Career Goals
Education
One of my greatest desires is to become a teacher. Since my interests are varied, and my teaching experience still in the making, I have not decided upon a specific and final subject or age group that I would like to teach. I have shadowed elementary and middle schools, and I've been a tutor for elementary students. I've also visited high schools to give speeches or presentations. I have a general idea of the differences in the ages, and I hope that the conclusion of my degree in Education will bring a greater understanding. I have particular interests in Theater and American Sign Language (see below), but also Physics, Psychology, and Communications, so there may be room for more education in the future as my interests and goals grow and change. For a bit of an idea of my ideas for education, please click the button to download a draft of my Philosophy of Education.
Theater
My interest in theater came in an unexpected way. I had no experience with live theater in High School (my school did not have a program), so my conception of the theater was only based off of the stereotypes found on television and such. During my fourth semester of my Associate's Degree, I found myself in need of a fine arts credit. At the last minute I found a class that fit the quota and my schedule, so I took it. It turned out to be Acting 1, taught by Michael Harding. By the end of the class (which surprised me with it's rigor and energy), I was hooked. It was during this semester that I participated (also unintentionally at first) in the senior project of Lindsey Cordell (see Theatrical Productions & Performances).
At the conclusion of that class, my interest in theater had grown dramatically. I sat down with my professor and discussed possible employment opportunities and career paths available in the theatrical world. I then left and served a two-year LDS mission ( see "Resume"). Upon my return to school, I changed my major to Theater Education, and dove into the classes pertaining thereunto. I was quickly amazed at the amount of work that goes into a single production aside from acting and directing. The more I learned, the more I wanted to know. I am currently still in the theater program at Dixie State University, with plans to finish my Theater Education degree in the next two years. I hope to be able to not only perform afterward, but also participate heavily on the technical and production side of the stage. I'm interested in stage management, as well as costume design and make-up. I also hope to have the opportunity to teach theater in a professional setting.
At the conclusion of that class, my interest in theater had grown dramatically. I sat down with my professor and discussed possible employment opportunities and career paths available in the theatrical world. I then left and served a two-year LDS mission ( see "Resume"). Upon my return to school, I changed my major to Theater Education, and dove into the classes pertaining thereunto. I was quickly amazed at the amount of work that goes into a single production aside from acting and directing. The more I learned, the more I wanted to know. I am currently still in the theater program at Dixie State University, with plans to finish my Theater Education degree in the next two years. I hope to be able to not only perform afterward, but also participate heavily on the technical and production side of the stage. I'm interested in stage management, as well as costume design and make-up. I also hope to have the opportunity to teach theater in a professional setting.
American Sign Language & Interpreting
My passion for American Sign Language (ASL) was also unintentional (I think a theme is prevalent). At the very end of my LDS mission (see "Resume"), I met and taught a deaf lady on the island of Trinidad, in the West Indies. I was able to learn a few words, mostly pertaining to religion, and it was all largely based off of British Sign Language (BSL), rather than ASL. The thrill I felt at being able to communicate without verbal language was new to me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Upon my return to college, I was presented with an opportunity to learn Sign Language properly. At first I thought that the study of ASL would simply be learning the signs of the language, but it turned out to be more heavily a study of Deaf culture, and we happened to learn the language along the way. My fascination with the language, and more so the culture, grew throughout my first semester, and by the time I entered my second semester of ASL, I had decided that I wanted to learn the language fluently, become versed in Deaf culture, and become an interpreter. I also would love the opportunity to teach ASL formally.
As my experience with ASL and Deaf culture has grown, so has my enthusiasm for it. When I first registered for the class, I was unsure whether or not I wanted to use that as my foreign language for my Bachelor's Degree. When I decided to commit to it, I learned that, at the time, ASL was not accepted as an adequate fulfillment of the language requirements at Dixie State. I then began a long process of research and interviewing to learn why, and how to change it. I spoke with department directors, deans, and professors. I spoke with interpreters and government workers, lawyers and students. I conducted interviews and surveys. All of these efforts were geared toward building a proposition to present to the University to change the current policy and accept ASL as a language requirement. Things have progressed to a large scale since then, and to my knowledge Dixie State University brought the subject to it's main attention and on April 16th, 2013 took a vote from the separate departments of the University to decide whether or not to accept ASL for Bachelor's Degrees.
