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I did not start my college career in the area of Interdiscipilnarity, nor did I even start my college career at Plymouth State University. I had a hard time finding where I belonged in the educational world considering I started out in Civil Engineering at UNH and now have found my place in The business of Health Promotion. Because of this course and Interdisciplinary Studies, I am able to form my own path that I truly care about. I am the type of learner who needs to be intrigued and passionate about my subject and this course has expanded the way I see learning. I know see it as an opportunity to further my education when before, I considered it pointless. The knowledge I gain today will affect my skills and intelligence tomorrow. That is the way this course has changed my opinion on learning and really made me realize I am in charge of my future and it starts every second. I really enjoy how this course makes me think and the depth it takes me for my own future.

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The Interdisciplinary Studies program has allowed me to study my field of Sports Communication which is
rapidly growing and only available at a small number of schools. I have a better understanding of the complexities of our professional world thanks to my Interdisciplinary Studies education. I've been given the tools on how to better problem solve and use my multidiscipline outlook to solve real world problems we face every day. I've never thought of myself as a critical thinker but Interdisciplinary Studies has revealed to me that I am. As a Peer Mentor I've never met so many engaged students anywhere else as I have here in this program. Interdisciplinary Studies gives students the ability to put their education in their own hands, and create their own colorful and educational masterpiece. Interdisciplinary Studies has given me opportunities to grow as a student, learner, researcher, and person.

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As a teeny tiny freshman, Plymouth State campus as small as it is, seemed so large. 4 years ago I started here at PSU in the Nursing Program, the first two and a half years flew by and there was never a thought in my mind that I was not going to make it. However, then spring of junior year came around and I just barely passed a class, I passed by .27 I believe, I kind of blocked that grade out of my memory. Passing by barely a passing grade, really set an eye opener for me. Going into summer 2017 I was nervous to have a repeat of the previous semester. Having not passed summer, I was 3 weeks away from the start of my senior year. Robin worked her schedule to meet with me in the middle of summer. She helped me get into classes for the fall semester making sure I felt comfortable to be able to continue on. She made me realize that my nursing degree is not gone forever, just put on hold. Maybe not passing was good for me, since then my mental health has gotten so much better. I can't imagine being in the dark place I once was only a few months back, I can completely thank Interdisciplinary Studies for that one. I owe it all to this program for me to still graduate on time this coming May!

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I have to say that changing my major to interdisciplinary studies was a scary move for me. With the goal of applying to the DPT (doctorate of physical therapy) program in January of 2018, and already being in my thirties, I have a bit of a time crunch situation to deal with. After transferring to PSU, I quickly realized that the program I entered into was going to conflict with this time crunch. The option of the IDS major was proposed to me by the director of the DPT program here at PSU. I hesitated to take his advice (although I now know I should have sooner). My main concern was: What happens if I do not get into the DPT program? â€¦ What on earth can I do with a degree in interdisciplinary studies? After meeting with Dr. DeRosa and learning more I feel much better. I now realize that employers are truly looking for people with a greater breadth of knowledge and the ability to think outside the box. This is what our IDS program gives us.

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The attitude of the IDS program is easy to feed off of; once the questions of modern education norms were brought into my head, I realized how much the education gets in its own way and seems to have lost its focus. Its refreshing to feel so connected to my education which will help to improve my future.

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The IDS program has become my saving grace here on Plymouth State. So much time and resources may have been wasted with understanding my limitations and piddling around until I eventually may have passed had it not been for a fateful afternoon late into my second semester. Sure, times can still be tough and the path isn't always crystal clear (not to mention when anxiety and guilt ring at the door), but IDS is a lovely torch to parade about with and know I have some kind of light to burn away the darkness of the world. Who knows? Maybe I'll have the fire to blaze a whole new trail this world hasn't seen yet!

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My freshman year of college (2012-2013) was spent here at Plymouth State, little did I know I would transfer schools after my first year and change my major about six times in the mix before ending up back at PSU pursing the same program I had originally picked. Plymouth IDS was suggested by my advisor as the best and fastest way to get a bachelors degree, which was just another step toward my goal of going to grad school. Transferring in 70 credits, with 28.5 credits already existing at the institution I had my work cut out for me in trying to make a cohesive education plan to get me to where I wanted to go. IDS allowed me to mesh my courses from my first year here, with all the courses I had taken at Northern Essex Community College. The graduate degree program I have chosen accepts students with any bachelors degree as long as they have completed the prerequisite courses. Being an IDS major now has helped me accomplish completing the prerequisites, and also provide a base of knowledge that will allow me to be successful in PSU's MS in Professional Athletic Training.

