistant and a Shift Supervisor. I supported the graphic design and social media efforts in some capacity at both jobs. I am self-taught with Canva, Microsoft Office, Google Drive, digital and social media design, and database management as a result of my many jobs and internships throughout the past four years. This has allowed my soft skills such as adaptability, communication, creativity, and problem-solving to emerge and thrive. Taking initiative and being a leader in the spaces that I occupied during my time on campus allowed me to absorb diverse perspectives and become a more thoughtful individual and communicator. Thus, I leave the SPA Leadership Program a better leader than I had entered.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Evolving Definition of Leadership: Leadership is a process, not a position. Being a member of the School of Public Affairs Leadership Program for the past four years has been one of the greatest professional experiences of my life. Prior to joining SPA Leadership, my definition of leadership focused on observational traits. For instance, I considered […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2649,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-63","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","content-columns-1"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/63","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2649"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/63\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":61,"date":"2022-04-25T19:04:49","date_gmt":"2022-04-25T19:04:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/?page_id=61"},"modified":"2022-04-26T18:45:00","modified_gmt":"2022-04-26T18:45:00","slug":"spa-leadership-program-reflective-essays","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/spa-leadership-program-reflective-essays\/","title":{"rendered":"SPA Leadership Program Reflections"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The School of Public Affairs Leadership Program is an honors program within the School of Public Affairs at American University. Following a competitive application process as incoming first-year students, selected students will complete the 15-credit course of study that culminates in a Certificate in Advanced Leadership Studies. The Certificate in Advanced Leadership Studies Program was launched in 1990 for students to receive the experience, skills, and knowledge to prepare them for leadership roles in public service. The mission of the program is to empower students by providing them with the leadership knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to lead intelligent, creative, and compassionate lives in public affairs.<\/p>\n

Increased Knowledge of Leadership:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Being a member of the School of Public Affairs Leadership Program was a life-changing experience. I had the opportunity to learn about leadership theory and then apply that theory to practice throughout my four years at American University, significantly increasing my knowledge of authentic leadership. During my first year in the program, I worked on a team with 6 other students to complete my first year-long social action project on immigration and education policy. Our project, titled “Improving Services for Immigrants and Refugees In D.C. Schools,” sharpened my policy-oriented thinking as I developed a method to enhance immigration policy in relation to education. My team and I interviewed non-profit leaders, local elected officials, and residents. I had the opportunity to collaborate with an immigrant support group in the DMV area and presented a college preparatory workshop with information pertaining to different areas of the college application process. This experience enhanced my knowledge of leadership because it taught me how to properly work on a team towards a long-term deliverable. I learned to trust my teammates and that anyone on a team can be a leader as long as they are putting their best foot forward. Working on a team was a rewarding leadership experience because I was further exposed to my strengths as a leader and was able to successfully contribute to the group.<\/p>\n

My second year in SPA Leadership was challenging but ultimately rewarding and instrumental to my growth and knowledge as a leader. I became a First-Year Teaching Assistant, which meant I was leading 6 other students through their team social action project while completing my own project individually. For my social action project, “Project Food Oasis,” I studied urban food deserts in Washington, D.C., specifically in Wards 7 and 8, from an intersectional perspective. The first phase of my project focused on the causes of food deserts in the city related to unfavorable policy outcomes and the adverse impacts they have on marginalized groups. Phase two of my community project, which involved volunteer work with Martha’s Table was disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This experience increased my knowledge of leadership because I learned to become more adaptable and accommodating my and my students’ projects to still make an impact at a time when the Washington, D.C. community needed assistance the most. I carry this experience with me now because I learned that the hallmark of a true leader is not necessarily sticking to a plan, it is accommodating internal and external circumstances to maximize impact as much as possible. I learned in class that leaders are made and not born, and this circumstance increased my knowledge of authentic leadership and enhanced my capabilities as a leader.<\/p>\n

During the rest of my time in the SPA Leadership Program, from completing an internship for credit to our capstone, my knowledge of leadership has significantly increased. I am more capable of applying the leadership theories that we learn in class to real-life situations.<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