As I learn more I will update this section, but regardless of the decision of Dixie State University, I plan to further my knowledge in ASL. I intend to transfer to Utah Valley University after I finish my degree at Dixie, in order to enter their program in ASL with Emphasis in Interpreting, and earn another Bachelor's Degree. I then intend to stay integrated in the Deaf community, to become a licensed interpreter, and to teach ASL, possibly at the high school level.
As my experience with ASL and Deaf culture has grown, so has my enthusiasm for it. When I first registered for the class, I was unsure whether or not I wanted to use that as my foreign language for my Bachelor's Degree. When I decided to commit to it, I learned that, at the time, ASL was not accepted as an adequate fulfillment of the language requirements at Dixie State. I then began a long process of research and interviewing to learn why, and how to change it. I spoke with department directors, deans, and professors. I spoke with interpreters and government workers, lawyers and students. I conducted interviews and surveys. All of these efforts were geared toward building a proposition to present to the University to change the current policy and accept ASL as a language requirement. Things have progressed to a large scale since then, and to my knowledge Dixie State University brought the subject to it's main attention and on April 16th, 2013 took a vote from the separate departments of the University to decide whether or not to accept ASL for Bachelor's Degrees.
As I learn more I will update this section, but regardless of the decision of Dixie State University, I plan to further my knowledge in ASL. I intend to transfer to Utah Valley University after I finish my degree at Dixie, in order to enter their program in ASL with Emphasis in Interpreting, and earn another Bachelor's Degree. I then intend to stay integrated in the Deaf community, to become a licensed interpreter, and to teach ASL, possibly at the high school level.
The link to the right is a document that you can download concerning ASL, and it's place in Universities. It was part of a research assignment for my ASL 1020 class, but I feel it gives a good idea of how I was working to make the change happen at Dixie State University, and the research I had to back up the cause.
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United States Army National Guard
Growing up I never fancied myself a soldier. I appreciated and respected all those in the military, as well as all those who had previously served our country (or any country, for that matter). My father served in the Army, although growing up I didn't know many of the details of his service, and my brother joined the Army Reserves his junior year of high school. But I never found myself with the zeal for the Army that they both held, and still hold. My senior year of high school however, my motives changed. I was approached by a recruiter from the National Guard, who proceeded to tell me about the benefits of the Army, both financial, medical, long-term, and (most particularly) educational. I invited the Sergeant to tell me more, and within a couple weeks, I swore into the Utah Army National Guard.
I signed up for eight years of service on February 13th, 2008. I travelled to Ft. Benning, Georgia for Basic Combat Training (BCT) in the summer of 2008. Directly after BCT, I went to Ft. Sill, Oklahoma for Advanced Individual Training (AIT), from which I graduated with honors. From there I returned home to start my time in service. I enlisted with a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) of 13B, a Cannon Crew Member, assigned to operate an M109A6 Paladin in the 222 Field Artillery Regiment, 65th Fires Brigade. Since my entrance into the unit, I have been promoted twice, making me currently a Specialist (E-4).
My goals and objectives in the National Guard are long term. I joined mainly to pay the way for my college education, which has worked incredibly well thus far. I also have come to greatly appreciate the many benefits in health and medical care available, and with family being a very large priority for me, those benefits are unrivaled. I have intentions, which may grow and change with time, to serve a full twenty years in the Guard, possibly more. I've considered changing my MOS to something in the aviation field, but those, again, are long-term decisions, and will be made with time.
I signed up for eight years of service on February 13th, 2008. I travelled to Ft. Benning, Georgia for Basic Combat Training (BCT) in the summer of 2008. Directly after BCT, I went to Ft. Sill, Oklahoma for Advanced Individual Training (AIT), from which I graduated with honors. From there I returned home to start my time in service. I enlisted with a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) of 13B, a Cannon Crew Member, assigned to operate an M109A6 Paladin in the 222 Field Artillery Regiment, 65th Fires Brigade. Since my entrance into the unit, I have been promoted twice, making me currently a Specialist (E-4).
My goals and objectives in the National Guard are long term. I joined mainly to pay the way for my college education, which has worked incredibly well thus far. I also have come to greatly appreciate the many benefits in health and medical care available, and with family being a very large priority for me, those benefits are unrivaled. I have intentions, which may grow and change with time, to serve a full twenty years in the Guard, possibly more. I've considered changing my MOS to something in the aviation field, but those, again, are long-term decisions, and will be made with time.