Spotlight: Isabelle Foster
As the chair of Harry Elam’s Student Advisory Group, Isabelle Foster, a junior majoring in Public Policy, is no stranger to leadership positions. She collaborates with the Vice Provost and the Associate Vice Provost (Sharon Palmer) to help identify the most pressing topics on campus, organize meetings, and lead discussions on new initiatives, recent campus concerns, and future university projects.
“I help facilitate the conversations so that I can follow up with students and administrators with key take-away points and next steps,” she says.
One of the most exciting parts of the Student Advisory Board, according to Isabelle, has been the opportunity to get involved with new university initiatives. Last year, she and three other students led a peer mentorship focus group, which assessed the need for and viability of a peer mentorship program on campus. Her group interviewed students, faculty, and administrators and after several presentations to the Vice Provost and other administrators, she and Alberto Covarrubias, another junior, were asked to run a university-wide pilot program to test the concept.
“Working with Kirsti Copeland, Alice Petty, and Emily Shewmaker from the UAR, we have developed and delivered training to these mentors and are currently in the process of matching mentors with mentees,” she says. “I hope to make the program as successful as possible so that it can be improved and hopefully continued in future years!”
In addition to her role as chair of the advisory group, Isabelle also works as a writing tutor in the Hume Center for Writing and Speaking. Isabelle credits her “incredible experience” with her PWR 2 course with Dr. Alyssa O’Brien, who encouraged her to apply to be a writing tutor. An avid reader (nod to Harry Potter) in high school, Isabelle always loved writing as well. Working in Hume gives her an opportunity to share her enthusiasm for the craft.
“Having the chance to work with other students and other writing tutors has been a privilege and wonderful learning experience,” says Isabelle. “One of my favorite parts about being a tutor is having the chance to make other students excited about writing. During each tutoring session, my goal is to not only help students with their current writing assignment but to also increase the tutee’s confidence in their own writing abilities. Each student comes in with incredible ideas, and it is always inspiring to hear their thoughts and perspectives.”
Indeed, Isabelle notes that one of her favorite parts about tutoring has been the connections and interactions she has with students inside and outside of Hume.
“I frequently see these students around campus, in the dining hall, or while biking, and I enjoy staying in touch and catching up with them,” she says.
During winter break, Isabelle will be heading back home to Connecticut where she will visit family and get to see her dog (a corgi) and if all goes as planned, spend copious amounts of time reading, continuing to teach herself guitar, and make soap, one of her favorite hobbies. She may take a moment or two to plan her next trip to a US national park; one of her goals is to visit all of them, and she has already been to four.
Next quarter she plans to take an intro to guitar class along with a course on the history of China and a new practicum called ‘Ending Poverty with Technology.’ As a Public Policy major with a concentration on growth and development, Isabelle is particularly interested in the application of technology to address food security challenges. A group at the MIT Media Lab has developed a new concept- a ‘food computer’- which allows users to program and grow fresh food at a lower cost and in a more efficient manner, an initiative that Isabelle hopes to get more involved with in the future.
Student Publications
Two PWR students had their work recently published!
Jennifer Johnson's PWR 1 student, Matthew Das Sarma, recently published in Inquiries Journal, an online journal for undergaraduate student writing:
Emily Polk's PWR 2 student, Emma Hutchinson, recently her work in Earth Island Journal, a global news site that publishes journalism and essays:
