My Place in STEM Spring Blog Post 2

My upbringing, family, and culture has hevaily influenced my mindset. I grew up in a very rural area on a farm. I had no neighbors and didn't live close enough to friends to have playdates. It was often just my siblings and parents working outside in the day and playing sports or riding horses in the evening. Opening huge metal irrigation gates, hauling giant hay bales, and climbing trees gave me experiences and lessons that I don't think many children in urban arease get exposed to. I feel like I developed a different preception of the world and life, which is sometimes a little isolating. However, I think it has benefitted my educational path in science by understanding there are different lifestyles and environments than just what is perceived in the city. 

My dad was an old rancher that raised us in cowboy culture. It's a very proud culture rooted in resilience, hard work, and plain ol' toughness. Although criticized and misunderstood, the culture has many values like family, integrity, strength, and appreciation. I really believe falling off a horse into a patch of goatheads and saddling up again taught me perserverance and determination.  Also, it kind of made me one tough cookie. Waking up early on the weekends to shovel pens and feed the animals, taught me that I am very capable of hard work. These values have carried over into my educational journey. It hasn't been the easiest road as a student and single mother. Many times, I've been thrown off the horse and had to muster the will to get back on. 

My family also had a strong impact on many paths I've taken in life. I had a great male role model. My dad, although an old cowboy, was a very liberal, understanding, and kind man. He taught me to have a solid moral compass and possess a lot of strength to help myself and others. These lessons helped me achieve leadership roles and make valuable connections where I have earned the respect of people I idolize. 

Most notably, my age likely affects my educational journey the most. I've had many life experiences like giving birth, going through a separation, losing a parent, working as a manager, undergoing a kidney surgery, and more. I am at school not because I have to be there or anyone like my parents are expecting me to. I am here because I want to be, and it's really important to me to pursue this path. I think it gives me a larger appreaciation of my educational opportunities. 

My identity has often made me feel displaced in STEM. I was not raised with any science education or stress on its importance. Also, as a mother and "back to schooler" I feel like I am not accepted or not taken seriously in the field sometimes. I don't know if it is based off of my personal insecurities or actual transgressions. However, I try to not pay the feelings much mind. 

As a child, the thought of a desk job, suit and tie, business, or stagnancy made my stomach fill with dread. It seemed like a prison. I grew up very free and close to nature. Although my tiny country school didn't teach me science, I was very close to the natural world and learned so much from observation. When I took a high school biology class, the teacher touched on ecology, and for the first time, I felt really passionate about something in school. It wasn't until I went back to college and took more in-depth biology classes that I realized I really have a passion for natural sciences and math. 

Once I committed to an educational path in STEM, I gained many role models. The first was my intro BIO teacher. She was a single mom who had a PhD and still does incredible research. She taught in such a masterful way and always encouraged and praised me. She is truly who I owe this journey to. When I entered the TRAIN program, I had tremendous support and numerous role models. It seemed suddenly I was on the inside of STEM and felt accepted by a community of peers. The cohort led me to internships where I've had mentors and experiences that will benefit me far into the future. 

I am a woman, mother, non-traditional, first generation country gal at ASU. These indentities empower me as a student and future ecologist!