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Cultural Studies Archived Student Profiles

Name: Kelly Burns
BDP: Cultural Studies
Major: Sociology

What attracted you to the BDPs?
I was attracted to the Bridging Disciplines Program because I wanted to pursue studies in areas that I have personal passion for, yet are not necessarily met within any specific major. Also, I wanted to take advantage of the help the BDP offers with respect to finding research and internship opportunities.

What has been the biggest benefit of the BDP for you?
So far the biggest benefit has been access to BDP advisors. They have helped me choose classes and find opportunities that I otherwise would not have had access to. They are able to provide personal attention and really helped me map out a schedule that caters to my personal interests.

What would you want other students to know about the BDPs?
The most important thing I realized about the Bridging Disciplines Program is that it is a program designed for YOU. It is not simply another program name to add to a resume. It allows you to focus on the subjects that interest you but may not fulfill the requirements of your major. It allows you to access opportunities in the form of research and internships that help you decide where you will go in the future. It is the perfect form of guidance to help you take advantage of the opportunities provided by the university.

Name: Albert Palacios
BDP: Cultural Studies
Major: Architecture and Anthropology

What has been the biggest benefit of the BDP for you?
The biggest benefit of being in the BDP is having the opportunity and freedom to focus on any issue that you deem important. With the flexibility this program provides, you have the ability to find connections between topics you would have though to be remote.

What did you do for your Connecting Experience?
I have been conducting research through the BDP into Southwest Native American culture and architecture during Spanish rule. I am attempting to prove that every detail in a structure, as insignificant as it might seem, has a meaning or value placed on it by the society that created it. By detailing culture, societies form and create architecture in order to assert and represent core values and beliefs that bring a community together. The opportunity to fully immerse myself into a subject that I am passionate about has so far been the ultimate highlight of not only my connecting experience, but my college career.

What would you want other students to know about the BDPs?
The BDPs are the most supporting, structured, and above all, rewarding when it comes to making undergraduate academics an in-depth experience, an experience that will not only help you expand your horizons, but will add value to your degree.

Name: Amanda Tufano
BDP: Cultural Studies
Majors: Radio-Television-Film and Government

What attracted you to the Bridging Disciplines Program?
It was an overwhelming experience to come to such a large university. I was really looking for a place on campus that was a good fit for me and a place that would give me personalized advising. After meeting with an advisor my freshman year, I knew this was a program that I couldn’t afford to miss out on. I was right; it’s the best decision I’ve made in college.

What would you say has been the biggest benefit of being in the BDPs?
The biggest benefit of being in the BDPs has been the people that I have been fortunate enough to know. The BDP advisors were always willing to help me with whatever problem I had. They were really great about tailoring my college career to my interests. I was able to meet some great faculty and other students involved in the program.

What would you want other students to know about the BDPs?
The people who work everyday in the BDP offices make a program like this worth it. They would go to all ends of the Earth to help a student find a perfect internship or enroll in a great class. The people who work in the BDP office truly understand what a well-rounded college career is, and they help you achieve it.