Courses Reflection

Psychology and Human Behavior

Winter 2020 : PSY LDT : Psych of Human Relations (Web)

I explored the basics of how people connect and clash in everyday life which really helped me start setting better boundaries in my own professional interactions.

Summer 2021 : PSY 201 : General Psychology (Web)

This class gave me the scientific breakdown of the human brain and why we act the way we do from a biological standpoint.

Fall 2022 : PSY 202 : General Psychology (Web)

I dug into personality types and social influence which was a huge eye opener for understanding how much our environment dictates our mental health.

Fall 2024 : PSY 222 : Writing in Psychology (Web)

I learned how to take messy human behavior and turn it into professional research and reports which is a skill I use every time I am documenting a mediation case.

Fall 2024 : PSY 311 : Child Development (Web)

I studied how kids grow up and hit their milestones and it gave me a lot of perspective on how those early years shape the adults I work with today.

Winter 2026 : PSY 357 : Evolution and Behavior (Web)

This course looked at human nature through an evolutionary lens helping me understand deep seated instincts and why we cooperate in social groups.

 

Sociology and Anthropology

Winter 2021 : SOC 204 : Intro to Sociology (Web)

This course taught me to look at the big picture of how society is built and why some people have a harder time navigating the system than others.

Fall 2021 : SOC LDT : Institutions and Social Change (Web)

I looked at how big systems like the government and schools actually change over time and what it takes to push for progress in a community.

Winter 2023 : SOC LDT : Juvenile Delinquency (Web)

I explored why young people end up in the legal system and the social pressures that lead to those behaviors in the first place.

Spring 2024 : SOC LDT : Social Aspects of Addiction (Web)

I studied how addiction impacts the whole community and the social factors that make it so hard for people to break the cycle.

Spring 2025 : SOC 315 : Social Welfare (Web)

I got a real look at the history of how we take care of people in need which is exactly the foundation I need for moving into social work.

Fall 2025 : SOC 306 : Social Psychology (Web)

I analyzed how people influence each other in groups and it is been incredibly useful for managing the local social media groups I moderate.

Winter 2026 : ANTH 312 : Native People of North America (Web)

I learned about the history and resilience of indigenous cultures which is vital for making sure the work I do is respectful and culturally aware.

 

Criminal Justice and Law

Fall 2019 : CJ LDT : Intro to Parole and Probation (Web)

I looked at what happens to people after they leave the system and how we can actually help them get back on their feet.

Winter 2021 : CJ 230 : Am Crim Justice System (Web)

This was a deep dive into the court system and how a case actually moves from an arrest all the way to a verdict.

Summer 2021 : CJ LDT : Concepts of Criminal Law (Web)

I learned the legal definitions of what makes a crime a crime and how the law determines who is actually responsible.

Fall 2021 : CJ 231 : Intro to Criminology (Web)

I looked at the different theories on why people break the law in the first place whether it is because of their genetics or just their upbringing.

 

Fall 2021 : CJ LDT : Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (Web)

I studied the drug epidemic and how the legal system tries to handle substance abuse which is a major factor in the cases I see.

Winter 2023 : CJ LDT : Intro to Criminalistics (Web)

This was the science side of things where I learned how evidence is collected and analyzed to tell the story of a crime.

Winter 2023 : CJ LDT : Intro to Constitutional Law (Web)

I studied the fundamental laws of the country and how they protect individual rights even within the criminal justice system.

Spring 2023 : CJ 271 : Intro to Corrections (Web)

I looked at what life is really like inside the prison system and the massive hurdles people face when they try to rehabilitate.

Spring 2023 : CJ LDT : Diversity Issues in CJ (Web)

I explored how things like race and money change the way people are treated by the law and it made me much more aware of the biases in the system.

Spring 2023 : CJ LDT : Crisis Intervention Seminar (Web)

I learned how to talk people down when they are in their worst moments and I use these de escalation tricks in my mediation work every single week.

Spring 2023 : CJ LDT : Intro/Juvenile Justice Syst (Web)

I examined how the system treats young offenders differently and the specific legal processes designed for their rehabilitation.

Winter 2024 : CJ LDT : Ethics Criminal Justices (Web)

I tackled the hard questions about right and wrong in the legal field which reinforced why staying neutral and honest is the most important part of my job.

 

Communications and Interdisciplinary Studies

Winter 2021 : COM LDT : Fund of Speech (Web)

I practiced being a clear and confident speaker which is the bread and butter of what I do as a mediator and a business owner.

 

Winter 2025 : COM 215 : Conflict Management (Web)

I studied exactly why people fight and the best ways to get them to meet in the middle without everything blowing up.

Winter 2026 : COM 325 : Intercultural Comm (Web)

I studied how different cultures communicate and how to bridge those gaps to make sure everyone feels heard and understood.

Spring 2025 : IS 301 : Intro to Interdisciplinary Study (Web)

I learned how to combine everything I have picked up in psychology and law to solve problems that do not have an easy one size fits all answer.

 

Driving Forces Behind Course Selection

The primary driving force behind my initial course selection was my personal history and the environment I grew up in. I spent my life seeing every man I knew end up in prison or on parole at some point, so naturally, I wanted to pursue Parole and Probation to understand that world from the inside. I started focused on the mechanics of the legal system because that was the reality I lived with, and I wanted to be a part of the supervision process that follows a conviction.

However, as I moved through my coursework and earned my associate's degree, I started learning about restorative justice and realized there is a different way to handle conflict. Between my academic studies and starting my professional work in mediation, I decided to shift gears. I realized that instead of just supervising people after the damage is done, I wanted to focus on the human behavior and social welfare side of things. This shift is driven by a desire to use restorative practices to help families heal and break the cycles I grew up seeing every day.