This paper was written for an assignment in which I had to analyze sociocultural systems through a Communications lens. As a transgender individual, I wanted to analyze how gender is formed, enforced, and maintained in society. Specifically, I focused on clothing to show the power that aspects of culture such as artifacts and gender-media associations have on the development of an individual’s identity. By analyzing the ways in which people interact with culture from infancy through adulthood, I examine how binary gender structures are deeply embedded in American culture. |
Communication and Our World(s), and this paper specifically, asks students to identify and interrogate the ways in which society communicates expectations and transfers those expectations to "newcomers." In the traditional sense, how are values passed down from participant to participant in cultures? In this paper, "Anonymous" explores the cultural expectations of gender roles and conformity and demonstrates explicit ways that verbal and non-verbal communication strategies are used consciously and subconsciously to reinforce said norms. "Anonymous" is able to not only identify the knowledge transfer tactics, but identify ways they were impacted by the bombardment of communication designed to beg for compliance.
- Dr. Becca Barile
Writing this paper was an incredibly introspective experience. It allowed me to look inward and acknowledge, untangle, and accept my own complex feelings and emotions regarding my past. Everything in this paper came from the heart and its aim is to address emotional nuance and console anyone who falsely thinks something is wrong with them because they feel too much too often. I am immensely grateful to have Professor Lauren Scheuer provide me with constructive input, support, and guidance every step of the writing process. |
Ayesha Arshad wrote a nuanced, sensitive personal essay about finding joy, particularly in difficult times. She has a wise and tender way of expressing herself, which makes me want to keep reading. She balances thoughtful consideration of the words we use to describe happiness with poignant examples from her personal life. Ayesha never settles for the easiest answer and pushes herself to think deeply about her subject, drawing readers in with the respectful care she shows her topic.
- Prof. Lauren Scheuer
For this piece, I wasn't quite sure how to pull the focus of the topic ― I knew writing honestly regarding my writing struggles put me in an emotionally open position to others that perhaps I wasn't ready to be in. Despite my reservations about how this openness would make me feel, I have come to find that there is a certain beauty in vulnerability. Through completing this piece, I found a new strength in being open about my own struggles that allow me to help others struggling with similar issues, as well as with myself going forward. |
Olivia's essay about her writing concerns is relatable as well as sensitively parsed and beautifully expressed.
- Ms. Catherine Agar
Writing this paper was tough for me because the loss I experienced was so new. I could not have done it without the support of my professor, Mrs. Reed. At points I regretted using this topic as a paper because it was emotionally difficult to recall some of the memories I have of my cousin Troy. The tremendous amount of grief I was going through made writing a great outlet for me. |
I've attached Emily's persuasive research paper about the importance of having more than one child. She endured unspeakable tragedy during her first year of college and emerged strong and successful. Her essay is well-researched, yet it is personal and heart-wrenching. She is honest and clear in her writing.
- Prof. Cathy Reed
Having the opportunity to write a paper about something I love while also following the conventional research writing was a lot of fun! I enjoyed putting in the work to research my debates, while also having an excuse to watch Inside on repeat. I'm very proud of this paper, and I hope others find it interesting and helpful. |
Leah's essay is a fresh approach to a persuasive essay, incorporating a Netflix documentary as a connection to her personal value of determination and its relationship to mental health and the global pandemic. Her writing is thoughtful and thorough, personal and provocative.
- Prof. Cathy Reed
Guided Free Write #4 was a casual writing assignment to simply describe why we chose our topic for our research paper. Being that I chose to write about mental health in the athletic community, I used this assignment as an opportunity to also explain to my professor why I had needed extensions on some of my other assignments throughout the semester, thinking that no one else would ever read it. When I first got the email asking to nominate this paper for the KC Review, I was excited for a moment, but terrified once I realized which paper she wanted to submit, thinking there’s no way I could ever go through with it. However, after long talks with some close friends, I finally built up the courage to send it in. I eventually realized that if there was the slightest chance that someone could see my paper and know that they are not alone, that there are some things you cannot deal with or fix on your own, and that it is okay to reach out for help when you need it, I could not pass up that opportunity. Even if no one ends up reading this paper and it doesn’t make a difference, that small possibility that it could save someone from making the mistakes I have made or from reaching the point that I had is enough of a reason to put my own fear aside and hit the send button. |
Kristen's Guided Free Write explores the inner drive and outer expectations of young athletes when dealing with injuries and the effect on their mental health. She invites us into her private struggles with unflinching honesty and a distinct voice.
- Prof. Cathy Reed
I have always been interested in Deaf education, and have spent the last three years at Keuka researching and learning as much about it as I could. Throughout all of my research and discussions with professionals in the field, I noticed this trend of more Deaf students being mainstreamed than attending schools for the Deaf. When given the opportunity to complete a research project on this exact topic, I took it and did a deep dive into the topic of Deaf education. With this paper I was able to learn a lot about both Deaf and general education, and its effects on the students. This is such an interesting topic, and I am glad I was able to do in depth research about it. |
I chose to nominate Adi because in this paper she demonstrates her ability to explore, analyze, and synthesize previous literature to explore her research question- why are so many Deaf students mainstreamed vs. attending schools for the Deaf? Throughout the paper she goes beyond a simple answer to this question and explores the history of Deaf education, options available to Deaf students, cultural influences, the politics behind choosing an appropriate schooling option, and the benefits and drawbacks of the different options.
