Honors Colloquium Personal Statement

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Although Buffalo basks in its notoriety for being one of the most consistently snowy places in the United States, every resident knows that summers are often relentlessly hot. I was acutely aware of this fact as I attempted to keep tabs on a multitude of rambunctious children who have not always called America home, ranging from five to thirteen years old. The heat did not seem to bother them as they eagerly ran around the grass surrounding a church near many of their homes on the West Side, forming a whirlwind of hula hoops, games of catch, and shouting in the process. Seeing as I grew up with four younger siblings, I did not expect such an environment to phase me. My days often consist of being a referee, mediator, and sometimes even a third parent to my three sisters and one brother, but this situation was markedly different. The children that I volunteered with during the Westminster Economic Development Initiative’s Summer ENERGY Program hailed from a variety of different countries, and in some cases, different continents. Not only did there exist a language barrier between myself and many of the children, the array of languages that the children spoke made communication between them difficult as well. …show more content…
The Honors Colloquium requirement will allow me to become an even more active citizen of Buffalo by means of real world experiences, leading to an increased knowledge of the critical needs of the city and its suburbs and the ability to make an impact in the community by addressing such needs. Additionally, the unique service-learning tracks provide a method to further engage in volunteer work involving international services, thus providing necessary assistance to Buffalo’s recent immigrants, some of the most vulnerable, yet extremely integral members of the