Roselyn Mawufemor Fiagbe
Background: Being enthusiastic about the well-being of the individual contributed to my desire to enrol in the Master’s in Social Policy Programme to improve my analytical and conceptual capabilities, which are necessary to understand social issues and have unique insights into the dynamics of policies. My work as a policy analyst and an advocate for the rights of women and children in society with my NGO has exposed me to many social issues, inequalities, and the impact of policy on different communities.
Life @ CSPS: The lights cast a glow in the classroom on Zoom. Prof. Anyidoho, known for her rapid-fire questioning, logged on Zoom lecture with us, the subject? Research Methods. As usual, I felt a low hum of anxiety rise in my chest anytime she joined. Research Methods wasn’t so soft with me from the beginning, and Prof. Anyidoho's enthusiasm often translated to pressure-cooker questioning. Prof. Anyidoho, however, wouldn't be deterred when one has no answer to her questions. She waited for the answer. Looking back, her ‘push nature’ offered a valuable lesson. While Prof. Anyidoho's insistence on us answering questions and contributing to class might have felt stressful at the time, it also highlighted the importance of active participation and preparation for me. Ultimately, this experience served as a reminder of the delicate balance between teaching and learning. While my lecturers played a crucial role in imparting knowledge, the true responsibility for learning lies with me. It made me more prepared, raise my hand confidently, and actively engage in the learning process, even if the answer wasn't readily apparent.
Networks: The positive networks I built during CSPS days during field trips and seminars, including my lecturers and colleagues did provide fruitful learning experiences, encouragement, and different perspectives, fostering personal growth and resilience. It exposed me to new ideas, experiences, and knowledge, expanding my understanding of the world and sparking intellectual curiosity.
Goals: Pursuing such a program demonstrated my commitment to learning, continuous improvement, and making a positive impact and inspired me to contribute to a more just and equitable society. The program also equipped me with theoretical knowledge, research skills, and practical tools to analyse, design, implement projects and evaluate policies.