Switching majors can cause issues for students and may even delay graduation. | File Photo

With the pressure that comes with the college application process, many students feel overwhelmed with all the decisions they have to make along the way.

From what school they want to attend, to what standardized test they wish to take, deciding on a college major is a common cause of stress for many students prior to entering college.

While making the switch can be tough, as some students will attest, UH provides resources like the exploratory studies program to help students find their educational focus.

Exploratory Studies

At UH, the exploratory studies program is an option for students who haven’t made a decision yet on what major and career field they want to enter. The exploratory studies office makes an effort to ensure these undecided students avoid taking classes that will later not fit into their degree plan.

“Students who are more certain about their major/career goals follow courses applicable to those and related major academic maps so they stay on track for an on-time major change and graduation,” said Executive Director of Communications at the Office of the Provost Brian Waddle in an email.

Through the exploratory studies program, students are provided with resources to better educate them on what different majors consist of in the process of them deciding what they want to major in.

Waddle said exploratory studies students are expected to take CORE 1101 College Success program, which employs instructors hired from colleges where students have interest.

Finalizing what major to declare can be dependent on potential careers after graduation. Job security, average income and quality of life are some factors students may consider.

Making the switch

“I entered UH as a pre-business major but decided to switch to psychology pre-med at the end of my first semester because of unhappiness with my future, post-graduation,” said supply chain management sophomore Jack Mraz. “Work-life balance is really important to me. and what I was seeing in business looked unfulfilling and soulless.”

Switching majors at the University varies from college to college. Most majors require an advising appointment and a minimum GPA before students can officially switch.

Additional requirements depend on the specific major and can be found online. For example, a requirement for switching into the digital media degree requires a C or better in DIGM 1350.

“Since I was already unhappy with business and had a few people pushing me towards medicine, I decided to switch,” Mraz said. “For being a life changing decision, the process of switching majors is surprisingly anticlimactic. I’m pretty sure I just printed off a form and handed it to an adviser.”

Students may be hesitant to begin college in exploratory studies because they feel it comes with a lack of security compared to majors that specific to particular industries.

“I was vaguely aware of exploratory studies when I applied to UH, but I did not consider it to be a realistic option,” Mraz said. “At that point I had already decided business would be the best fit and medicine wasn’t a serious consideration for me. think exploratory studies is the right choice for many students, but what I did worked best for me personally.”

While Mraz wasn’t happy as a business major, he was satisfied with the quality of education that came with being a student at the C.T. Bauer College of Business.

“I can’t say I was unhappy with Bauer,” Mraz said. “The advisers in Bauer Honors are outstanding and want nothing but the best for everyone they deal with. I don’t think there’s ever been a moment where I felt my adviser was under equipped to answer my questions or to provide advice.”

Long-term impacts

Ultimately, Mraz decided to switch back to business after spending a semester outside of his major. While the majority of college education was as a business student, Mraz still faces long-term impacts in his graduation date because of his degree change.

“While I came in about a semester ahead, I am now barely on pace to graduate on time,” Mraz said. “As of right now, if I take 15 hours per semester, major in supply chain, and minor in psychology I will graduate at least two classes short of what I need to graduate on time.”

Additional complications that arise after switching majors can cause students to stress more. The financial costs of paying for courses that will not work towards one’s degree can become an issue for students.

“Degree plans are frustratingly rigid, and summer courses are not an option for me,” Mraz said. “Taking an extra semester is also out of the question for me because I’m from out of state and at the end of four years I lose my in-state tuition waiver.”

Mraz isn’t sure what his solution will be, but he does have his eyes on extracurricular options for getting experience in his career path. Waddle said students who aren’t sure of their degree plan would be directed to complete core courses first and save major-specific courses for later on.

“I don’t have anything locked down, but my hope is to get a few internships while I’m here,” Mraz said. “Then hopefully I’ll move into international business in a supply chain position.”

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There may be no time as contradictory as graduating college. Students experience a cocktail of emotions, usually joy, elation and relief, and at the same time, fear, doubt and turmoil as many changes lie ahead.

The University’s six-year graduation rate has passed 60 percent and graduates have an average salary of $51,600, according to the Department of Education.

