REFLECTION
My
name is Jaycie Smith and for my EDGE project I chose to volunteer as a medical
staff for the prestigious law enforcement race called Baker to Vegas (B2V). I have been an EMT since 2010 and an
Advanced-EMT since 2013. I was first
approached about volunteering by a Paramedic whom I worked with on the county
ambulance. I knew I needed to complete a
project and felt that this would be a perfect opportunity. Not only did I get the chance to volunteer
for something I was passionate about, but I also got to make it a personal
project.
As
I worked my way through the first and second EDGE courses I was already signed
up to volunteer that upcoming year. A team of Advanced-EMT’s and
Paramedics from Iron County volunteered with me. Baker to Vegas is a relay race held annually
in support of law enforcement officer’s worldwide. For the project I had to attend multiple
trainings and learn a set of medical protocols.
At the race I staged at a checkpoint overnight and assessed incoming
runners for medical clearance.
My goal
was to provide outstanding medical supervision to law enforcement officers who ran
in the Baker to Vegas race. This provided me an opportunity to not only serve
my community but to become a better future nurse. I was able to achieve this goal while making
memories that will last me a lifetime.
My
high hopes for the potential outcomes of my EDGE project were positively
met. I truly appreciated the opportunity I had to put my needs aside
as I served others. Through this, I learned how to strengthen my
ability to provide service. I got to see the hard work and
determination of the runners and teams competing in B2V. There is so
much you can learn from someone else and this was an intimate event where I was
up close and involved with the runners as they pushed their bodies to their
physical limits.
My EDGE project has
offered me many insights to my field of study and future career. I
am currently in SUU’s nursing program and will graduate this coming fall
semester. I have been able to use everything I have learned throughout my
studies and from my EDGE project to help me prepare to graduate a competent and
technically proficient nurse. I feel the experiences I had being a
B2V volunteer has given me more dedication towards becoming a nurse. I
learned more about hard work and determination, I was able to practice my first
aid and patient assessment skills, and I met other people who want to work in
the same field as me. My EDGE project has positively influenced the
shape of my career and helped serve community members by having provided me the
opportunity to give back to community officials who serve the general
population every day.
In my opinion, Southern
Utah University decided to put an experiential learning in place to provide
students an opportunity to add to their resumes. I assume there are many students who do not
have a lot of work or volunteer experience to show to potential employers. Integrating experiential learning into
Southern Utah University’s curriculum is a great selling point to prospective
students who are looking for a well-rounded education.
EDGE stands for Education
Designed to Give Experience. Looking at
this definition and reading about what the EDGE program is from SUU’s website,
one can see that it was designed to get students out of a classroom and
learning while completing a personal or professional goal. Although most students complain about being
forced to complete this graduation requirement, I believe it is well
intentioned.
EDGE for me helped create
a resourceful portfolio which I can share with future employers. I am glad I was able to complete a project
which I was passionate about and with which I used my medical skills. For upcoming graduates, they can reflect on
the EDGE Program as being a resource for employment and proof of achieving SUU’s
School of Integrative and Engaged Learning’s visions whose core themes are
academic excellence, involvement and personal growth, and community and social
responsibility.