How SPA Leadership Changed my View of Leadership:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The School of Public Affairs Leadership Program drastically changed my views on leadership. I applied to this program unsure of what it was as an incoming freshman, not expecting to get accepted nor knowing what I was getting myself into. I certainly did not consider myself a leader by any means either.\u00a0 However, SPA Leadership changed all my conceptions of what a leader actually is. I learned that anyone can be a leader. I thought that leaders had to be extremely outgoing, dominating, and intense to be seen as legitimate, similar to those leaders one would find under the Great Man Theory such as George Washington. However, we learned about different leadership traits, theories, and scholarly work that spoke to the contrary. Hard-working, dependable, and analytical personalities who are maybe a bit more reserved, like me, can also be great leaders. Learning these lessons made me more confident in myself and capable of my abilities. I put myself out there more and pursued my interests wholeheartedly. I became a leader within SPA Leadership, a role I never anticipated myself as a first-year student. Eventually, I was able to take on opportunities in government and the private sector in public affairs, policy, and communications, as a result of my more optimistic outlook on leaders.<\/p>\n

Key Takeaway: <\/strong><\/h3>\n

One key takeaway from the School of Public Affairs Leadership Program is the importance of being able to work well with others; successful leaders do not get where they are alone. To be a great leader, one needs to connect with others and garner their support. From working on a year-long group project as a freshman to group projects in our capstone and working on the SPA Leadership student e-board as a First and Second Year Teaching Assistant, the only constant was the necessity to work well professionally with my teammates. In most, if not all careers, there is some component where one will find themselves needing to work and interact with others. Therefore, the most important takeaway from SPA Leadership is the necessity to learn how to work well with others toward something bigger than oneself. This, to me, is the true hallmark of a leader.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 The School of Public Affairs Leadership Program is an honors program within the School of Public Affairs at American University. Following a competitive application process as incoming first-year students, selected students will complete the 15-credit course of study that culminates in a Certificate in Advanced Leadership Studies. The Certificate in Advanced Leadership Studies Program […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2649,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-61","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","content-columns-1"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/61","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2649"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/61\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":51,"date":"2020-10-26T22:35:34","date_gmt":"2020-10-26T22:35:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/?page_id=51"},"modified":"2022-04-26T03:07:50","modified_gmt":"2022-04-26T03:07:50","slug":"my-internship-experience","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/my-internship-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"My Leadership Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Photo of Sofia taken on a work trip at Harper’s Ferry, WV for DOI & NPS.<\/em><\/p>\n

Throughout my past four years at American University and as a member of the School of Public Affairs Leadership Program, I have had a diverse array of robust leadership and professional opportunities.<\/p>\n

Communications Associate, Coalition for the National Museum of the American People (January 2022-April 2022):\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u00a0I served as a Communications Associate for the Coalition for the National Museum of the American People, a proposed museum that will tell all histories of immigration and migration in the United States. As a Communications Associate, I drafted a wide range of communication materials including blog posts,<\/a> news releases<\/a>, fact sheets,<\/a> digital and social<\/a> media content, talking points, media, and influencer target lists, and more to support my client\u2019s efforts in encouraging President Biden to release an executive order for the feasibility of a museum on the history of immigration in the U.S. I also built upon my web design experience from Interior and supported design efforts for the Coalition’s website. In addition, I provided research and monitored the media for news-related clients and relevant issues daily while designing relevant long-lasting strategic communications initiatives and programs. My proudest accomplishment was coordinating all technical and content logistics as the moderator of a scholarly panel on the impact of immigration in the U.S. with 95 attendees. I enjoyed facilitating a thoughtful dialogue on an important topic in American history.<\/p>\n

Sine Associate for Juli\u00e1n Castro, School of Public Affairs, American University (January 2022-April 2022):\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I was selected to serve as a Sine Associate for the Sine Institute of Policy and Politics for Juli\u00e1n Castro in the Spring 2022 semester. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the former HUD Secretary on developing a seminar series on combating economic inequities through the policy process at all levels of government. Secretary Castro brought a diverse array of speakers to campus from current HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge to Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and more members of Congress and local government officials. To support Secretary Castro’s efforts, I served as a liaison between American University’s Sine Institute of Policy & Politics, student media, guest lecturers, and Juli\u00e1n Castro himself, while coordinating logistics, presentations, and producing promotional materials for seminars for public release.<\/p>\n

Digital Media Fellow at the Department of the Interior (June 2021-present):\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the last year, I have had the incredible opportunity to serve as a Digital Media Fellow at the Department of the Interior, working with the National Park Service. As a member of the Equity and Inclusion team within my role as a Digital Media Fellow, I am creating strategic messaging campaigns promoting nationwide equity and inclusion and public health training opportunities for park rangers in English and Spanish. I am utilizing Microsoft Office and InDesign to design accessible web content for approximately 14,000 NPS employees on the internal platform \u201cInside NPS\u201d to raise awareness of the Interior’s equity and inclusion initiatives. I am also crafting policy and budget proposals for Congress to acquire federal funding for equity and inclusion programming for the National Park Service. In addition, I am also designing public NPS.gov websites and news content using a WordPress content management system. My most recent project was an interpretive awards campaign. This has been my most rewarding professional experience yet. Serving as a federal contractor for Interior through the Hispanic Access Foundation has been the honor of a lifetime. I am grateful to continue serving as a contractor s after I graduate and begin my full-time job.<\/p>\n

