Thursday, July 11, 2013

Student Spotlight - Tia Gomez-Zeller - 7/11/13

Listeners,

Today, had a fantastic show with our guest Tia Gomez-Zeller. We started with a song (chosen by Tia), by a newer artist named Miguel called "Candles in the Sun". His question, "What are we doing? Where are we going?" as a mass society. And that we actually need each other to thrive, so "take a look around". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwwVIR5be-A

The song fit well with the work Tia does around social justice with Associated Students of Portland State (ASPSU). In her interview she spoke about the differences between her home Spain, and her new home America. There were many differences, like the education system where they learned philosophy and critical thinking in elementary, versus many american students who never get that education; and in Spain there is comprehensive sex education whereas here its taboo to talk about it (while unhealthy sex education is spoon fed to us through mass media). In Spain social justice is the norm, political conversations are common, and we could probably use more civic engagement here in america.

She also gave insight on how to get through hurdles. As an international student learning English, there are many, so persistence is key. The quote “Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence." by ovid, explains the vibe from the conversation perfectly. "An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward, so when life is dragging you back with difficulties, it means that its going to launch you into something great. So just focus, and keep aiming". I hope this helps students to continue fighting for their dreams.

Tia also chose to play a viral clip by a guy named Suli Breaks called "Why i hate school but love education". It is relevant because many students struggle in classes due to lack of interest, or lack of application to their current lives. Motivation is key to get through higher education; Its hard to grasp something if it does not interest you. So talk to advisers, who will keep you accountable to your dreams. And stay motivated.

We continued our interview with Tia by asking her questions from the Bernard Pivot Questionnaire. And we received clever responses, like her favorite curse word was a Spanish phrase that could be used positively or negatively. And she would need to have a deep conversation with God before going through the pearly gates.

We ended with a TED talk by Drew Dudley called "Everyday Leadership". He stated we need to get over our fear of how extraordinarily powerful we can be in each others lives, so we can move beyond it. And so kids can see how our impact is more powerful than money, power, titles, or influence. Leadership is about lollipop moments, how many we create, acknowledge, thank, and pay forward.

Next Week, Thursday Morning again, we will interview Abel De LaCruz from the College of the Arts.

Take care Everyone,
Turntable Advising

No comments:

Post a Comment