My Retrospective Reflection
Who Am I?
As a soon-to-be graduate and emerging graduate student at Indiana University Indianapolis, I have gained an incredible wealth of knowledge and opportunities that have led me to where I am today. My name is Brittany Crabtree, and I will be earning a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, majoring in Public Safety Management and minoring in Civic Leadership. Being part of the IU Indianapolis Honors College has been an instrumental part of my education and experiences. The Honors College has prepared me to succeed in the field of Emergency Management through opportunities for research, internships, and engagement with the campus and community.
A goal I set for myself in college was to get involved and become a leader. I am proud to know that I have participated in several organizations on campus and held leadership positions within them. These experiences allowed me to engage with my peers and connect with the campus community. I have also had the opportunity to conduct valuable research with my school, which taught me critical skills that benefited my internship experiences. However, all of these opportunities began when I started as an incoming freshman who did not yet know what I wanted to do with my time at IU Indianapolis.
Introduction to Honors to Soon-To-Be Graduate
O'Neill Regatta 2025
I was accepted into the IU Indianapolis Honors College in August 2022 and was eager to build connections and take advantage of the opportunities available throughout my four years. One of my first experiences was Introduction to Honors 200, a First-Year Experience course required for all incoming Honors College scholars. The course encouraged me to think intentionally about goal setting, involvement, and engagement not only within the Honors College but also at the university and in the broader community.
Looking back, if someone had told my freshman-year self everything I would experience and accomplish, I would have been in complete shock and disbelief. Over the past four years, I have grown both personally and professionally. Professionally, I gained valuable experiences through my program and community involvement. I looked for opportunities that challenged me and helped me develop skills and knowledge that I did not have as a freshman. Personally, I have learned a great deal about who I am and who I am becoming. Between my freshman and senior years, I learned how to become independent and to challenge myself with opportunities that once seemed intimidating. I would have never thought that I would be able to pick up my things to move across the country (Los Angeles) to intern with a federal agency that I have been interned in. This experience makes me feel confident and ready to continue learning anywhere and I look forward to gaining experiences in Washington D.C in the spring. I gained confidence in my abilities and in my potential to grow, and I now approach new experiences with curiosity and determination.
Reflecting on the Honors learning goals, I can see how my growth in goal setting, engagement, and self-awareness during H200 has carried through my time in the Honors College. The skills I began developing in that first course have shaped my academic, professional, and personal journey, and my showcased artifacts represent that growth.
You're off to great places. Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So...get on your way!
- Dr. Seuss, "Oh, The Places You'll Go!"
My Showcase Artifacts and Growth
In my undergraduate honors experience, I have had the opportunity to demonstrate my learning, growth, and perspective through various opportunities throughout IU Indianapolis and the community. The artifacts I have presented in my ePortfolio represent the academic growth I have achieved during my undergraduate experience. At the beginning of my college career, I did not know exactly what I wanted to do, but as I completed the accelerated master’s program, honors contracts, research projects, internships, and community engagement, I grew both personally and professionally.
These artifacts also connect with the mentors I have met throughout the last three years. As a Peer Advisor with O’Neill, I became familiar with staff and faculty who shared their experiences and career paths with me and offered advice. The best advice I received was to get involved in something I am passionate about. I took that advice and got involved with my school and professionals in my career field. It helped me learn more about our campus and allowed me to build relationships with professionals in the field I plan to work in.
A key memory was speaking with my Emergency Management instructor, Professor Kate. I completed an honors contract in her class that connected me with IUPD, where I helped create social media posts for Instagram. The project I completed with her allowed me to learn more about her work as an emergency manager and inspired me to pursue experiences in this field. I am grateful to have had her as both an undergraduate and graduate instructor because she provided clarity about the field and its future.
My artifact from the Human Rights and War Crime Violations Research remind me of the importance of individuals in the career field. I am aiming for a career in which I can help individual feel safe and resilient. The experience throughout this research served as a milestone in expanding my knowledge of how important these areas of study are and the people in them. I witnessed first-hand how disasters can quickly happen and affect several individuals in my Marion County Emergency Management and FEMA internship. I want to be the person that can provided guidance and help during a difficult time. These artifacts demonstrate that I have grown and changed in ways that align with the Honors College goals through diverse experiences that pushed me toward academic excellence, personal and social responsibility, engaged experiences, and equity and inclusion. They helped me realize the importance of education and how to think from different perspectives. I learned to think critically and feel prepared to go out into the world to analyze complex issues and find ways to resolve them. I now have a well-informed foundation that allows me to continue learning and to seek new opportunities that will expand my knowledge and educational growth.
Success After Graduation
The learning I gained throughout my Honors College experience has helped me prepare for success after graduation because it encouraged me to start an accelerated master’s program and continue my education to earn my Master of Public Affairs with a concentration in Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The skills I developed through my honors experiences make me feel confident that I can succeed in graduate school and continue learning more about my career path and myself.
I want to continue expanding my knowledge. Overall, the Honors College has truly blessed me with wonderful opportunities and countless experiences for which I will always be grateful. These experiences helped me discover what I want to do and allowed me to build meaningful connections within my community.