Legal Intern at a Washington, D.C.-based firm (August 2020-January 2021): <\/strong>During the fall of 202, I completed a virtual internship at a non-governmental organization, Advocates Public Adjusting Firm, LLC. Public Adjusting Firm, LLC. The chief aim of Advocates Public Adjusting Firm, LLC. is to adjust insurance claims to accurately convey the damages to clients\u2019 properties on behalf of contractors to receive the most coverage possible from insurance carriers. I was a Public Adjusting Intern for my supervisor, a lawyer who negotiates with insurance companies to get better deals for clients. In this position, I introduced insurance companies’ cases, scheduled inspections, maintained close contact with contractors, homeowners, and insurance companies, drafted correspondence in all stages of the case, assessed what actions need to be taken, and maintained the firm’s programming system. Additionally, I conducted a marketing project for the firm to recruit new clients. For this project, I am designing a Facebook Business Page for the firm and cold calling different contractors.<\/p>\n

Interning for Advocates Public Adjusting Firm, LLC. was never boring. There were always new updates coming in, and people who needed assistance. I am always on tight deadlines that I needed to meet to move the cases forward properly. It is essential to have organizational skills to succeed in this internship. Before starting this internship, I became a more organized person, and I would say that I have been successful in this regard.<\/p>\n

Shift Supervisor, American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center (August 2019-April 2022):\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

While juggling a full course load as a double major in Public Relations and Political Science, along with internships and extracurriculars, I worked as a Shift Supervisor at a political art museum. As a shift supervisor, I led Gallery Attendants through day-to-day museum operations to ensure visitor compliance, safety, and smooth implementation of museum events, such as Accepted Students Day, and gallery openings. I also greeted visitors, checked their proof of vaccination, and informed them about the museum’s exhibits while promoting art for sale in person and via telephone. I was able to sell 100+ catalogs total. In addition, I was also able to build upon my social media skills. I wrote captions and took photographs for the AU Museum’s Instagram with 3,000+ followers.<\/p>\n

Legislative Intern for Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ-06) (May 2019-August 2019):\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

During the summer of 2019, I had the opportunity to work as a legislative intern for Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. in his district office in Long Branch, NJ. In this role, I conducted policy research for district-based projects including constituent cases, and created memos highlighting why specific issues applied to constituents and the greater community. I also monitored the media for news related to Congressman Pallone, NJ-06, the Congressman’s work as Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Community. In addition, I did administrative projects including documenting phone calls, organizing office space, and maintaining constituents’ files; I got to work on one exciting project in this realm with the National Archives to ensure that case files were properly updated and maintained.\u00a0I enjoyed interning for Congressman Pallone and I learned a lot about the legislative process along with the importance of supporting constituents in the district.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

First and Second Year Teaching Assistant for the School of Public Affairs Leadership Program (March 2019-May 2022):\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"I served as both a First Year and Second Year Teaching Assistant for SPA Leadership from March 2019-May 2022. Over the past three years, I have worked with 12 students on numerous social justice projects. I guided these first and second-year students through their respective projects, supporting them through weekly advisory meetings, editing content, and liaising with program staff weekly about their progress. My favorite part of these roles was event planning. I organized on-campus and off-campus events to provide first-year and second-year students at American University access to networking opportunities and build camaraderie between the SPA Leadership Program and the American University community. Mentorship is an essential component of leadership, and I am incredibly proud of each of my students.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Photo of Sofia taken on a work trip at Harper’s Ferry, WV for DOI & NPS. Throughout my past four years at American University and as a member of the School of Public Affairs Leadership Program, I have had a diverse array of robust leadership and professional opportunities. Communications Associate, Coalition for the National Museum […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2649,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-51","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","content-columns-1"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/51","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2649"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/51\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":19,"date":"2018-06-26T15:56:39","date_gmt":"2018-06-26T15:56:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/spatemplate\/?page_id=19"},"modified":"2022-04-25T19:18:26","modified_gmt":"2022-04-25T19:18:26","slug":"work-sample","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/work-sample\/","title":{"rendered":"Work Samples"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/h3>\n

