In my time at Iowa State University, I have taken several general education

classes that have allowed me to become a well-rounded, globally aware engineer.

The four general education classes that have impacted me the most are Gender and
Communication, Principles of Microeconomics, Introduction to World Religions, and
Leadership Styles and Strategies in a Diverse Society.
I took Gender and Communication because I was interested in learning about
societal and cultural attitudes pertaining to gender, specifically relating to women in
STEM fields. However, I gained so much more than just an insight as to gender biases
in the world. One unit that specifically impacted me was on body language in the
work force. I learned about how simply sitting or standing in a certain way can
hinder your success by seeming either overbearing or vulnerable. Being aware of
how my stature and body positioning portray me to the world is important to ensure
the proper respect and open communication I strive for is received and returned.
Another section about gender biases was very interesting to me. The unit focused on
women in power positions such as team leaders or CEOs. One societal bias that
struck me as odd was a chapter called “Boss vs. Bossy” where they discussed how
men in authority are seen as leaders and professionals when discussing work
matters, while a women using her authority in the same position often comes across
as bossy. As I am an active leader throughout campus and aspire to be in a
professional leadership position as I progress in my engineer, the knowledge I
learned about how society perceives certain attitudes will lead me to an effective
and cognizant leadership style.
My favorite part of Gender and Communication was our final project where
we were able to select a topic relating to gender and communication and present it
to the class. I focused on women in STEM and the biases and stereotypes
surrounding women in male-dominated fields. I conducted statistical research on
enrollment at Iowa State as well as surveyed my peers on their thoughts on a variety
of questions and stereotypes. It was interesting to compare answers between STEM
and non-STEM individuals as well as between genders. Overall, this project made me
very aware of how an outsider might perceive me and made me aware how
important positive representation of females in historically male roles. This topic is
something I am passionate about and hope to continue to push the boundaries as I
transition into a professional engineer.
A second general education class I learned a lot in was Principles of
Macroeconomics. I enjoyed this class as it allowed me to tie in the money side of
engineering to my technical skills. This knowledge of how economics work and
change is very important as cost and efficient funding is as crucial as sound
engineering design in the real world. This class also opened my horizons to the
finance side of the world. Having a deeper understanding as to what goes into
economic highs and downfalls as well as how this affects other areas of the
economic market will make me a well-rounded and financially aware engineer.
Introduction to World Religions was a very eye-opening course. In our
current world climate, there are many falsehoods circulating the media about many
groups of people and beliefs, but going to the roots of religion allowed me to realize
the similarities and differences between different religions. Being cognizant of other
people’s beliefs and what those beliefs actually stem from will allow me to partake in
intelligent and respectful conversations while broadening both my horizons and the
individual I am discussing with. Being aware and accepting of other religions, beliefs
and backgrounds was another skill I was able to develop throughout my time in
Introduction to World Religions. This open and positive mindset will make working
with people from all ethnicities and backgrounds an effective and respectful
environment, which will lead to unrestricted conversations that may stem ideas that
otherwise would not have surfaced.
Lastly, I was able to take Leadership Styles and Strategies in a Diverse Society.
I learned many valuable leadership methods and strategies in this class. One main
focus on the class was finding your personal social identity and how different
identities affect how you perceive the world and how the world perceives you. This
lesson on privileges and leadership built on what I learned in Gender and
Communications, delving deeper into how different attributes effect how people are
viewed. This knowledge of my biases, privileges, and stereotypes surrounding my
social identity will make me a more aware leader and employee, giving me the
knowledge and respect to work in diverse groups. This class also taught us about
leading different types of people. For example, we looked into how some people
respond well to harsh leadership, while others respond much better to a ‘friendly’
method of leading. Being able to judge what method of leadership will best allow the
group to grow and succeed will be a huge player in my future leadership roles.
Overall, I learned how to tie my technical engineering degree to real-world
economic issues and costs while understanding how diversity can play into a
professional environment. My general education classes have greatly strengthened
my verbal and written communication skills, confidence in leadership roles, and
awareness on how to embrace the strengths of the people I will encounter