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Stephen Colby
Statement of Interest
Int 208
Beginning Again: A Journey Toward Interdisciplinarity

"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again…" (Henry Ford), but it never feels like

that in the moment. It can crush you and leave you with nothing but a sinking feeling deep

within your chest. It is not always easy to recover from something that feels like a failure. Years

of loyalty, dedication, and hard work can make failure feel all the more bitter. The nearly

unshakable dread that comes with moving on can paralyze a person. We have all felt this way at

one time or another. Whether it is breaking your mom's favorite vase as a child, a relationship

ending, or even a much-loved career coming to a close. Recently my career came to an end in

one of the most heartbreaking ways possible, a person that I worked hard for and trusted cut

me off like a loose end. I say person and not boss because he was a trusted mentor. One day it

was all gone. How could that possibly be an opportunity to begin again?

It felt like my whole life was ending. A career that I was so dedicated and committed to,

ended over a quarantine phone call. I felt like I had failed, because in that moment there was

no success or positive outlook to be found. It took time for me to heal and reflect. In the end, it

was an opportunity. An opportunity that just so happened to lead directly to me writing this

paper. I was one of the lucky few to be paid in knowledge, experience, and minimum wage for a

very complex and skilled profession. Very few people hire for knowledge and experience when

you don't have a college degree, a reverse dilemma to a recent college graduate. My time

reflecting led me to one conclusion, it's time to go back to college.

"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently." I tried

college before and due to other life circumstances, I couldn't finish. Another failure that I had to

face. I lacked an ability to focus, and I was unsure about what I wanted to do. I believed my
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Stephen Colby
Statement of Interest
Int 208
education to be fragmented, as I had changed majors several times during my first attempt at

college. I had an aptitude for many subjects from business and communication to both the

sciences and social sciences. Yet I was unable to find a program that resonated with me.

Before my previous career began, I spent much of my young adulthood volunteering for

a variety of non-profit programs. One program, in particular, helped to cultivate me into a

competent and professional young man. I frequently practiced public speaking, leadership,

creativity, and critical thinking. It was hard work, dedication, and a little luck for being in the

right place at the right time that led to a job offer. As a young professional who had previously

been doing the work as a volunteer, I looked at the opportunity with rose-colored glass. I

learned and grew so much from that career, but it also came with empty promises, sacrifices,

and manipulation that I wasn't aware of at the time. During my time working in that career, I

honed my skills as a creative thinker, problem-solver, and mentor. Skills that I still value deeply.

I created and coordinated a deep dive positive youth development program based on a variety

of mentoring strategies. It was designed to work with kids throughout their secondary

education and founded on the principles of exploring oneself, communities, and history. The

program was so effective that the staff were invited to work in the school, given offices, and

received overwhelming support from the community. My career ended as the covid pandemic

began to pick up steam and due to some long-festering toxic workplace issues from my

superiors.

Due to covid and losing my career, I became a stay-at-home parent. I would say there is

no greater joy than being a parent, but for those of you who have been stay-at-home parents, it

can feel isolative. Thus, my opportunity was born. Not only can I combat this isolation, but I can
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Stephen Colby
Statement of Interest
Int 208
also set an example of the importance of education to my young boys. My next challenge was

to figure out what I was going to study. If I was going to be successful this time, I needed to

think more intelligently about my options. I had changed though. I now had experience and a

much deeper knowledge of self. I knew I wanted to help people, and I knew I didn’t want others

to go through what I did. So, I met with an advisor who was bemused at my large variety of

courses. My advisor recommended a couple of non-traditional approaches. The one that stood

out to me was Interdisciplinary Studies. I knew what the parts meant. Inter meaning between

and discipline meaning a branch of knowledge, yet I couldn't grasp what they meant as a whole.

Come to find out that the term interdisciplinary would define my studies and career for the rest

of my life.

Interdisciplinary studies are degree programs that pull from multiple disciplines. You

learn each discipline's knowledge, terminology, and values. The degree program then goes a

step further and teaches deeper levels of critical thinking and problem solving that focus on the

individual integration of each discipline's knowledge. This allows the individual to address

complex multidisciplinary problems and develop solutions beyond the teachings of a single

discipline. My degree emphasis is business management with concentrations in accounting and

social science. My studies will better prepare me to work with and mentor employees in a

management position, HR position, or start my own business.

My personal experience was very difficult. I felt manipulated and taken advantage of,

but I know there is more to it than just how I felt. Issues around employment can be complex,

not only for the employee but for the employer and the business. Many aspects need to be

considered, take something simple, like an employee asking for a raise. Before a decision can be
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Stephen Colby
Statement of Interest
Int 208
made you need to consider the effects of that action and the snowball effects thereafter. Each

individual disciplinary perspective would initiate a series of thoughts and questions but

wouldn't have the capacity to consider the whole scenario. Your average accountant doesn't

have the deeper insights into how your response will affect the person from a psychological

viewpoint. A social science major won’t have the skills to make confident financial decisions. My

degree program dives into each discipline but focuses more deeply on human development and

financial consideration within the workplace. Connecting these different areas of understanding

strengthens each discipline and leads to a level of critical thinking and problem solving that

each individual discipline might not reach on its own. (I am not sure if I want to rewrite this,

thoughts?)

By becoming an Interdisciplinary Studies student, I am on my path towards "begin again,

this time more intelligently." I have begun to expand my worldviews. I have found a way to

integrate my skills, characteristics, and interests towards a lifetime of learning, growth, and

career fulfillment. I am not sure if I will be ready to launch my own business by graduation, but

this degree program is a step in the right direction. During my studies this semester I have

grown my capacity for critical thinking and I have begun developing my problem-solving skills to

tackle more complex issues.

"After lots of surprises and choices, or interruptions and disappointments, I have arrived

someplace I could never have anticipated." (Bateson pg 179 Becoming Interdisciplinary) With

my newfound terminology and understanding of interdisciplinarity, I hope to get more out of

each subsequent class that I take. Further gaining skills, knowledge, and eventually my much

need educational credentials.