Personal Development Plan

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Personal Development Plan

• Erin Biddlecombe
• Oregon State University
• March 14, 2006

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The Past Grandparents

• Paternal family roots in Germany and England
• Paternal grandparents raised in Canada, both from
  well to do families. Paternal Grandfather a
  police officer. Both protestants. Middle class
  family.
• Maternal family from Scotland and Ireland
• Maternal Grandfather raised in the Canadian
  Prairies, from an agricultural family with little
  money, did not graduate high school, tradesman,
  protestant.
• Maternal Grandmother raised protestant in
  Scotland, the daughter of a high ranking police
  officer. Moved to Canada as a war bride during WW
  II.
• Working class family.

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Parents

• Mother born in Scotland and grew up in
  Abbotsford, a once-small farming town.
• Did not attend post-secondary.
• Works in leadership development in the private
  sector.
• Active in the Presbyterian Church.
• Father born in posh Vancouver neighbourhood.
• Did not attend post-secondary.
• Retired Inspector (Police Officer) of Vancouver
  Police Department.

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Abbreviated Family Tree
Frederick Biddlecombe, born in Canada Christine
Morwick, born in Scotland
Corinne Zoellner, born in Germany Arthur
Biddlecombe, born in England
Anne Barnetson, born in Scotland Frank Morwick,
born in Ireland
Erin Biddlecombe, full blooded Canuck
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The Present Who I am

• Caucasian Female Canadian citizen, Vancouverite
• Presbyterian middle class family.
• First generation ( first grandchild on both
  sides of the tree) to attend post-secondary.
• First in family to be called a Non-resident
  Alien (ie-study/live in the USA).
• Travel within North America and Europe.
• Bilingual English and French.
• Canadian cultural practices eating at Tim
  Hortons, watching Hockey night in Canada with
  Don Cherry, wearing toques, Bonhomme de Neige,
  Boxing Day, Remembrance Day, Mike Myers, not
  being American.

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My Lens Lived Experiences
My world is shaped and limited by my lived
experiences.

• Upbringing in an ethnically diverse city where
  45 of the adult population was not born in
  Canada.

Vancouver, B.C.

• Member of the majority group-the role of white
  privilege.
• Canadian system of oppression towards minority
  groups is different based on different history
  and political practices.

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Important Definitions

• Diversity otherness or heterogeneity of life
  choices, personal values, cultural backgrounds,
  lived experiences.
• Racism a belief that race is the primary
  determinant of human traits and capacities and
  that racial differences produce an inherent
  superiority of a particular race
• Prejudice bias a partiality that prevents
  objective consideration of an issue or situation
• Discriminationunfair treatment of a person or
  group on the basis of prejudice
• Privilegespecial advantage or immunity or
  benefit not enjoyed by all.
• Oppression negative outcome experienced by
  people targeted by the arbitrary and cruel
  exercise of power in a society or social group

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Skills and knowledge learned
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Targeted area of focus

• Understanding other systems of racism. More
  specifically, in the USA.
• Historical and political implications.
• How does this different system affect student
  learning? Access to learning? Student roles and
  relationships?
• What can Canadians learn from Americans?
• Roles of socioeconomic status and race in
  admissions processes.

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Goals to work towards

• 3 goals to work on
• Continue to work on understanding the differences
  between Canadian and US systems by reflection,
  research, and talking.
• Improve my cross cultural communication through
  workshops and practice.
• Hear the voices of American minority students by
  listening to their concerns and stories. Advocate
  for these student groups.
• Resources to access PEOPLE! professors,
  minority student groups, MEO and CAMP
  professionals.