Josh Corlew | Master of Arts in Social Responsibility & Sustainable Communities

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Josh Corlew, SRSC 2016
Garden Programs Coordinator, Plant the Seed, Nashville, TN

I was not excited about going back to school when I first started the SRSC program. In my head, graduate school was stressful, strenuous, and tiring. While the professional benefits of a Masters degree are significant, I wasn't convinced I would finish the program...until I took my first course. The level of intention and critical thought that my professors put into their classes made the entire experience not just beneficial, but enjoyable! I fell in love with learning new perspectives and skills, a task at which the SRSC program is exceptional. My entire worldview was shaken and then solidified in a way that was more holistic than I had ever imagined was possible before I began the program. While the coursework is certainly rigorous and demanding, I often found myself eager for even more information and engagement with the readings, my fellow students, and my professors. Having been graduated now for just a few months, I already miss the directed learning and community that the SRSC program provides.

Post-graduation I find myself to be more centered, compassionate, and communicative than when I entered. The program benefited my personal relationships as much as my professional ones—an unexpected, but highly welcomed, surprise. Professionally this degree has helped me think critically and longitudinally about the impact of my work. I highly recommend participation in the SRSC program to anyone interested in learning how to be a co-creator of a better existence for oneself, one's community, and the planet.