Reflection

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.