Written work:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Synopsis: <\/span><\/i>Michelle Obama\u2019s Reach Higher Initiative asked me to write an article for <\/span><\/i>Forbes<\/i><\/b> on what it means to be Latin-American in the U.S. education system for Hispanic Heritage Month. <\/span><\/i>My article was published on Forbes\u2019 Civic Nation page on October 8, 2021.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

Acknowledging Identity For A Better College Experience For All<\/b><\/h3>\n

The first memory I have of taking a standardized test for school was in second grade. I was prepared: I had a dozen sharpened pencils, and my mom even packed me extra snacks. Nothing was getting in my way. This was true until the very first section: the demographic section. More specifically, it was the race and ethnicity section that stopped me in my tracks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I am a first-generation Mexican-American. My mom immigrated to the United States from Mexico and married my Italian-American father. That makes me Hispanic and white. To go even deeper, my mom\u2019s side is <\/span>mestizo<\/span><\/i> which means mixed in Spanish and is often <\/span>used to describe people with a white European and indigenous background<\/span><\/a>. At the time, standardized testing didn\u2019t give anyone the option to identify as white and Hispanic or Latina, nor to select multiple races. I had to make a difficult choice picking just one box because it discredited the full picture of my unique identity. Not knowing where to turn, I asked my second-grade teacher what to do. I will never forget what she said: <\/span>It doesn\u2019t matter, what\u2019s more important is that you finish on time.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t get the chance to think much of my identity after that as the urgency of finishing my exam swept over me. But those words certainly had an impact. Since then, I had this uncanny sense that I did not quite fit in with my peers. I felt out of place in the K-12 system in New Jersey, and sometimes that feeling lingers during my time at American University in Washington, D.C. This insecurity stems from a lack of representation amongst the teachers I had. I never had a Hispanic teacher outside of my Spanish teacher in high school when I was in the K-12 system.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the absence of Hispanic and Latino educators carried over to college. In 2017, only <\/span>5 percent<\/span><\/a> of faculty at universities throughout the United States were Hispanic; meanwhile at least 20 percent of undergraduates identified as Hispanic. Additionally, only <\/span>15 percent<\/span><\/a> of Latino adults hold a bachelor\u2019s degree, despite being the <\/span>second-fastest-growing ethnic group in the US<\/span><\/a>. While this trend is merely a snapshot of the racial and ethnic inequality in higher education, it is still indicative of an academic culture that has for far too long ostracized Latino students and other students of color.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thankfully, there are tangible ways to address these disparities. First, it is essential to educate Latino students \u2014 especially those who are first-generation students \u2014 about the availability and accessibility of financial aid and scholarships, like <\/span>Reach Higher<\/span><\/a> has done for the last seven years. Once Latino students get to campus, connecting them with mentors is instrumental in making a difference. The <\/span>Independent Educational Consultants Association<\/span><\/a> says that connecting with at least one mentor is instrumental to the successful graduation of Latino students because it can assist with their educational and professional journey. Beyond professors, alumni, or professionals in one\u2019s major, a great resource for finding Latino mentors is the <\/span>Hispanic Heritage Foundation\u2019s<\/span><\/a> Latinos on Fast Track (LOFT) Institute.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Paid internship opportunities can help Latino students with their professional development and with building networks, and<\/span> they can also be a lifeline for addressing college expenses and for financial support for themselves and their families.<\/span><\/a> Organizations such as the <\/span>INROADS program<\/span><\/a> offer paid corporate multi-year summer internships. My older sister interned with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) for multiple summers through INROADS and eventually became a full-time PWC employee after graduation. Not only that, but the <\/span>Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF)<\/span><\/a> offers paid fellowships with organizations and federal agencies to Latino college students and graduates. Many of their programs, like <\/span>MANO<\/span><\/a>, offer housing and transportation stipends. Through HAF, I have been able to work for the Department of the Interior with the National Park Service as a Digital Media Fellow. In this role, I\u2019ve gotten the chance to foster my passions for civic engagement and public sector communications.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fundamentally, Latino, Hispanic, and other BIPOC students must have the opportunity to share and fully embody their whole identities safely inside and outside of the classroom. While standardized tests have become slightly more accessible since I was in second grade, there is still more work that needs to be done to make higher education accessible and equitable to all. As Sonia Sotomayor once <\/span>said<\/span><\/a>, \u201cuntil we get equality in education, we won\u2019t have an equal society.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Web design: <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Public websites that I designed for the National Park Service’s interpretive awards campaign during the summer of 2021. I wrote the web copy, edited images, and supported the National Park Foundation in editing videos. I ensured 508 compliance accessibility for all content was up to current federal government standards.<\/p>\n