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I initially started at Plymouth State as a Nursing major but failed out of the program going into my senior year. Without a doubt, the Plymouth IDS program saved me from being another statistic of a college dropout. After being forced out of the Nursing program I was completely lost, the passion that I thought I had toward this field was long gone and I was struggling to find my place. I started to have stronger feelings towards the social work aspect of the healthcare field but I thought it would be impossible to follow this passion considering I was now a senior that couldn't afford to add more years onto my education. I contacted a previous IDS student , who was also a Nursing dropout, and she told me to contact the IDS program here at Plymouth. After doing so I realized that graduating on time was still possible - and even more importantly, I would be able to graduate in something that I am passionate about. Through this program I was able to build a major centering around Patient Advocacy that would allow me to eventually branch into a Masters Social Work program. I am extremely thankful for the opportunity that the Plymouth IDS program has given me.

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Although, as a first year student here at Plymouth State University. Starting off as an IDS major was just a very great choice on my part. Considering, I did just recently change my major, I didn't change what I wanted to study. I wanted to do something so unique but as I continued to write my IDS Essay, I realized that another major would be a better fit. Interdisciplinary Studies did give me the opportunity to find all my classes and still create what I wanted to do. I spent many afternoons in the IDS office with Janina, and let me say that if it was not for her and her chart making skills, my college career would be far less organized. Also when it came to my ePort (http://kmmedeiros.plymouthcreate.net/) Janina sat with me for hours to get everything ready and Robin explained everything to do in order to continue to create all the little details for my ePort in class. The way they were looked at and edited was super helpful and it made me feel more confident about the work I was putting in to the course. Although right now, I am just rambling on, I do want to thank everyone in the IDS for giving me the chance to create something of my own. Thank you!

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When I first started the IDS program, I was a little overwhelmed with the Idea that I would have to create my entire major on my own. Wanting to go into child life specialty it was scary to think that there was not even a major on campus for this field. So finding guidance and advice on which courses to take seemed impossible. As I went forward it became easier and easier as I developed a sense of ownership in my program that helped get it approved.
Hannah Marcotte

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As a student just starting in IDS my senior year this has been a major change for me. I transfered to Plymouth, changed my major before coming to PSU, and changed it again after enrolling. I started college as a computer science major before changing to graphic design then to BFA/BA in studio art. So I have had a long history with changing courses, discipline requirements, prerequisites and other challenges in the educational system. In contrast IDS has been a manageable, and effective way for me to learn. And has put me on the plan to graduate on time with me more career options then I would have expected with any traditional degree.

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"Everything happens for a reason." Well for me, IDS happened to be for an important reason. After 3 years of inclusion in the nursing program here at PSU, my world was turned upside down. I thought I was a failure, I was lost and had no idea which way was essentially north. However, once I realized that the nursing program here just wasn't built for me, I was the right fit. So, I decided to build something that was. IDS gave me the tools and motivation to create Health Advocacy, a major that allows me to excel at what I am good at. Now I can confidently say that I will be a nurse one day. I can't tell you exactly when, but for me knowing there are a thousand paths to get there and I am on one of them, comforts me. 6 months ago I don't think I could've said that, but after graduation this upcoming May of 2018 I can pursue my career in Health Advocacy and one day overlap that with my nursing career.

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I came to school not knowing what an Interdisciplinary Studies major was but when I found it it was everything that I didn't know I wanted. Everything just made sense making my own major because then I could specifically take the classes I needed for the job that I knew I wanted.  For every career, I will use many more skills than just what a single major degree could teach me. This is why I did not just want to be just a graphic designer or work in advertising, because there is so much more than just the art background or being a businesswoman. In art, I need to learn how to market myself, and in marketing I need to understand the best way to present my information to my customers.  Expanding my education to this level, where I include many disciplines, not only increases my chances of getting a job in any of these fields, but also puts me one step ahead in my field. Interdisciplinary studies gives me a broader skill set of knowledge. Designing my own major is a liberating way to pick and choose exactly what courses will give me the dynamic abilities to get where I want to be.
Ashley Hichborn

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I came to PSU with an associates degree in exercise science from Manchester Community College (there are three of us, in fact) with the goal of finishing my bachelors degree as a stepping stone to grad school. We were all admitted to the exercise and sports physiology program as juniors with two full years worth of solid, hands-on education and ACE personal trainer certifications. We were informed on the day that we registered for classes that most of the courses we took at MCC (and had been told would transfer into our major at PSU) were not actually going to transfer as anything other than electives. Basically, we were juniors by the number of credits we had, but only sophomores in our progress in the major. This threw off our plans of graduating and applying to grad programs in two years time. It also left us in danger of running out of financial aid before finishing up our undergrads. THEN we found out that we also had to squeeze in additional coursework to satisfy prerequisites for our respective graduate programs. One of our exercise physiology professors, who came to PSU from UMass Lowell in 2015, suggested we sit down with Dr. DeRosa and discuss the possibility of changing majors to IDS. Within minutes, we knew it would work. Here we are now, almost at the end of our senior fall semester, all with approved IDS programs, and all of us on track to graduate in the spring and begin our grad school careers. None of this would have been possible without the help of Dr. DeRosa and Plymouth IDS.

