About Me
My name is Alyssa O'Rear. I am a senior from Alabaster, Alabama pursuing a B.A in Communicative Disorders with a minor in Psychology. After graduating in May, I hope to enroll in a Master of Science of Speech-Language Pathology program to become a practicing Speech-Language Pathologist working with Stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury patients.
Focus
I primarily contributed to the research and considerations regarding minority school systems. I also highlighted the considerations of College Outdoor Adventure Programs being implemented into Outdoor Recreation Economies. Additionally, I touched on the considerations regarding minority inclusion in promotion materials as well as assumptions and stereotypes surrounding why minorities do not engage in outdoor recreation.
Reflection
The topic of outdoor recreation is completely new to me, and this project truly brought me out of my comfort zone. With my expertise being in the realm of speech disorders, I thought that I would not have been able to bring much to the table; however, I was wrong. My field of interest overlaps into school systems, and I thought that it was imperative to include considerations regarding them in this project. I have truly enjoyed engaging in research that I am not accustomed to. It has broadened my knowledge in a way that I would have never thought of prior to this project. Working with students from different disciplines was enriching in a way that offered different perspectives and expertise to the task at hand. Overall, this experience has furthered my collaboration skills with people of different backgrounds and interests as well as bringing my attention to an area that I had very little knowledge of beforehand.