The Cougar reached out to alumni from all walks of life to ask them what they experienced after they finished college.

Courtney Brown – Stayed at her job after graduation

Courtney Brown graduated 2017 with a degree in business administration, and was surprised that it didn’t feel as life changing as she thought.

“I thought I was going to go from school straight to the workforce, but I worked most through college,” Brown said. “I transitioned fairly seamlessly, with no time stuck in that ‘limbo’ I think others feel.”

However, Brown didn’t begin working in what she felt was her field right away, instead staying at the job she was already at.

“My boss thought my degree was in sales,” Brown said. “I appreciated having employment right after college, but it was not my forever job.”

She went from her job in sales to a temp job as she searched for work that suited her degree and passion, which was higher education.

“Do not knock temp agencies,” Brown said. “They’re the reason I have my current job, which eventually became full time employment.”

Brown said she wouldn’t have made it without her parents and her boyfriend being there to help, as well as her roommate, who all provided her with many forms of support, including financially.

“They knew if they supported me or gave me money, they didn’t have to worry about me paying them back when I could,” Brown said.

Brown used to work at Escape Room off Louisiana Street, but now works at the Welcome Center at UH and at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts downtown.

“I really like where I am now,” Brown said. “I only feel like I’m reaching where I want to be now, so it definitely can take time.”

Nam-My Lee – Job offer after college

Nam-My Lee graduated from the University in 2015, with degrees in economics and accounting. He spent five years at the University and after graduation felt relieved.

“I was pretty excited, and I was pretty burnt out,” Lee said. “I love college, that wasn’t the issue at all, but I was ready to move to the next stage of my life.”

Part of that excitement was due to already having a job offer straight out of college as a data analyst at Exxon Mobil Corp., a job he still works at and saw him move around, including to Dallas.

“I changed degrees a lot,” Lee said. “I interned at Texas Instruments as an engineer, I worked at The Daily Cougar as a news editor, so I got tons of experience, and that primarily got me where I was.”

It took Lee about six months to feel normal again after graduation, partially due to moving for work, Lee said.

“Moving out of your support system is difficult,” Lee said. “You’re leaving your friends, the structure of college, and I moved to an entirely different city, so I didn’t have access to that support at all.”

The most important thing a graduating student could have is an open mind, Lee said.

“It’s going to be kind of weird,” Lee said. “After graduation, it’s a wild ride, and you can end up in a lot of places, so keep an open mind to opportunities.”

Chris Gervasio – Graduate program

Chris Gervasio graduated from Bauer College in 2017 with an undergraduate degree, and in 2018 with his master’s in accounting, but he went through a direct program that funneled him right into his postgraduate degree and considers 2018 his real graduation date.

“I was paying graduate tuition, but for all purposes I was in an undergrad mindset still,” Gervasio said.

While Gervasio had a job lined up, he took several months to focus on the Uniform Certified Public Accountant, or CPA, exams until he began working Oct. 2018.

“I was worried about finding a job since my freshman year,” Gervasio said. “I was one of those weird kids trying to work jobs and get internships since day one.”

Gervasio wanted graduating students to understand that life continues after the degree and leaving college.

“This wasn’t the end,” Gervasio said. “Graduation is just another milestone, the same way getting married, getting to the wedding ceremony, isn’t the end. The relationship keeps going and so does life.”

Deborah Okoro – Took time to find a job

Deborah Okoro graduated in May 2019 with a degree in psychology, after following a typical four-year plan. However, her plans stalled when she couldn’t immediately find work after graduation.

Okoro moved home to live with her parents to start searching for jobs, but hopes to find a better living situation.

“I was waiting, waiting, and I felt like I had to go back to the drawing board,” Okoro said.

Fortunately, she now works as a recruiter for healthcare jobs, a job she found in July, which she feels will propel her into another career in workforce solutions or HR.

“I don’t know when I’ll find a normal state again,” Okoro said. “I feel like with all the pressure of looking for a good living situation, it’s difficult.”

Okoro had the support of her family, but at times their expectations made things more difficult, especially in regards to work, she said.

