1. Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project. Write two or three sentences describing the main activities your STEP Signature Project entailed.

For my STEP Signature Project, I studied abroad for three weeks in Rwanda. During my time in Rwanda, I took a course titled, “Genocide and Its Aftermath.” This course focused on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda and how the country has rebuilt and recovered since this event.

2. What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project? Write one or two paragraphs to describe the change or transformation that took place.

This trip was my first time leaving the United States, so I was truly not sure what to expect when travelling to Rwanda. I felt excited but nervous and tried my best to keep an open mind about the experience. This trip changed my views of the world so much. Even though I was completely across the world in a completely different place than the United States, I realized the importance of focusing on similarities instead of differences on this trip. I found that even though our culture and history in the United States may not be the same as Rwanda, there is so much we can learn and take away from Rwanda. There is an immense amount of forgiveness, resilience, and growth evident throughout Rwanda that is admirable and inspiring.
I also came to realize that it is so important to care about problems that hurt others, even if they do not affect me. It can be so easy to focus on the little bubble of college and my own city and the United States, but it is important to actively learn about what is going on globally as well. When the genocide occurred in Rwanda in 1994, there was a serious lack of international aid and help. The United States knew what was going on but did not intervene. This was eye-opening to me. I realized that what is happening around the world is just as important as what is happening in the United States.

3. What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those affect you? Write three or four paragraphs describing the key aspects of your experiences completing your STEP Signature Project that led to this change/transformation.

Throughout the study abroad, we had a wonderful combination of lectures from Dr. Hollie Brehm, our professor from OSU, as well as from different members of the Rwandan community. We also visited different memorials, museums, and governmental and non-governmental organizations. Having all of these different opportunities led me to understanding the genocide better and to fully recognizing the extent that mass violence has on communities.
Two of the most memorable speakers of the entire trip were two genocide perpetrators. Going into that afternoon, I was not sure what to expect. A man and a woman entered our classroom and began to tell us their stories about the genocide. Unlike all the previous speakers we had heard from, these two people had not been innocent. Yet, as I heard them speak their truths passionately but with great regret and sorrow, I began to fully understand the importance or forgiveness. I realized that if these people can work on growing and healing from their mistakes and can seek forgiveness for their actions, then I am capable of growing and healing from mistakes too.
The memorials we visited were also incredibly impactful. Throughout the trip, we went to four different memorials dedicated to the genocide. Each housed some of the remains of victims and served as a testament to how destructive genocide is. Seeing the bones, clothes, rosaries, shoes, and other belongings of the victims at these memorials truly reminded me how important it is to care about issues that negatively affect others even if they do not affect me.

4. Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life? Write one or two paragraphs discussing why this change or development matters and/or relates to your academic, personal, and/or professional goals and future plans.

This trip pushed me out of my comfort zone. I learned to navigate transportation on my own in a new country, I learned how to live with a new family, I learned about a very difficult subject matter, and I learned that we must look for similarities instead of differences in new places. I learned so much on this trip, and I also spent a lot of time thinking  about my future and how I would bring what I have learned and experienced back into my own life.
I have had the goal of working in healthcare throughout all of college, but this trip made me realize I want to do something more globally within the realm of healthcare and help people not just within my community, but within the larger global community. In learning about the genocide, I realized that we must look outside our own borders at the suffering of others in order to work toward complete social justice. This trip also makes me want to travel more places, which has become a personal goal of mine. I would love to see more new countries and meet more new people. This trip was an amazing experience, and I hope to return to Rwanda again one day.