2020 Hartzog Awards Page<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

2021 Murfin Award Page\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

2020 Tilden Awards Page\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Written work: Synopsis: Michelle Obama\u2019s Reach Higher Initiative asked me to write an article for Forbes on what it means to be Latin-American in the U.S. education system for Hispanic Heritage Month. My article was published on Forbes\u2019 Civic Nation page on October 8, 2021.\u00a0 Acknowledging Identity For A Better College Experience For All The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2649,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-19","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","content-columns-1"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2649"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":16,"date":"2018-06-26T15:56:39","date_gmt":"2018-06-26T15:56:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/spatemplate\/?page_id=16"},"modified":"2022-04-25T18:42:35","modified_gmt":"2022-04-25T18:42:35","slug":"about-me","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/","title":{"rendered":"About Me"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

About Sofia Casamassa<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hi! I am a senior at American University\u2019s School of Communications and Public Affairs in Washington, D.C. I am currently working towards a B.A. in Public Relations & Strategic Communication and a B.S. Political Science while following a pre-law track. I am also working toward a certificate in Advanced Leadership Studies through the School of Public Affairs\u2019 Leadership program. Immediately after graduation, I will begin working at a bipartisan public affairs strategic communications firm while continuing to serve as a Digital Media Fellow for the Department of the Interior with the National Park Service. In the next three to five years, I hope to go to law school and continue to blend my interests in political communication and law into a fruitful and robust career.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I have always been passionate about politics. Growing up in an immigrant household, I helped my mom and my older sister study for their citizenship tests when I was 8 years old. Since then, I knew I wanted to work in public affairs. I have delved into this interest further by interning for Congress and pursuing a degree in political science. I also have executive branch experience. In my current role as a Digital Media Fellow with the National Park Service, I have worked on numerous internal and external strategic communications campaigns to promote equity and inclusion training opportunities nationwide. I have worked for multiple law firms, including The Dasaro Law Firm and Advocates Public Adjusting Firm.<\/em>\u00a0I also love to read and write, and I have published articles in multiple publications, including Forbes, Global Majority E-Journal, <\/em>Affinity Magazine, Her Campus\u00a0<\/em>at American University,\u00a0The Eagle<\/em>, and Gen Rise Media.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

I have a genuine love of learning, and education has always been important to me. During my undergraduate career, I have served as a First-Year and Second Year Teaching Assistant for the School of Public Affairs Leadership program. In this role, I mentored 12 students over the course of an entire year as they completed a policy-based social justice project. I also served as a student teacher for Civics in the Capitol, a non-profit program dedicated to providing D.C. students K-8 with a comprehensive civic education. American University recently awarded me the Fletcher Scholar Award, a student achievement award for my academic and professional accomplishments on and off-campus.<\/p>\n

I am interested in working in public affairs, political communication, crisis litigation, and reputation management. I am ambitious, adaptable, loyal, and enjoy working in teams or independently. I have experience working in many dynamic work environments and successfully navigating an undergraduate career amidst the coronavirus pandemic. I can promise you I will work hard to provide quality work on tight deadlines, communicate effectively, be a team player, and display enthusiasm in all endeavors.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

About Sofia Casamassa Hi! I am a senior at American University\u2019s School of Communications and Public Affairs in Washington, D.C. I am currently working towards a B.A. in Public Relations & Strategic Communication and a B.S. Political Science while following a pre-law track. I am also working toward a certificate in Advanced Leadership Studies through […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2649,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-16","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","content-columns-1"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2649"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":13,"date":"2018-06-26T15:56:39","date_gmt":"2018-06-26T15:56:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/spatemplate\/?page_id=13"},"modified":"2022-04-25T18:44:40","modified_gmt":"2022-04-25T18:44:40","slug":"resume","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/sc0416a\/resume\/","title":{"rendered":"Resume"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sofia Casamassa\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/b>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

www.linkedin.com\/in\/sofia-casamassa<\/span><\/a> | Washington, D.C.\u00a0 | (732) 841-7456 | sc0416a@student.american.edu\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

EDUCATION\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

American University, <\/b>Washington, D.C. \u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0May 2022\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Strategic Communication & Political Science, Law & Politics Focus<\/span><\/p>\n

Honors:<\/i><\/b> Forbes Contributor<\/span><\/a>, Certificate in Leadership Studies, SPA Leadership Program; Dean’s List, 3.95\/4.0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

EXPERIENCE<\/b><\/p>\n

Communications Associate,<\/span><\/i> The National Museum of the American People, <\/b>Washington, D.C. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 January 2022-present\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n