“My mom was kind of pressuring me to get started and asking me what my plans were,” Okoro said. “It made me feel stressed.”

Even with the uncertainty, Okoro wanted graduating students to feel proud of what they’ve achieved.

“You don’t have to figure it out right now,” Okoro said. “Graduation is a huge accomplishment.”

Brooke Tolle – Graduate school and a job

Brooke Tolle graduated in December 2016 with a major in Liberal Studies and was in a bit of a haze for months afterward. She had enjoyed her time as an undergraduate student, but her next plan was to “get a job she didn’t hate” and figure out what she wanted to study in grad school.

Narrowing down her options for grad schools was daunting, Tolle said. After trying out a few different jobs over the last couple of years, Tolle is back at the Graduate College of Social Work pursuing a master’s.

“I knew that I wanted to do something along the lines of psychology or sociology or something, and I feel like I’m in the right place with social work,” Tolle said.

Having an enormous amount of support from her friends and family has been a huge help in life, Tolle said. However, she said after graduation it gets harder to maintain friendships, as it takes more intentional effort to find time to spend with each other.

“You may realize that there were some people you were only friends with out of convenience,” Tolle said. “That’s OK. It’s OK for your circle to narrow a bit. Hold the ones who are dear to you close. Tell them you love them.”

Tolle said in her experience there’s a societal pressure to follow a formula of finishing school, starting your career, getting married and then having children. However, she said life has a different path for everyone and each one is valid.

“The world is changing and people don’t typically stay at jobs for 30-plus years anymore,” Tolle said. “Family can look like a lot of different things. There are a lot of directions your life can go.”

Rodolfo Yamba – Pivoted to law school

Rodolfo Yamba graduated in Spring 2019 with bachelor’s degrees in psychology and liberal studies.

During his studies, Yamba initially wanted to go to physician assistant school, but in his last few months at UH he wanted a career change. Now, he’s preparing for the LSAT to head to law school.

“Stay engaged, stay involved, do things that you want to do, not because you have to do it, and be OK with changing,” Yamba said as advice to future alumni.

Yamba took a variety of services related courses at UH — from food security, poverty alleviation, education, genocide and more.

“I realized in everything that I’ve been doing the link was with people and understanding and advocating for them in these different areas,” Yamba said.

He slowly began to realize that he wanted to do more at the intersection of health and humanities, which ignited his passion to attend law school.

“Always just know that you can always spin your experience to make it work for quest and what potentially want to do,” Yamba said.

Some advice that Yamba said he’d give to future graduate would be to not be afraid of a gap year. In his experience, once you have a job there are no breaks in life. So, if you need to take some time and figure out what you want in life you should go for it.

“You’re not failing,” Yamba said. “Not everybody needs to go work right out. Everybody’s capable of doing that.”

Yamba also recommends to stay connected with your former professors and fellow students and to take use of the networking opportunity your undergraduate studies gave you.

“Who knows, they might funnel you to a potential job opportunity that you may want to do,” Yamba said.

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The Fire Marshal’s office received an award for excellence in October from the Texas Fire Marshal Association, making it the first university office to do so.

The Achievement of Excellence Bronze Level award was bestowed at the Annual Texas Fire Marshal’s Association Conference, during an awards banquet. The award is presented to recognize excellence in an organization’s fire prevention ability.

“I’m very proud of the UH Fire Marshal’s Office and pleased that their hard work and dedication to fire prevention has been recognized by their peers state wide,” said Malcolm Davis, UH assistant vice chancellor and assistant vice president for public safety and security, in a news release.

The award is valued along categories like their organization’s structure and ethics, their fire and life safety programs, their performance metrics and their web communications and automation.

“I’m excited and proud to present this award to the University of Houston Fire Marshal’s Office,” TXMFA president John Erskine said in a news release. “Their hard work in fire prevention activities has earned such a prestigious award through their dedication and professionalism.”

Submissions to the award are open to all county, municipal and university offices, according to the news release.

Assistant Fire Marshal Nathan Green was also honored during “Heroes Night” at the UH versus SMU game in October, according to a news release from Administration and Finance.

“Our Fire Marshal’s Office is integral to the safety of our campuses,” the news release said.

