Campus News
Homelessness Class: From Uncomfortable to Confident Contributing
(Continued from Bulletin home page)
Half a dozen of the students used the course and volunteer work to fulfill their Global Connections Experience and Reflection, while for others it fulfilled Undergraduate Curriculum requirements for Self and Society (Area of Inquiry) and Global Connections (Intellectual Practice).
The 19 students studied the United States, the United Kingdom, Kenya and India to illustrate the policy challenges related to providing adequate housing, ameliorating homelessness and finding long-term solutions to poverty around the world.
“My experience in the class was enlightening,” says Kiesel. “Professor Otieno was extremely engaging and encouraged me to use the analytical problem solving skills that I had developed through my science classes to examine new questions about society. He showed me that as a concerned and educated member of society, I can make numerous contributions outside of my area of interest that are both fulfilling and significant.”
The class also required volunteer work. “To fulfill this component, I worked as a tutor for high school students in North Philadelphia who were living in poverty or experiencing homelessness,” Kiesel says. “The time I spent working with these children had a considerable impact on my life—I was forced into situations in which I was neither comfortable nor confident, and I developed new skills as well as faith in myself.”
“The volunteer work gave students an opportunity to think about human interactions, social position and roles, and expectations. This component of the course was meant to deepen their sociological imagination,” adds Otieno.
Kiesel appreciated Otieno’s teaching style. “The strongest aspect of the course was Professor Otieno’s encouragement of independent exploration on the topics presented, and his method of covering material in an open discussion format,” she says. “His approach allowed me to carefully examine my own opinions and beliefs and to look at the structure of our society with a critical and compassionate eye.
“I believe I came out of the experience a stronger and more aware individual,” she says. “I now have a better understanding of my position in society and a greater sensitivity to how the choices I make can affect others. None of the growth that I achieved would have been possible without the support and encouragement of Professor Otieno.”
Through the course and Otieno’s teachings, Kiesel learned a positive lesson. “He infused me with the belief that I have the ability to foster change within my own life and the lives of others. This is a message that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”