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As someone who had struggled to find a degree that was suited for me, I had no idea this program existed when I began my higher education back in 2014. I was forced to choose between Meteorology and Environmental Science. Going through the meteorology program, I did love it but I felt that I was missing something in my program. At the end of my sophomore year I struggled in my university physics classes and because of that it would have taken me another year to complete my degree. I was miserable and forced to make a tough decision. Then I heard about the interdisciplinary studies program here: how i could create my own major with my own interests. When I reached this, my senior year, I wanted to have something useful so I could apply to companies and have sets of skills they are looking for. So I created my degree "Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences". This degree connects disciplines of Meteorology, Environmental Science & Policy, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, and QGIS systems technology. I love my major and I already have employers who are interested in what I study. So I can only thank the IDS program, as it has shaped me into this Interdisciplinary Scientist that I am.
~Julie

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Being an interdisciplinarian is to be the jack of all trades. This is an educational path that brings together all styles, disciplines, and perspectives, to create an omniscient view on the how and why of the world. To be able to view the world on this spectrum of understanding you need to be able to understand the individual disciplines that go into to build this larger platter of knowledge.
Ashley Hichborn

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Being someone who came into this program with 130 credits already accumulated, it was great to talk with someone who understood where I was coming from.  I started as a traditional student but now I feel like a non-traditional student which doesn’t bother me one bit.  I know I will graduate with a diverse background with various experiences that will differentiate me from many others down the line.  I’ll be a Licensed Practical Nurse with a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus in health and wellness across the lifespan and hoping to go towards graduate school.
-Brandon McSherry

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As a new student in the IDS program, I am very happy to say that my education has changed for the better. Before IDS, I put all of my focus on nursing courses. Most of what I did involved nursing. There was little opportunity to explore other horizons and because of it, I could feel my self gradually becoming mentally exhausted. I eventually came across some barriers that lead me to IDS. IDS has given me the chance to study health science from a different perspective. Since I have changed directions, I have found myself enjoying classes more, feeling more intellectually engaged with my work, and just understanding how education works as a whole.

Christy Somers

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This major really saved me from graduating with a degree that didn't completely fulfill my passions, or my talents. I was previously a Communications and Media Studies, which don't get me wrong I loved and enjoyed, but then I took a graphic design class and realized I may have made a mistake? I loved being able to design the media just as much as I loved studying it. This program literally took everything I could want from an education and made it possible. It took two closely related fields, that are both important to me for different reasons and allowed them to go together.
-Alex Crossley

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When I started here at PSU 4 years ago, I had no idea what the word interdisciplinarity even meant. Nor did I know that over the course of the next couple years it would become my life. I truly beleive that everything happens for a reason, and when one door closes another one swings open. Luckily the door to IDS swung open at just the right time. I feel that I have grown tremendously as a student through this program and I am grateful to be graduating in May 2018 with all the knowledge that IDS has taught me, a minor in Psychology, and a major in Health Sciences. Overall, the IDS program has brought me happiness and confidence; and I am excited for my future as a Mental Health Nurse one day.

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This program has allowed me to feel pride for my education and take ownership of my education. Before IDS, I floated through a major with about 20 other kids as we all took the same courses, did the same projects, and complained about the same classes and professors. Since joining IDS, I have emerged myself in a new community with deep thinkers who may not be in the same courses as me or have the same path in education, but who share the same drive for education. We have a strong community within IDS, supporting one another even though we did not see each other everyday or even every semester. We all have one thing in common and that is to create an education that makes sense to us, to take ownership of our own future.

Check out an article I recently published about taking ownership of your educationa and finding meaning: http://kjmangot.plymouthcreate.net/uncategorized/taking-ownership-and-finding-meaning/

Kennedy J. Mang

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As a 26 year military veteran I am so grateful for the IDS program at PSU.  Coming here with "a lot" of transfer credits I accumulated over the years, the IDS program was a perfect fit for me.  Being an untraditional student feels a little odd at times, but this is a program I would recommend to others, hands down!   Check out a post I made

"Interdisciplinary Studies, my past, present and future."

Tracy Ripkey