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Kendra Williams, health communications senior, cradling her 20-pound sweet potato | Courtesy of Kendra Williams

Health communications senior Kendra Williams is used to growing things in her garden, but she’s never seen a sweet potato push 20 pounds before.

That is, until Oct. 23, when she pulled a gigantic tuber from the ground beneath her aloe vera plant. The potato survived an extra year thanks to the quality of her soil.

“This was luck,” Williams said. “I think it happened because I forgot to harvest this tuber last year, and it kept growing,” Williams said.

Coincidentally, the sweet potato was growing directly underneath the aloe vera plant, which is most likely the reason it stayed healthy and alive throughout the year.

Typically if a tuber is left unattended for too long, it will rot, Williams said.

Williams uses planter boxes to keep her annual plants separated from her perennial plants, a border which must be strictly maintained for the different species to survive.

Annual plants perform their whole life cycle from seed to flower back to seed within a single a growing season, while perennials are plants that persist through many growing seasons.

Usually this means the plant will die during the winter and regrow during the spring with the same roots.

When Williams initially started gardening it was as a hobby so she could have fresh vegetables and seasonings to cook with.

“I started gardening about 3-4 years ago, and I have grown ginger, basil, rosemary, sweet potatoes, flowers, aloe vera, and peppers.” said Williams.

She occasionally volunteers with Recipe of Success, a Houston non-profit focused on combating child obesity by teaching them appreciation for food, and learns a lot from their Hope Farms program, which trains urban micro-farmers.

“I like gardening to get away from crowds, because I’m always working or in class or running around somewhere.” said Williams.

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Matthew Gallagher, associate professor of clinical psychology, studies the effectiveness of hope in combating anxiety. | Courtesy of Media Relations

Research from a UH professor of clinical psychology has found that hope in a student’s life can help with daily anxiety.

Matthew Gallagher began his studies in Boston with a few other colleagues nine years ago as a large clinical trial for examining different treatments options for anxiety disorders. Gallagher included hope as a potential tool of change based on his and his colleagues’ previous work. 

“Everybody copes with anxiety to some extent on a regular basis,” Gallagher said. “Our findings speak to the importance of maintaining hope or positive expectations about your ability to pursue and achieve goals as one factor that can help in managing anxiety.”

For students with anxiety, having academic hope not just for the semester but for their future profession could give someone the motivation to work past it.

Hope in students promotes more than the ability to do well in class, being successful and helping with anxiety. Hope could further enhance mental health from anxiety disorders, Gallagher said.

“My research lab has multiple ongoing projects examining when and how hope may promote positive mental health or resilience to or recovery from anxiety and stress disorder,” Gallagher said.

Hope is similar to other positive psychology constructs like self-efficacy and optimism, according to a news release. 

The study helps to understand how people with anxiety can recover during treatment by keeping a positive outlook.

Some students agreed that having hope improved their academic lives.

“I think hope goes hand in hand with having a positive mind set, and students should take things day by day and not stress over the little things,” said kinesiology senior Britani Kirkpatrick.

Others felt social connections kept them feeling positive.

“I find meeting up with friends and doing study group helps because we’re all in it together and it’s a refresher and being productive at the same time,” said biology junior Arlette Chavez.

As Gallagher continues his research with anxiety, he still plans on using hope as a resource in anxiety treatment and believes there is still more to learn.

“We expect to continue to find that hope plays an important role in promoting resilience and well-being,” Gallagher said.

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SGA Attorney General Cameron Barrett discussed election code adjustments to the Senate. | Donna Keeya/The Cougar

The Senate on Wednesday passed the Anti-Sexual and Violent Offenses Act that prohibits students who have served sanctions for sexual assault, harassment, violence or other harmful acts from running for office.

The act will not impact all students who have been accused of sexual assault and their ability to run for office. Only those who have been sanctioned for allegations are prevented from holding SGA office.

“So it’s if the University has sanctioned you for a sexual or violent offense,” said Chief Election Commissioner Beka Harricharran.

Various Election Code Adjustments was passed, which makes revisions to the election code by adding and removing clauses with the intention of making the code more clear and detailed.

