To be honest I feel like we, as Americans, need to expand our worldview to learn more about ourselves and other countries. In August, I began the CTI course Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It has helped me expand my worldview by learning how people of other religions practice their faith and how their beliefs influence how they live. Last spring, I completed the CTI course sustainability. It has encouraged me to be more conscious about the natural resources that we use and how we can effectively utilize them to help the United States and the world as a whole. It made me value how important the resources that we take for granted are. In Spanish 211, I saw a film called “También la lluvia,” translated means “Even the Rain.” The film was about the Bolivian water crisis and how scarce fresh water is becoming in parts of the world. It reinforced how important it is to be aware of global events.
The classes that I have taken at William Jewell College have helped me to expand my worldview, from American history I to intro to politics Iran and intro to world politics. The concepts and ideas that I have been fortunate to learn have influenced how I see the world, from Aristotle’s “Nicomachean Ethics” to intro to political theory to “The Lonely War” by Nazila Fathi to intro to politics Iran. At Jewell, we begin the process of expanding our worldview by reading “On Liberty” by John Stuart Mill to learn about the importance of liberty and individuality. Reading “On Liberty” in responsible self was how I began my Jewell journey. It made me question “What is liberty?” The question awakened a passion for 18th century colonial American history due to the ideas of how our nation was founded. The concept of liberty has rekindled my interest in politics, just war theory and why nations choose to create government that does not function in the best interest of the people. We have an obligation to learn more about the world around us as our soldiers fight so that we have the freedom to choose what we do in life. We have an obligation to study why nations go to war so we can better understand what it means to have peace. Two classes that I have taken about war are the great war and WWII and the Holocaust, both with Dr. Howell. It is important to study when the world has gone to war so that we can have peace someday.
As Jewell students specifically, we are able to study a variety of subjects from history to politics to religion. What we choose to study will impact our lives and the direction of our country. Every Jewell student is given the opportunity to use their Journey Grant to do things like conduct research, study abroad or perform charity work. There is no limit to what Jewell students can do, and whatever they choose to do will expand his worldview. In the spring, I will have the opportunity to attend Cardiff University through June to study history and political science from a different perspective. I will be able to learn how Great Britain’s higher education is different from education in the United States and I’ll meet international students outside of the Jewell community. The experience will be life changing. Everyone should have the opportunity to travel or study abroad. I look forward to what I will find once I am there.
The opportunity to expand our worldview changes who we are as people. It motivates us to try a new sport, join Greek life or learn more about ourselves. It can encourage us to be politically active and vote in the upcoming election and become more tolerant of different religions, customs and traditions. The first step to expanding our worldview is to theorize about the questions, “What is real, how do we know, and how should we behave?” When we think about the above questions, continue to search for truth and debate our ideas, both individually and in a group, we’ll be ready to change the world.
