Seek and Find: Video Transcript

John Woods (BA Political Science, Miami, 2007) [started a nonprofit organization entitled Project We One Being]: My overall objective is to create change in the world, and I think the best template to do that is through entertainment. I believe that entertainment is something that reaches masses, and so if your objective is to create change, I think that entertainment is a great path to really make that a reality.

I had a professor, Dr. Rodney Coates, who was my Black World Studies teacher, professor, and he was one of the first people that I met, or I came in contact with, that encouraged me to challenge the status quo. To think about things in a different capacity, not to believe everything that was told to me but to actually seek and find. And I don't think, had it not been for professors like Dr. Coates, that I would be able to be in a field of entertainment. Because again, I was in poli sci in undergrad and now I'm in a whole different field. But again that challenging authority, or challenging the status quo was why part of the reason I had the desire to move to Los Angeles and pursue a degree-pursue a career in something that wasn't necessarily reflective of my degree.

I think that the liberal arts path is significant because I think it really teaches you a better perspective of humanitarian identity. I don't think that I would really have the acceptance of different cultures and differences, had I not had the liberal arts component added to my degree. Miami Plan, for example, there was certain courses that I had to take, and as a result, I was in classes with people that I may not have normally been in class with just from a specific degree perspective. So I think that the liberal arts component is very necessary in terms of really building great character, and I believe that we're all on this planet to benefit from each other. And I believe that was a very key component to my development, and now I work with different people from all different walks of life and, whether it was the liberal arts degree or if it was just the aspect of meeting people in a different cohort that I wouldn't have been associated with as a result of those classes I think that it's been very beneficial.

It's easy to have a job, but it's much more difficult to have a job that you enjoy, and I don't think anyone wants to spend the Miami tuition and be a part of a great culture and experience the Miami experience and then leave and not really own their truth, because when you become an adult, you don't want to have to work and not enjoy your work, because then it's work and not passion. So I think that I would encourage every student who's approaching graduation to really seek to find what you are passionate about, because I think passion is what makes a great career.

[April 2014]