“This is pretty much just a bill trying to update the codes to be a little more fair and reasonable,” said Attorney General Cameron Barrett. “I tried to eliminate potential technicalities and loopholes in the code to where people can get around being held accountable. I tried to broaden what’s defined against the election code.”

The Ranked Choice and Single Transferable Vote Act was also passed. Under this bill, elections for student-elected positions by implementing voting through either the ranked choice voting or the single transferable vote method.

“For this one I just figured it’d make sense to put it along with this next election,” Barrett said. “With Beka’s amendment it makes more sense to have it earlier, so it can affect the current election, because it could possibly affect (the outcome of) the current election.

A motion to remove the Department of Justice Appointment from agenda for the night was successful, postponing the appointment of Deputy Attorney General Tabitha Cook.

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Many students celebrated this Halloween by coming to campus dressed up. We skulked around in true ghoulish fashion and caught people’s costumes on camera.

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With Halloween bursting through our doors, hands outstretched for our candy like an ill-dressed child, it seemed appropriate for The Cougar to dig into some of the haunted history of our city.

However, students don’t have money to ghost hunt, and they certainly don’t have time to spend overnight in a cemetery or at the site of a grisly murder.

Luckily for the amateur ghost-buster, Houston has a past wide and deep enough for a few ghosts to hide in the cracks just a short Metro rail ride from UH, and all within 2 square miles of each other.

Spaghetti Warehouse

901 Commerce St, Houston, TX, 77002

The Spaghetti Warehouse, which was long a staple of the Houston restaurant scene, was forced to close after Harvey flooded the building up to the first floor.

While the Dallas-based chain has plans to reopen at a new location in Houston, the property was snapped up by a local development group, which has plans to renovate the building with respect to its historic past.

But a part of that past? The ghost of a pharmacist who fell down an elevator shaft and his forlorn wife who died less than a year after he did, according to legend.

Built around 1912, the Spaghetti Warehouse was once a fruit and veggie warehouse and later a pharmaceutical company, before becoming a restaurant in 1974.

Some people have reported seeing objects floating, and some employees have heard their name called by disembodied voices. Child ghosts have reportedly been heard playing throughout the building.

Elder Street Artist Lofts

1101 Elder St, Houston, TX, 77007

Currently, the Elder Street Artist Lofts offers low-income spaces for artists. But once, before the distant year of 2005, it was the ruins of the Jefferson Davis Hospital, built atop an actual cemetery in 1924 and named for the former president of the Confederacy.

The cemetery was the site of numerous unmarked graves and burial places for Civil War veterans and victims of yellow fever and cholera, according to the Houston Historic Preservation website.

The building’s construction apparently unearthed human remains, and the basement had to be built above ground to avoid public outcry.

The hospital accepted low-income patients and even served as a psychiatric ward until 1939 when it closed. It was eventually abandoned in 1985, and wouldn’t be rescued until two decades later, when the lofts opened.

Folklore and legend have it that patients reported ghostly figures wandering the hallways and voices crying out, and some believe the disturbed dead still wander the place.

Julia Ideson Library

550 McKinney St, Houston, TX, 77002

Named for the first Head Librarian of the Houston Public Libraries, Julia Bedford Ideson, this building serves as a part of the Central Library, housing archives, manuscripts, and the Texas and Local History Department.

The building also houses two ghosts, a man and his dog, according to folk-tale and rumor.

Jacob Frank Cramer was a night watchman at the building for many years. He could often be heard in the early evening playing his violin from the top floor. But one morning November, 1936, librarians found him dead.

Various spook-cataloging websites, would-be ghost hunters and even the Houston Public Library blog itself have all spread tales of Cramer’s posthumous violin playing serenading the building, as well as the sound of toenails clicking on the floor — Cramer’s faithful German Shepherd, Petey, following him even in the afterlife.

Glenwood Cemetery

2525 Washington Ave, Houston, TX, 77007

Nestled below the Houston Skyline, 84 quiet acres shelter not only generations of Houstonians, 20 of our city’s mayors and famous aviator Howard Hughes, but a haunted reputation.

