Rachel Freedman, '12

Q. Why did you choose Emerson?
When I was choosing colleges as an 18 year old, my primary criterion was that the school be in downtown Boston. Coming from a small community, I also knew I wanted to attend a smaller institution. As Emerson is both of these things and they accepted me, I decided to attend.

Q. What do you love about your field/major?
I have always had a strong interest in social justice issues. The major I created, Global Activism and Advocacy, grew out of this interest. My courses reach across several disciplines and explore various political, social, and economic theories; they cover alternative points of view and join theory, case study, and practice to help me gain an understanding of under-represented communities, their experiences, and the theories that apply to their circumstances.

Q. What do you like about Emerson?
My favorite things about Emerson are all based on the tight-knit community that includes the student body, faculty, and staff. I have also come to learn that this community extends off-campus including alumni, parents, and friends and that this sense of community will continue long after graduation. This kind of community lends to great opportunities, such as developing a relationship with the dean of my program and creating collaborations with students across disciplines on a daily basis.

Q. How does the Emerson community help you thrive as a student?
Due to the nature of the dedicated faculty and the passionate students here at Emerson, I am constantly being challenged and given opportunities to thrive both inside and outside of the classroom. My peers and professors have trusted my potential, giving me important responsibilities whether within a student organization or through allowing me to design my own education. This trust and support has helped me to grow as a student and as an individual.

Q. Describe a typical day or week.
I have a feeling that my typical week is very similar to many other passionate, albeit sometimes over-committed, Emerson students. It is a busy blur of attending class, interning, volunteering off-campus at community-based advocacy organizations, working at the Office of Service Learning and Community Action, and attending meetings. Between coordinating extracurricular activities, consulting with professors, and planning class group projects, I go to a lot of meetings. It is a lot of running around, often hectic, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Q. How have Emerson faculty helped you?
Emerson is a very tight-knit community, and the faculty plays a huge part in that. This has given me the chance to develop close relationships with many faculty members who have been unbelievably supportive as teachers and as mentors. They have exposed me to new theories and ideas and have generally just taught me so much. I am constantly humbled to have the opportunity to work with them.

Q. What do you hope to do with your Emerson degree?
I am currently looking for jobs at local non-profit organizations involved with community empowerment and development. I am very interested in organizations that specifically deal with incorporating local farming, sustainability, green jobs, and green technology into urban environments.

Q. What advice would you give to an incoming Emerson student?
I have two pieces of advice for incoming Emerson students:

The first is to embrace the liberal arts curriculum. As students of higher education, we have a responsibility to learn about the under-represented voices, the people whose narratives are explored in these courses. Embrace these classes as supplemental to your major work.

The second thing is that it can be easy to get caught up with your classes and extracurricular work at Emerson, but don't forget about the city you live in and the greater community you are a part of. Explore that city and become involved with the community.