This week (and every week) IDP is especially thankful for all of the undergraduate facilitators who make our program possible. We are extra especially thankful to have two facilitators as amazing as Luey MacLean ’18 and Malia Kennedy’ ’19 facilitating our sexual orientation dialogue this semester. Here’s what they have to say about IDP:
Why IDP?
Co-Facilitators Malia ’19 and Luey ’18
Malia: Initially, IDP was just a “good course” to check out. I had no affiliation prior to facilitating and I’ve never taken the class as a student. If you ask me now, after only one [incomplete] semester of facilitating, I’d say that IDP didn’t end up being a good course, but rather a life-changing experience. I’ve adapted this kind of lens and skill set that allows me to see alternative perspectives in terms of power, privilege, and oppression in the U.S. I’ve got a lot of love for IDP–throughout this project’s process, I’ve learned a lot about myself, my amazing students and the overall vision of a better campus climate.
Luey: Looking back, I’m not really sure what was the push to get me to enroll in IDP as a student. I just know I reorganized my entire schedule during add/drop to do so and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made at Cornell. IDP completely changed my view of Cornell, the world, and honestly myself. I continue to dedicate so much of my time to IDP because I know the impact this program has on an interpersonal level and the effects that can cause on an institutional level.
What’s your favorite thing about your co-facilitator?
Malia: Only one? My favorite thing about Luey is how she has such a positive attitude every day that I see her. She’s always smiling and that’s something I, along with anyone else who comes in contact with her, feed off of.
Luey: Malia is an incredible human who impresses me in so many ways every single day (this sounds really fake, but it’s really true). Inside the classroom, I’d have to say my favorite thing is how ready and capable she is to react to situations with meaningful and impactful yet totally improvised activities. Outside the classroom, it has to be her sense of humor. Every time we hang out, it’s just constant laughter. It always really brightens my day and annoys the people around us.