The other 4.0
Personal, Financial, Social, Intellectual Capital
Personal
Amidst the solitude of quarantine, I discovered a newfound passion for crafting baked goods. What once was just a pastime activity swiftly evolved into my hidden talent. With that, I took a leap of faith and created "Starr's Treats," a small-scale baking enterprise dedicated to delighting taste buds and spreading joy through sweet indulgence. Furthermore, I've had the privilege of imparting my knowledge and expertise through engaging cake decorating classes, igniting the creative spark in eager learners, and fostering a shared love for the culinary arts.
Financial
For the last seventeen years, I have spent about 75% of my free time dancing. For twelve of those years, I have danced Haitian folklore. I became lead dancer, board member, and teacher under the wings of the NSL Danse Ensemble. Through this company, I have become a professional dancer and have completed about six shows per month, which is my form of passive income while being a full-time college student.
Social
​I am a supporter of the Association of Haitian Educators of Dade. I attended their holiday mixer along with three educators and a United Teachers of Dade board member, Nancy St. Leger. I became acquainted with current teachers and administrators who shared a similar background to me. The connections I made at this mixer led to my invitation to a convention in Washington, D.C.​ This supports the exploration stage, as I am networking with people in the field of education.
Intellectual
​I have always advocated for education, history, and civics. University of Miami Professor Dr. Matthew Nelson wrote a book entitled The Color of Civics. This book focuses on minority students in underprivileged neighborhoods and their access to and knowledge of civic education. I attended his book reading, where I talked to Professor Nelson about civic education in Miami, Florida, in reference to Cuban and Haitian students.​ This supports the theory of happenstance; it was through my readings of his literature that I found Upward Bound, an internship I later embarked on.
intellectual
#2 Meet with your Advisor 3x's a year:
Director Wright is the Director of the Miami Dade Honors College at the North campus, but she also serves as my advisor. I met with Director Wright to discuss my courses for the semester and new opportunities for me to pursue as someone interested in the field of higher education. I also go to Director Wright's office for miscellaneous things, when I need a pick me up after a rough test, advice on internship opportunities, and to just sit in her office while I do my work for moral support. This supports the theory of happenstance; it is through her that many of my opportunities were given.
intellectual
#13 Apply to at least 1 scholarship
I applied to the Voyager Scholarship for Public Service a scholarship created by Former President Barack Obama and Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky. The scholarship is for rising juniors who are interested in public service careers. The application consisted of nine short-answer questions and a two-minute video submission. The questions consisted of why I wanted to study history, what I plan on doing with the scholarship study abroad segment, what my values are, and what my interests are. This supports the stage of exploration, as it was an opportunity that I had to further explore the field of education.
intellectual
#16 Lead a Campus Organization
For the 2023-2034 school year, I served as Phi Theta Kappa Mu Epsilon Chapter President. My main goal as President was to make the campus more engaging for students, in other words, "make school fun". I made our activities consist of monthly meditation, scholarship seminars, leadership seminars, and community service activities at the Miami Dade College Exploration Station. This supports the theory of exploration; it was through PTK that I was able to blend my student life with my aspiration of being in administration.
social
#27 Join a National Association or Organization
In September of 2023, I joined the NAACP, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. I decided to join because I began to go to a lot of history and social justice-related events, and every time I spoke to others who would attend, they would indicate to me that they were with the NAACP. Being that I went to these events on my own, I felt that I could learn more and learn about more things related to my career through this association. These supports happenstance; had I not been at these events, I would have never thought of joining a prestigious organization.
Personal
#36 Take the Gallup Strengths Finder 2.0
Upon entrance to the Miami Dade Honors College, all students were required to take the Gallup Strengths Finder quiz. At the end of the quiz, our five top strengths were revealed to us. My strengths are futuristic, strategic, includer, woo, and significance. Revealing I am futuristic, I like to plan, strategic, I view my life like a match of chess, and, I find ways to include anyone who feels left out. Woo, I like to break the ice in uncomfortable environments, and significance, I prioritize the level of importance of my tasks to my environment.
social
#26 Get a Mentor
During my time at the Miami Dade Honors College, there were alumni who came in to talk about their transfer experiences. During the summer of my second year, Rachel Diaz Yale alumni, came to speak about her experiences as a minority transfer student to an Ivy League Institution. Toward the end of the meeting, I decided to ask her about a mentorship, and she graciously agreed. With that, Rachel has helped me with my UNC application and my application process as a whole. This supports the happenstance theory; if I had never met Rachel, I would not be a UNC today.
career
#33 Giva a Public Speech
I had the opportunity to introduce the keynote speaker, President of the Miami Chamber of Commerce, for a Miami Dade College Scholarship Award Ceremony. ​
PersonaL
#83 Become a Mentor
During my second year at the Honors College, I enrolled in the Pathway Pals Program. I program that assigns a second-year to a first-year student in the same field to help the student get more acclimated with the new college lifestyle. I am a History major and was assigned my mentee Luna, who is an architecture major. Luna and I's majors were not the same but we both shared a deep appreciation for old buildings. I helped Luna pick her courses, find tutors, and bring her to events that could help her with her other 4.0.
Personal
#86 Define the 3 Ways You Measure Success
I measure success through education. I believe your education is the only thing any person will ever be able to take from you. With that, I measure success by your degree, awards, and resources. I do believe that not all of these things need to be obtained to define success, but I do feel that these 3 things will support one's success in an academic sense.
Social
From April 3-7, I attended the Phi Theta Kappa (P.T.K.) Catalyst International Convention in Orlando, Florida. My PTK e-board and advisors traveled with me to the convention, which consisted of the Florida Regional and the International Convention. During the convention we attended various seminars: Finding Balance through a Positive Growth Mindset, Dismantling Microaggressions, and Leadership through Advocacy. My personal favorite was the Dismantling Microaggressions seminar, which taught me the J.E.D.I. Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are tools to cease microaggressions and preserve relationships.
Financial
#67 Sell Something and Make a Profit
During quarantine, I developed a deep love for baking. I used it as a gateway to give my mind a break during our moment of isolation. I baked so much, that the few times I went out in public, people would stop me and tell me that I smelled like frosting or cookies. Throughout my time baking, my cake decorating skills evolved to where I would bake cakes for my family, and others would see my cakes and request orders from me. I was hesitant to bake for profit but the more I did it the more I loved it.
