The secret to becoming a JEDI was finally revealed in one presentation on University Day. Megan Waceken, Ricky Goupille and Abi Davis presented for their HUM 186 class. HUM 186, also known as Becoming a JEDI, explores and examines aspects of diversity, equity and inclusion and how they tie into social justice on a local, regional and global scale. Their group presentation shared their personal journeys to becoming a true JEDI.
Being the first group of students to take the class, Waceken and Goupille shared what they have enjoyed about their overall experience learning how to be a JEDI. “I’ve enjoyed getting to learn about a group that I did not know much about before,” Waceken said. “We learn about their challenges, successes and their life. It really puts the person back into what was once a stereotype. It brings the person back. I think that’s really important.”
Goupille agreed with his classmate and weighed in with his own takeaways. “It really stretched my perspective on everything,” he said. “That we’re all equally human and whatever our backgrounds are does not really matter at the end of the day.”
From the left: Ricky Goupille, Megan Waceken, and Abi Davis presenting Secrets of the JEDI.
The presentation outlined the individual projects the group has been working on this semester. Their projects involved researching a marginalized group they do not identify with themselves. Waceken, whose older brother has a hearing impairment, chose to research people who have hearing loss or hearing impairments. Goupille, who was inspired by a friend in the military, chose to focus on veterans and the struggles of reintegration after deployment. Davis, whose sibling is an enbie, spent the semester researching the non-binary community.
Collectively, it was the group’s first experience presenting at University Day. “It was cool to present and be a part of the presentation,” Goupille said. Waceken felt the same. “I did have fun presenting,” Waceken said. “There’s always that small factor of being up in front of everyone and getting a little nervous. But being able to share what we’ve done is so great.”
