Where We Learn Best by Meredith

Where We Learn Best by Meredith - September 2024 Scholarship Essay

Throughout my academic journey, I have come to realize, some of my most profound learning experiences have taken place not in a lecture hall or with my nose buried in a textbook, but in the workforce and in research labs. While the classroom has given me the foundational knowledge needed to navigate complex subjects, it’s been my hands-on experiences—the internships, research projects, and real-world problem-solving—that have enhanced my understanding of the world and my place in it.

One of the first experiences that made me recognize the power of learning outside the classroom was my internship with the Minneapolis Public Schools. As a high school student, I was tasked with conducting a research project on the racial climate in schools, an assignment that threw me into the complexities of data analysis and community engagement. Up until that point, most of my learning had been theoretical. I had spent hours reading about racial disparities in education, but nothing compared to the feeling of grappling with real-world data and interacting with the students whose experiences I was trying to quantify.

I quickly realized that the technical skills I was acquiring in class—such as analyzing data sets or writing research reports—were only half of the picture. In the field, I learned that data wasn’t just about numbers; it was about people. Each data point represented a student’s lived experience. This opened a whole new understanding of the work, and made me both more sensitive and more political. Working closely with Dr. Eric Moore, the senior officer of accountability, research, and equity for the district, taught me the importance of ethical research and the responsibility I had to ensure my work wasn’t just academically sound but socially impactful. This kind of learning was something I couldn’t get from a book—it required engagement, empathy, and a deep connection to the community.

This lesson was reinforced during my time as a Research Assistant at the University of Minnesota, where I worked on a project analyzing Medicaid data. Here, I didn’t just apply my classroom knowledge of statistics and coding in R and STATA, I also learned how to collaborate with other professionals, such as healthcare workers and IT specialists, who brought their own expertise to the table. The ability to communicate across disciplines became just as important as the technical skills I had spent years developing. It was in these moments—debugging code with a data analyst or discussing healthcare policy with a researcher—that I truly understood how learning happens best when it is through dialogue and collaboration.

One of the most valuable lessons I learned during this internship was the importance of leadership and communication. Hosting leadership forums and converging business units required me to not only understand the technical aspects of our work but also to convey complex information in a clear and concise manner. I had to adapt my communication style depending on whether I was speaking with engineers, business leaders, or regulatory teams. This adaptability, the ability to translate between different “languages,” is something that no textbook could have taught me. It’s a skill that can only be honed through practice and experience. I also learned I am talented in this way. That is, I am open to this type of learning given my unique strengths and skills.

Another pivotal moment in my learning journey came during my time as a Research Assistant at Tufts University’s Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. Here, I wasn’t just studying voter suppression as an abstract concept; I was actively working on a project to increase youth voter turnout in Minneapolis. I collected data, analyzed voter registration patterns, and created outreach programs aimed at facilitating accessible voting for young people. This was data in action—it had real, measurable impacts on my community, and I could see the results of my work in the high voter turnout during the 2020 election.

Reflecting on these experiences, I’ve come to understand that some of the most important lessons in life don’t come from textbooks or lectures. They come from stepping outside the classroom and into the real world, where you are charged with applying your knowledge in practical, often unpredictable, ways. In the workforce, in the lab, or in the field, I’ve learned more about collaboration, leadership, and problem-solving than I ever could have from a lecture slide. These experiences have shown me that learning is an ongoing process, one that requires constant adaptation and a willingness to engage with the world around you.

If I were to give advice to someone else entering my field as a student, it would be this: Don’t limit your learning to the classroom. Seek out experiences that challenge you in new ways, that force you to apply your knowledge in real-world settings. Work with people who are different from you, who have different perspectives and areas of expertise. And most importantly, be open to learning from every experience, whether it’s a formal internship or a casual conversation. Because in the end, it’s the lessons you learn outside of the classroom that will take you to the next level, as a leader and as a professional.