From my experience abroad I have  learned that the best form of social engagement for me are engagements in which I can interact with beneficiaries a high percentage of my work life. Even though I am a strong introvert according to my Myer Briggs assessment, I really like working and interacting with people on a daily basis. While I was in India I found myself very engaged and excited with my project on the days I could travel to iMerit’s Metiabruz center and interview the company’s operators. Speaking with them and learning more about their lives and dreams really helped me psychologically throughout our difficult placement. Even though we were from very different cultures and backgrounds we were all women passionate about technology. These operators had an exuberance and enthusiasm for life that was incredibly infectious and helped to melt away all of my stress and trepidations. Every time I came to work at Metiabruz I was realigned with my purpose in India; to leverage technology to help women out of the cycle of poverty. I understand that not all jobs can be high impact even within the realm of social entrepreneurship. However, from this experience I realized that sitting in a cubicle and coding all day is something that I cannot do if I hope to maximize the use of my talents and ultimately make a change in the world.

My vocational journey has been a bit rocky thus far. I have realized that I need to take a break from aggressively job hunting and realign myself with my core life goals. After some reflection on my job hunting activities for the past month or so I realize that I have  let uncertainty and fear take over. I have been so afraid of graduating without a plan that I’ve applied to pretty much any job that I can find. I realize now that this sort of strategy is not in my best interest and I’ve spread myself far too thin by constantly interviewing and sending out applications. Looking forward, I plan to dedicate time to discern and reflect on my time abroad and what it means for my future. I need to be able to better articulate my career goals in both a personal and career context. As of right now i’m still not sure what sort of career I should pursue. I do know that I need my future career to line up with my personal values and ultimately help people.

This fellowship helped me personally to grow in immeasurable ways. It has grown my confidence and steeled my resolve to dedicate my life to helping others. Now, whenever I encounter a roadblock in a project or even my personal life I find myself thinking, “hey If I could complete this project in India then I can do anything!” This fellowship was by the most challenging and longest project I’ve engaged in. But it was so, so worth it.

From the GSBI Fellowship, I’ve also learned that justice comes in many forms. It might not always look “heroic.” Sometimes, in order to administer justice one must do administrative tasks or spend hours in front of a computer. Different roles are necessarily for a social enterprise to become successful. Those who choose the path of social entrepreneurship rely on their ideals to drive them forward, often working much, much harder than if they were employed in a non-socially driven company. The CEO of iMerit, Radha Basu is one of the most hardworking and dedicated people I’ve ever met. With someone like her at the helm, a company’s employees must feel similarly inspired to work incredibly hard.

Not only was I able to develop my technical, business, and personal skills through the Fellowship, I also truly feel that I was able to develop spiritually. The spiritual dimension of my life is something that I have always really been hesitant to speak about publicly. I have heard numerous indictments of the Catholic church as science-hating, backward, and full of moral hypocrisy. I always felt these indictments on a personal level even though I know that no one person is responsible for the entire Catholic community. I love science and I care deeply about the environment and social justice and I am also Catholic. I agree that every religious institution should be held to the highest degree of speculation, but I also think that the Catholic church has made progress, especially through Pope Francis, who has brought many important discussions to the forefront of his platform such as global climate change. Through the GSBI Fellowship I have met a very important mentor, Keith Warner OFM. He has taught me a lot about the Franciscan Order, members of which champion many of the ideas that I also feel passionate about. I’m thankful to have had this exposure to a side of Catholicism that inspires me to commit myself daily to God and to care for all of creation.

Ultimately, I have realized that in order to be happy, I must select a career which fulfills both the spiritual and personal goals and values that I hold to be most important. I will always look first to God to direct me in my vocational journey.