PRLC 2810: Multi-Level Issues in Leadership

    Prior to starting the PRLC 2820 course, I am somewhat confident in my abilities as a leader. However, I am certain that my time in Multi will teach me how to research a wicked problem from several different perspectives and develop solutions that can help mitigate future problems. Working on so many different aspects of the same issue will allow me to gauge my strengths and weaknesses within presentations, research, and problem-solving. As a leader, it's incredibly important to be well-versed in whatever subject you are surrounded by, as well as the best ways to approach problems within said subject. I'm hoping to get more exposure to using different platforms to present possible solutions, whether that be showing data, graphics, or stories.
    As of right now, I'm interested in practicing law or going into political consulting. The core of both of these careers is making argumentative cases in order to win the vote, financial support, or a case that I will be working on. Thus, it is going to be crucial to be able to cultivate and deliver information in a succinct and creative way. With the different projects and assignments we will be working on throughout this course, my experience with unfamiliar and challenging new platforms, forms of problem-solving, and creativity will grow. I'm excited to take a class in which I will be able to further my skills in this area in order to become more confident in my leadership and research skills.

 Throughout this course, I have delved into the United States Foster Care System. With all of my research, I have noted that one of the main roots of the problem has to do with a lack of real leadership. There is not one person that is making waves in terms of foster care revision and this is part of the reason why there is a lack of acknowledgment and change in our system. Current legislation fails to cover several necessary portions of our foster care system, including mental health, homelessness, racial disparities, inadequate stipends, and former foster children. 
    Because I spent so much time researching a vast array of perspectives within the foster care system, I have begun to understand how interconnected the issues within our system really are. Mental health, inadequate stipends, and racial disparities all affect future success in different but surprisingly interdependent ways. I was able to conclude that with increased legislation, funding, and education, many of these wicked problems brought about by the foster care system can be alleviated.
    In regards to the assignments completed throughout the semester, I have become more confident in my abilities to gather information, research and evaluate different contexts, and relay complicated information in a succinct manner. It has dawned on me that my passion for this wicked problem can possibly turn into a career path or area of expertise and the information I learned this semester can be turned into something bigger.

My final project for Multi was creating a solution to the wicked problem I spent all semester studying. I decided to write a piece of legislation that would reform our entire foster care system, laying out each necessary act that needs to be taken such as increased resources for those aging out of the system, increased points of contact for mental and physical health, and increased funding for foster families- all accounting for the small budget currently devoted to the foster care system. You can read it below.