Sydney Fought

Sydney is a student in Marshall College, where her accomplishments have led to several awards. She is studying literature and history with the goal of teaching at the high school or university level.

She has been a dedicated Student Assistant with UC San Diego Changemaker Institute College Corps, which is affiliated with AmeriCorps. Last year she was given the AmeriCorps Education Award for having completed more than 450 hours of public service. It came with a stipend of $3,000.

Sydney is also a member of the Swim Club, and is employed by UC San Diego Recreation as a swim instructor. As a participant in the Women’s Center Voices Program she is developing leadership skills and will create a culminating gender project. She has recently learned that she will be an intern at the Women’s Center next year. This position will involve planning events and workshops focusing on social justice and equity at the Women’s Center.

Like so many of her generation, she admits to suffering from bouts of anxiety. In high school she was in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, in which the outcome is dependent on exams covering two academic years of material, which is stressful by definition. She is proud of having done well in the rigorous IB courses and is grateful that the program helped prepare her for success at her dream school, UC San Diego, where she now has the confidence to thrive. As is so often the case, she is especially grateful to one teacher in particular who opened her eyes “to the reality of history and connections we can make between the past and present.” 

Her passions are Education, English and History, and she hopes to find a career that combines all three. She enjoys old texts and believes that “learning history, which is best done through exploring and analyzing primary sources, is crucial to be a kind, helpful, and beneficial member of society.”

She also cares deeply about social justice and how it relates to education.  After graduation she plans on pursuing a master’s degree and a teaching credential so that she can teach in a California public high school. She also hopes to find that essential balance between her personal life and work. Wherever Sydney ends up teaching, there is no question that she will make a meaningful difference in her students’ lives.