- Dr. Tiffany Coyle
Writing this paper was the culmination of reading Latin American literature with elements of magical realism and understanding the literature's importance. Reading Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez and other writings by Latin American authors like Jorge Luis Borges allowed for an expanded understanding of the application of the writing style of magical realism and its significance in Latin American culture. |
I’ve chosen her work because she has a voice, a clear understanding of the material, synthesizes ideas with examples from literature and makes it all seem relevant.
- Dr. Lauren Shaw
Writing this essay was a process for me. I wanted to pick a topic that not a lot of people would think about, but also something that would keep me interested. I decided on universal healthcare. I believe it could be useful to many who cannot afford healthcare around the country. I am not disputing the fact the this topic comes with some flaws, but doesnt everything? Overall I am very happy that I was able to learn a lot more about this topic and that I was able to share some information with all of you! |
I chose Alex's essay because she wrote a well-organized, well-articulated, and well-balanced essay on the universal healthcare debate. She did this while using a humanistic touch along with solid, scientific facts.
- Prof. Cathy Reed
As a foreign student in the U.S., nostalgia for my homeland was present at the time. Thinking about how complex it is to migrate to another country where everything is unknown made me remember my people, especially my loved ones. It was very painful for me to find out that Dr. Aifán had had to flee the country due to political and illegal persecution by the government in power. I found in the writing of this text the healing process that I needed. My feelings of admiration towards Judge Aifán were mixed with empathy towards her immigration process, the loneliness that can be felt being away from home and the hope of creating a different future for my country; I tried to reflect all this in the text. My main motivation was to share my perspective of a woman so powerful that with her work she not only transformed justice in Guatemala, but she also transformed me. |
Pablo Giovanni Mendoza Monzon's essay about who he views as an exemplar of joy takes the reader on a winding, introspective path. Pablo's writing invites a reader to ponder serious questions and relate to his experience of trying to live up to his own expectations. His adoration for the public figure he writes about made me want to learn more about her and her determined fight for justice in Guatemala.
- Prof. Lauren Scheuer
Writing this assignment was daunting at first but it proved to be a very rewarding experience. Not only did I learn a lot about a controversial scientific topic, but I also learned how to properly dig into multiple sides of an issue and evaluate their validity by using scientific evidence. Thanks, Dr. Robak! |
Students were asked to look at a debated scientific topic and evaluate claims made by both "sides" as a critical thinking exercise. Emily's paper went through many revisions and ended as a very impressive work of critical thinking. She clearly put a lot of thought into it, it was well researched and shows high level critical thinking in the sciences.
- Dr. Andrew Robak
Since English is my third language, I used to feel stressful whenever I used this language. However, I met a great professor who helped me to find joy in writing. She gave me a treasure which is a good habit of writing by assigning weekly Guided Free Writes along the semester. Therefore, I do not feel stressful anymore whenever I have to write in English because she encouraged me very well to write whatever on my mind according to the GFW questions without worrying making mistakes. Her encouragement and guidance were one of the major keys how I processed this paper well. Another major key was that I poured my whole heart in my every writing piece because I believe that a good writing piece is written by heart. |
Naw Eh Tha Wah Sree's fourth guided free-write addressed a difficult prompt thoughtfully and openly. The way she wrote about her family and country this semester made me feel both as if I knew these people too and made me want to learn more about who she wrote about. In such a short piece of writing, Sree manages to provide several examples of how her community (in this case, her parents) uplift her and bring joy to her life, as well as comment on how she too can enrich others' lives.
- Prof. Lauren Scheuer
Writing this paper just came naturally to me. It just felt like I had always known what I was going to say about this topic, and the words simply kept flowing. Before I knew it, 10 pages had been written, and I likely could have continued for 10 more, but I took pity on my professor instead. The paper I wrote was heavily influenced by Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers and couldn't have been written without having fully completed the novel. The book and, hopefully, my paper both bring to light the forces and the factors that surround an individual's success, and like myself and Mr. Gladwell, I hope that we can all, at some point in our lives, recognize that every successful person isn't self-made but is instead successful due to a mixture of hard work, opportunities, cultural legacy, and support. So, next time you reflect on your own success, perhaps you'll stop and thank not only your own hard work but also your ancestors, living family, and those random opportunities that aided you along the way. |
Zach did a really nice job exploring how the reading assignment (Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell) argued that culture and family can have a large influence on success. He not only gave a strong personal story but did a great job connecting it to the book.
- Dr. Andrew Robak
This writing assignment was quite eye opening in many aspects. Going into the healthcare field I found that this assignment put in perspective the inequities far too many people face in our society. I hope to continue to educate myself and others of such inequities in hopes to make progress towards change. |
This student uses relevant course resources and her own critical thinking to provide an answer to the question posed by this paper: Is health care in the United States a right or a privilege? In so doing, she applies course concepts such as health disparities, institutional racism, and health equity to support her point of view.
- Dr. Patricia Mattingly