Meet Deja Canty ‘20 and Owen MacDonnell ‘20, two of our undergraduate EDUC 2610 co-facilitators, and this week's #HumansofIDP! Here's what Deja and Owen have to say about IDP and one another:
Why IDP?
Deja:
IDP has been the necessary “break” from all of my science intense classes. I feel fulfilled doing this work surrounded by supportive people who have gone through this process with me. It’s been amazing to work with the people in this program and do this work.
Owen:
IDP has been such a special community to me during my time at Cornell. So far this semester, we have been continuously returning to the theme of connection and disconnection, and it has been making me reflect on how I interact with the world. I have realized that one of the biggest reasons that I continue coming back to IDP is the strength and intensity of connection present at any given time. Whether it is in the classroom, with the teaching team, or other facilitators, the connections that are made are on a level that I simply have not experienced anywhere else on campus and to me that is very special.
What is your favorite thing about your co-facilitator?
Deja:
I clicked really quickly with Owen! Our planning meetings and coaching meetings don’t feel like obligations, and we’ve balanced falling into existentialism, super unrelated conversations, and actually making sure we’re ready to go pretty well. I think because we can connect well, facilitation is so seamless and I know we’re there to support each other and our group. It’s been an awesome semester so far and I’m looking forward to ending on a high note!
Owen:
There are so many great things about Deja where do I start… First of all I think Deja is an incredibly creative person. Right off the bat I learned that she was very crafty and even makes her own moisturizers! There was a moment a few weeks ago when Deja and I sat down to get lunch together and we just talked and talked about our favorite TV shows and movies, and there was so much overlap but also so much difference as well. This is another aspect of Deja that I really appreciate, the fact that we are often on the same page and in agreement about things, especially related to the work we do in IDP, but also how much we have to teach one another speaking from our own personal experiences and perspectives. Deja is always willing to listen and share, and this is something I value in her very much.