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Carrie Phillips

American Culture Studies / Sociology / Music / Class of 2021.

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Hello! I’m a St. Louis local with passions for human-centered design, music, and sustainability. I’ve changed my major at least three times, and have no idea what I want to be when I grow up! In the meantime, I’m learning what it means to be civically engaged and where my passions intersect with impact. I love connecting with/ learning from others, which is part of why I’m drawn to this type of work! In my free time, you can find me jamming, cooking, and reading about spacetime.

An Opportunity for Impact

When I first saw the posting for Reimagine UCollege, I knew it was work I wanted to be a part of. Past experiences with human-centered design (HCD) illuminated why this particular design methodology is so crucial in solving complex problems at institutional levels. Its co-creative nature ensures that community feedback and experiences will directly inform the course of the project. On a personal level, I saw a unique and professional opportunity to expand my HCD skillset under the guidance of incredible mentors. On a community level, I saw an opportunity for real impact. WashU has opened up countless doors throughout my educational journey, and the thought of participating in research that could lead to the same for others was exciting and motivating.

Cardboard Walls

The Interdisciplinary Design Experience

Throughout the project, I engaged in a multitude of responsibilities including landscape research, leading interviews and feedback sessions, transcription, data synthesis, icon design, and content writing. (A multitude that surprised me, quite frankly. Was I, an undergrad, ready to lead a 90 minute interview with esteemed working adults in our community? I would’ve told myself, “No,” but our Project Leads gave a resounding, and ultimately transformative, “Yes!”) As a result of these responsibilities, I learned how to extract key quantitative findings from qualitative interview data - a skill I now consider to be one of the most essential in my design toolkit. I learned to have confidence in my ability to consistently handle new tasks and interactions. I even learned an entirely new graphic design platform, Figma, thanks to tutorials from Anya! This expanse of experiences played an invaluable role in deepening my understanding of design processes - none of which would have been possible without the aforementioned support of peers and Project Leads. Within interdisciplinary teams like this one, there’s the beautiful expectation that everyone is both a learner and a teacher. Perhaps the greatest teachers, though, were the community members whose experiences shaped the project. Their stories about the persistent juggling of work, family, and education grounded our research in such a way that would never be possible with numbers and trends alone.

Cardboard Walls

Looking Into the Future

In thinking about my own future, Reimagine UCollege has solidified my desire to pursue highly human-centered work. Whether that manifests as continuing human-centered design, or trying nonprofit management, creative direction, or coral reef conservation, building meaningful relationships with a team and sparking empathy-driven conversations will always remain at the core of what I do. In thinking about the future of University College, I am incredibly hopeful that our proposed programming will better fit the lives and goals of working adults in our community, in part through building more accessible bridges between students and employers. Ultimately, our work intensified my commitment to civic work in my hometown. St. Louis is teeming with passionate, dedicated adult learners on the precipice of exciting new beginnings.

Let's Connect!

Also interested in human-centered design, music, and sustainability? I’d love to hear from you! Whether it’s through design research, media and communications, or community outreach work, I’m always interested in new collaborations. Thanks for stopping by!

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