Blog Entry 1

My name is Leanne Murphy. I am a second semester senior and an Interdisciplinary Studies Major with concentrations in Music and Anthropology. I chose these areas of study because I wanted to learn more about the history and structure of various genres of music and the cultures and daily lives of peoples around the world.

Music has always been a very important part of my life and environment since my family consists of several musicians and a composer and lyricist. I continued on in the tradition by teaching myself guitar and piano and doing what comes most naturally to me, singing. My music concentration has helped me to better understand the basics of music formation and structure in addition to introducing me to genres in which I would not otherwise be interested. In a small way, my study of music has helped me to better understand myself and my history and has made me into a more critical and cultured listener and musician.

My Anthropology concentration has incorporated a great deal of cultural study, some archaeology, forensics and biology. My study of Anthropology has taught me to appreciate what other cultures have to bring to the table without being ethnocentric in my views. I've learned that different isn't necessarily bad or wrong, that it is just different.

My site of applied study is the Girl Scouts, Arizona Cactus-Pine Council. Academically, I intend to learn how to use the knowledge and skills that I have gained through my studies in an interdisciplinary manner and to gain real world experience that I can transfer into my post graduate studies and life. Personally, I expect to grow a lot from experience. I have already noticed a change in my attitude and demeanor. I have a greater deal of responsibility than I have ever had in my life and I have dozens of little girls and teenagers looking up to me.

This week was a very busy week for me. I had to make calls, to ensure that the girls were coming to program on Saturday, attend a staff meeting and Hispanic Awards Program, went shopping for supplies for Saturday's program and help one of our teenage girl scouts search for and call potential schools so that she can re-enroll into school. On Saturday, I facilitated a cultural craft activity where I had our youngest group, ages 5-11, make masks that represented positive things about themselves and their lives. I began with an introduction, explaining to them the many different functions that masks serve in cultures around the world and then I had them begin. After they were they had completed their craft, we had a gallery and fashion show, set to music. The girls had a lot of fun and hopefully they learned quite a bit too. I also was assigned a route and had to transport the girls to and from program.

Very few of my responsibilities had to do with my major. However, through the program that I conducted on Saturday and my interaction and conversation with the girls, I try to introduce them to a new and more opened way of viewing the world and how it relates to their lives.

At my applied studies site, I work with girls who have mothers in prison, who are living in juvenile detention centers and group homes and who are transitioning back into a regular teenage life. Through the programs that we put together ranging from drug prevention to self esteem to cultural awareness and as mentors to these girls we are trying to give them better options and access to resources so that they can become productive members of society. I intend to continue to this line of work after graduation and hopefully maintain ties and grow within the Girl Scout organization. After graduation, I intend to continue my education at Arizona State in the Master's of Social Work program and eventually work with at risk youth and families.. This experience will definitely help me to accomplish those goals.