Learning Journal 2

Watching "The Wave" made me think a lot more about how much belonging influences whether people want to be part of a group or not. While the film showed how that feeling can become dangerous, it also made me reflect on the programs I am involved in at TCU and how that same principle applies.

I am part of Neeley Fellows, a cohort business program where we have events, a recognizable logo, and merch we wear to events. Before the movie, I hadn't thought about how those things contribute to our sense of belonging. Wearing the same shirts and participating in exclusive events together reinforces that we are part of the same community. Another connection I noticed was how the movement created an "us versus them" mentality. In Fellows, we don't have an enemy but we do have a sense of competition with NLP, another cohort business program. That rivalry gives us another reason to identify with our program and feel proud to represent it. 

I am also part of the Chancellor's Leadership Program, which has had issues retaining people in the cohort. We have been trying to address that, but watching the film made me wonder whether we need to establish a stronger identity, like that of the Wave or Fellows. For example, CLP does not have the same recognizable symbols and traditions. Instead of only asking how to get people to attend, it made me wonder if we should focus more on making them want to attend through making them feel connected and lucky enough to be part of the group. 

At the same time, the film also made me think about where the group pride becomes exclusion. Competition can bring people together, but it also shouldn't dismiss people outside the program. Thus, I would like to propose the idea of shared identity to CLP through traditions and meaningful events that make people not only want to join but stay.