by: Kate Krouse & Sammey Malik
This afternoon, all delegates participated in an hour-long workshop of their choice! William Peace University led nine workshops, from deliberations about what is or is not art to playing pretend prisoners. Here is a summary of some favorites:
(Literally) the Prisoner’s Dilemma: Confess or Not Confess?
Attendees of the Prisoner’s Dilemma workshop engaged in an immersive learning experience, a specialty of William Peace University. Students were put into groups of 8 and instructed to play the game Prisoner’s Dilemma: Confess or Not Confess. For those of you who are not familiar, here’s the breakdown: You and a partner committed a crime. You are now being questioned separately. A double confession yields three points. If neither party confesses, one point is awarded. If one person confesses, but the other does not, the person who did not admit gets 5 points, yet the other gets 0! The team with the most points wins. The game's conclusion was uncertain, allowing for an exhilarating and competitive workshop experience. Students were challenged to predict what their partner would do while navigating through the intuitive feelings to act in one’s self-interest.
Let’s navigate through the college search process together!
If you could not attend this workshop led by an admissions officer at William Peace University, don't fret. Here are a few key takeaways. First, don't discredit private universities because of their cost. There are many financial aid packages and scholarships that you should look into. Next, do not look for schools solely based on your major and its corresponding program. It is essential that you can see yourself at the college in its environment outside of the classroom. Lastly, remember that you are more than your grades! Many applicants share a similar GPA, so your extracurriculars are the determining factor. It is essential to demonstrate to colleges that you have engaged in meaningful experiences. Community service and trips abroad are great things to add to your resume. Hopefully, these tips can help you in your search to find the perfect college for you.
Let’s do leadership your way!
In this Workshop, delegates completed individual reflection activities to learn more about themselves as leaders and apply new skills to possible leadership opportunities they would obtain. These helped them find their strengths and learn how to explain and use them. The College Board seeks innovative students who are willing to take risks, have clear goals, and demonstrate their ability to achieve them as they look forward to their college years and applications. By recognizing individual strengths and jobs that look for those particular strengths, you can focus specifically on what you can bring to the table and attract universities to you!
What do you think art is?
Art can be anything you want it to be! In this Workshop, delegates learned that art is all about mindset; if you call it art, nobody can argue you for that! The workshop director brought up an unnamed Cuban American artist famous during the 80s and 90s who identified as gay and had a partner but was afraid to share any of his art based on his relationship. He got assigned to do an art piece, placed two clocks on a wall, and said it was him and his partner. When walking by, would you necessarily think that was art? Probably not! But to the artist, the intention behind it is all that matters. Next, the workshop director had delegates stand against the wall, where some people made noises, but that’s art! Even if it doesn’t look like it, any noise can be music or art if you look at it that way. Free expression of art to express emotion is significant, and you can title anything you want as art.