The cemetery has been called the “River Oaks of the Dead” because of its star studded graves. Besides Hughes and former mayors, it also is the final resting place of Anson Jones, the last president of the Republic of Texas.

Glenwood also has a “stranger’s rest” section devoted to people who died accidentally.

Ghost hunters have flocked to Glenwood for its high electromagnetic fields and the legend that its former owner, a murder victim, haunts the grounds.

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Jiselle Santos/The Cougar

The presence of health insurance isn’t felt until it’s desperately needed, but students, who have other worries like midterms and homework, might take their options for granted.

Even students in the prime of their health aren’t exempt from accidents like broken bones or life-altering conditions and diseases, like cancer. Students should be in the know about the plans and benefits available to mitigate these potential pit-falls.

“Students who are well-informed have a greater chance of maximizing their plan benefits,” said the Health Center’s Student Health Insurance Coordinator Naomi Odom.

Regular check-ups with the doctor, dentist and optometrist are recommended to spot early problems.

Professors and workplaces often ask for doctor’s notes to justify missing a class, and in that case, students might skip a visit in favor of taking an unexcused absence. But common colds, fevers and  stomach bugs can be taken care of at the UH health clinic, cheaper if you’re on the campus-provided plan

“Students who are insured with the Student Health Insurance Plan are covered at 100 percent when using the UH Student Health Center,” Odom said. “So this would save money on copays, co-insurances and deductibles.”

On the other hand, getting the UH coverage is expensive, with a price tag over $2,500 for the domestic/voluntary annual plan, and more than $1,000 for the international mandatory plan.

“Although no premium is entirely inexpensive, we would consider SHIP’s premium to be very competitive to other outside private insurance plans,” Odom said.

The Cougar researched the details of these plans and spoke to students about their coverage.

What UH coverage looks like

So what are they details of the Student Health Insurance Plan?  The plan sells itself when considering other options out there, Odom said.

“We educate and empower our students to familiarize themselves with their health plan benefits,” Odom said.

Undergraduate students who are enrolled in at least six credit hours can enroll in the SHIP. The price for the domestic annual plan is $2,590, while a Fall only plan is $864, a Spring/Summer plan is $1,726, and a Summer only plan is $651.

Students enrolled in the SHIP can expect a $10 copay for general visits to the Health Center, according to the center’s cost of services. Surgeries, in-office physician fees, and lab procedures through the Health Center are covered 100 percent by the SHIP.

With network providers, after a $100 copay, SHIP will also cover 80 percent of hospital room and board expenses, diagnostic x-ray services, and after a $150 copay, the plan will cover 80 percent of emergency services expenses.

International students with “F” or “J” visa statuses must be covered by the SHIP or an equivalent plan, regardless of credit hours, according to the Health Center information page on their plans.

At the time of registration, international students will automatically be enrolled in the SHIP and charged to their student financial account.

“Learning about the basics such as copays, deductibles and as to whether or not a specialist is ‘in or out of network’ will result in a better experience for the consumer,” Odom said.

Odom also said students who visit their physician a few times a month for chronic conditions, such as allergies, could see a greater return by enrolling SHIP compared to a family plan.

Odom felt it’s up to students whether to choose SHIP or another plan.

“I believe this decision should be made based off of the student’s individual needs and financial situation,” Odom said.

Uninsured city

Houston is the second most uninsured large city in the United States, with an average uninsured rate of 23.81 percent, according to a recent study done by Wallethub. How does this measure up to UH’s rate?

“Currently, we are unable to determine how we compare to the city average in this regard,” Odom said. “We would need to collect data from a large enough group over a semester basis to approximate our answer to this.”

However, Odom said a small scale survey done by the health center found that up to 30 percent of students surveyed were uninsured.

“We have received feedback that most students prefer to retain their parents’ coverage despite the very competitive if not superior features our SHIP offers students,” Odom said. “Based on the percentage enrolled at UH, there still remains a significant portion of the total student population who may not have any health insurance coverage.”

Odom encouraged uninsured students to take advantage of UH’s options before it became a significant issue.

“Unfortunately, it only takes one significant, unanticipated adverse health event to impact one’s finances,” Odom said. “A minor procedure can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars and a major surgery can yield tens of thousands of debt in dollars.”

