On January 31, 2025, the CUNY Peer Leaders gathered for their first meetup of the year at the CUNY Graduate Center, and began with a grounding activity: everyone shared a quotation or phrase that inspires them. CPL Director Melendez shared quotations from the National Museum of African American History and Culture. A week before, Melendez, CPL Coordinator Jackie Cahill, Mellon Senior Researcher Christina Katopodis, and two Leaders, Enrique Rodriguez Brito and Violet Doolittle, presented at the AAC&U conference. While in Washington, DC, for the conference, they went on an enrichment outing to the museum and spent nearly three hours touring the exhibits.
After Melendez shared some of her favorite quotations, CPLs went around the room to share the words that inspire them.
CPL Facilitator Sunisa Nuonsy introduced the day’s activity: to create a vision board. A vision board is a visual representation of your goals. It is a way to get to know yourself (Kelsey Patel) and to explore and set short- and long-term goals for yourself. Nuonsy encouraged everyone to consider their values, what motivates them, and what their priorities are during this activity.
The CPLs listened to music and got to work. They sifted through magazines, fabrics, colored paper, and other materials for their boards. They created physical vision boards that would help them organize their ideas and get their creativity flowing in order to create their projects for the Spring showcase. You can view their creations below.
Before dispersing for the evening, each Leader shared their vision board and the story behind their artistic choices. Some Leaders spoke about their career ambitions, preparing for important exams and milestones ahead; others shared their desire to travel or do something new; and some spoke about family, health and wellness, and staying true to themselves and who they are. Everyone practiced public speaking and presenting their boards to their peers. And we all left feeling inspired.
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