QuestBridge Scholar Jocelyn Redding ’16
Major: psychology
Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
Awards and honors during your college career: Faculty Honors; Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology
Extracurricular activities: instructor, Quest; The Fred Pfeil Community Project; president, Banquet Christian Fellowship; member, Chapel Council; member, Women & Gender Resource Action Center (WGRAC); member, Health Education Board; global ambassador, Trinity in Trinidad; QuestBridge mentor.
How would you describe yourself as a first-year student? I was a very open and adventurous first-year. After I went on Quest and discovered that I did not hate being outdoors, I began to open myself up to new things that I would normally stay away from. This also allowed me to meet diverse groups of people. Although I was not in a bubble in my hometown, I now realize that there are so many types of people that I would never have met if I had stayed in the Midwest. I was pretty ignorant on social issues but excited to learn about them.
How would you describe yourself now? I would say that I have grown a lot since my first year. Being involved with groups such as WGRAC has allowed me to learn about the intersectionality of social justice issues, which even helped me pick my future career. I have still kept my sense of adventure and openness. I feel like the more I do, the more willing I am to try new things.
Which course has been your favorite? Why? That is such a difficult question to answer because I can name many classes and different aspects of classes that made me like them. Some classes just had a wonderful dynamic among the students, and we had great conversations; some classes had a great curriculum; and some classes taught me brand new things. If had to choose one, I would say my senior seminar, “Psychology of Deafness,” with Professor Casserly. Not only was the class interesting, but it opened me up to a specific career path that I may not have considered if I had not taken the class. The course allowed me to combine my passion for psychology and mental health with my interest in deaf culture and deaf communities.
QuestBridge Scholar Jocelyn Redding ’16
Which professor has influenced you the most? Why? Another difficult question, but I would say Professor Casserly. I have taken three courses with her and acted as her research assistant during fall 2015. She’s such a wonderful and understanding person, and I truly feel that she cares about me and all her students. She is also extremely intelligent and knowledgeable about a wide variety of topics, but especially psychology and hearing loss, which is an interest of mine as well. I have learned so much from so many professors and pulled away something special from each of them. Small class sizes really do make a difference.
What is the most important thing you have learned at Trinity? The most important thing that I have learned at Trinity is that no experience is perfect, but there are always great moments even within hard times. I have learned that people will say rude comments to other people because of their race, sexuality, or religion, but there are also people who will embrace everyone just as they are. I have learned to take the good with the bad, and I know that this will be key to living out in the real world. My time at Trinity has not been perfect, but I would not change it. I have learned and grown from the struggles I have faced, and that has allowed me to support others who are going through the same problems.
What has been most important to you outside of class? The most import aspect of my college experience has truly been the people I have met and the conversations I have had along the way. I love meeting new people and learning things about them. This is why being involved with Quest is one of my favorite parts of Trinity. Welcoming first-years and being a mentor to them is one of the things I am most proud of in my Trinity career. Personal connections are not only what makes college worthwhile, but life in general.
What is your favorite Trinity memory … so far? I loved studying abroad in Trinidad my junior spring. I can’t even begin to say how going there changed my life, but I will talk anyone’s ear off about it if they choose to listen.
Where do you hope to be in 10 years? I hope to either be a therapist or a school counselor for deaf children and their families. I hope that I can say that the friendships and relationships I made while at Trinity are still strong. Lastly I hope that I can give back to organizations like QuestBridge that allowed me to come to college in the first place.