Low usage

There are many insurance options for students. There is coverage provided by the campus, family coverage off-campus, yet there are also students who remain uninsured during their college years.

There are only 840 students with the on-campus insurance, and 2,988 international students with an “F” or “J” Visa plan who are automatically enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan.

“I was looking into (the insurance), because technically I’m from out of the country, but I’m not considered an international student,” said psychology senior Christie Tsao. “The only option that I have is the school health insurance plan.”

Tsao said the health insurance for students increases every year by $200 or more. The fee is additional and not a part of her tuition.

The Student Health Insurance Plan is something some incoming students are considering for their time at UH.

“For me, I live off-campus with my parents, I live at home, I didn’t even know the campus insurance was a thing,” said accounting freshman Jamie Nguyen. “I might have to look into it, that’s something I’d have to discuss with my parents.”

Nguyen said she had off-campus insurance through her parents.

There are students who either do not know whether they have insurance or just don’t have it at all.

Political science freshman Naila Hossain said without insurance she overpays any time she does go to the doctor.

“I don’t have insurance on campus or off,” Hossain said. “My parents used to take care of everything. We would usually just pay out of pocket, because I didn’t really go to the doctor that much.”

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Peace Corps Director Jody Olsen answered questions and shared her life story in the Honors College Commons. | Ian Everett/The Cougar

The Honors College hosted the Peace Corps director for an informational session on Oct. 8, encouraging students to sign up after graduation by sharing her initial experience with volunteering. 

Jody Olsen, the 20th director of the Peace Corps, spoke with Honors students about the benefits of joining the Peace Corps after college. Olsen, who got her start in the Corps in 1966 as a volunteer in Tunisia and was nominated to the director position in 2018, said the benefits went beyond building resumes. 

“From a professional development perspective, it’s one of the best decisions you can make,” Olsen said. “But personally, over that two year period, you change fundamentally in a way that makes you present in everything you want to do in your life.” 

Olsen has a long history with the Peace Corps — she has served in multiple leadership positions, including Acting Director, Deputy Director, and Chief of Staff. 

Prior to her return as the Peace Corps director in 2018, she served as a visiting professor at the University of Maryland-Baltimore School of Social Work and the director of the campus’s Center for Global Education Initiatives. 

But that’s now. Olsen’s talk began by walking back to the first time she ever heard about the Peace Corps and how the desire to join collided with her plans for a normal life. 

“I was a junior in college at the University of Utah, I was engaged, and I wanted to have a bunch of kids,” Olsen said. 

At a sorority dinner, a returned Peace Corps volunteer gave a small talk, and the next day Olsen told her fiance she wanted to join.  

“Why a 10 minute talk fundamentally changed me, I don’t know,” Olsen said. “Maybe it was that I always wanted to hop into a plane and go somewhere.” 

A year and a half after that dinner, Olsen found herself teaching English to a large class of teenage boys in Tunisia, a predominantly Islamic, primarily Arabic and French speaking country. 

Olsen told the audience how nervous she was to leave behind her husband and her life, but she didn’t want to quit.

“I thought it would be embarrassing if I gave up,” Olsen said. “And it was tough. I lost control of my class, and it felt like I didn’t succeed very often.” 

But as the two years progressed, things became easier for Olsen as she immersed herself in a place completely foreign to her. 

“After nine months, I started to learn the language and talk to the women, and something seeped in as I let go of who I was,” Olsen said. 

“I could hear differently, I could listen to other perspectives, I could understand situations that I never could have understood, and I could solve problems I never knew how to solve before,” Olsen said. 

Her class inspired her to continue her education after she returned from her volunteering. 

“The more I spent time with my students, the more I learned about them and their grandmothers; they became very important to me,” Olsen said. “That’s why I got a PhD, because I had so much respect for how those boys treated their grandmothers.” 

Though there was initial friction in their contrasting lives, Olsen said her experiences with her host family and students opened her eyes. 

“We had conversations every day about Islam and Mormonism, and why I ate and drank things they couldn’t, and why they ate and drank things I couldn’t,” Olsen said.

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“Peace Corps Director extols volunteering, shares life” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar