 Quick question. What do these famous and successful individuals have in common? Famous martial artist Bruce Lee, actor comedian Robin Williams, famed NBA star Michael Jordan, comedian and show host John Stewart, Simpsons creator and cartoonist Matt Groening, activist and reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., U.S. Senator Cory Booker, activist, academic and author Angela Davis and so many They are all graduates with degrees in the social sciences and humanities. These names represent just a few of so many who have not only found success using their degrees but continue to have an incredible influence on the world around us. So you might be wondering, are the social sciences and humanities for you? Well here are some other things that might help you decide if this pathway is the right choice. Typically, students who choose this pathway pursue an AA or AS transfer degree in order to complete their bachelor's degrees at many colleges or universities in Washington state as well as across the country and globe. Beyond just preparing for a transfer to a four-year program, the courses and degrees within this pathway can be applied intimately and broadly to the human experience. In choosing this pathway, students study connections between people in diverse societies, how people interact and influence each other and how the past connects to the present. This is your pathway if you want to influence your community and make the world a better place. So I started out by studying sociology with a minor in human rights and that ended up leading me to join the USP score which was one of the best decisions that I've ever made and is a huge part of my path because it provided me with the opportunity to learn about a lot of different ways of life and experiences. There's so many directions that you could go in with this degree and it does help you to understand the world. It does help you to understand the community that you're in better and it provides great opportunities to make a difference in the world as well. Something else that might surprise you is the transferable knowledge and skills you will gain through your coursework in these programs. Recent studies have shown that the transferable skills which are learned and reinforced in the classes you would take in the humanities and social sciences are highly valued by colleges for advanced degrees as well as for future employers no matter what you may want to do in the future. These include things such as written and oral communication skills, complex problem solving, critical thinking and analytic reasoning, organizational abilities and leadership, the ability to work in teams, information literacy, being detail oriented, creativity and expression, intercultural competence, understanding diverse perspectives and experiences and applied knowledge in the real world settings. I think psychology in particular I feel like it should be required to have some courses because it's amazing how much you learn about the way people communicate, the perspective it gives you perspective and that things that might happen maybe don't have a lot to do with you but it probably has a lot more to do with the other person where they're at so I feel like psychology can be beneficial for any career that somebody may go into. Introspection is a big part of that being open to differing ideas but I think really curiosity the curiosity to learn the science and to understand people better I feel like is a really important thing to consider if you're wanting to go into psychology. My grandpa is a member of the Cherokee tribe and so he kind of made it very important to me for learning about history and learning about the different aspects of life from people of different cultures and that just kind of led me kind of in a natural way towards anthropology. I went to a mammoth dig site in eastern Washington and saw them digging up the mammoth bones and an old settlement and I just knew that like this was something that I wanted to be involved with someday. I think it kind of gives a broader understanding of the human story because you can kind of realize that there's there's more things out there than just your life and that even these people living thousands of years ago they have just as intricate and just as important of a story as you and it's it's very fun getting to tell that story and learn about it. So if you heard something that piqued your interest and curiosity and felt your mind being filled with possibilities this just might be the pathway for you and if you're still aren't sure come talk to any of us here in the social sciences and humanities division and we'll be happy to convince you. When I first started out in a at a community college I was so worried about approaching my instructors and my best advice is to not be afraid of that to if you're struggling with the class if you have a question if you're excited about the information to not be afraid to build a connection to your instructor look for opportunities on campus to get the support that you need. Highline has been an amazing institution for me I'm not quite sure where I would have ended up if I if I hadn't arrived here so for me I'm very happy to be giving back in this way the programs here are amazing the campus is great so the opportunities are endless but you have to like get out of your comfort zone a little bit and talk to the people here the people at the college their job is to help you be successful so utilize every resource you have. If you want to know more about the programs make sure to check out each department's website the pathways information page or ask your advisor for more information. Go at it with an open mindset you know be there to learn don't just be there because you want your credits and you want your degree just try to have fun and try to enjoy your time here.