Week 4

Reviewing many meanings explaining the difference between a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach I have come to the conclusion that being multidisciplinary means many different branches are involved in the process of achieving your outcome. Interdisciplinary means that however many levels or branches are involved working together to achieve an outcome is the vision. In the First Year Residential Experience we take an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach. The reason I think we use both is simple. The interdisciplinary approach comes into play when performing our workshops. We have to go through alot of training to present an excellent workshop to students. In that sense we are rehearsing what we had already learned. We use a multidisciplinary approach by having to work with people of all ages. Our boss is a PhD student, our mentors are all Graduate students, and we are undergraduate students. We combine to make a small team of professionals who have the same goal which is to help first year residents enjoy their experience and want to return to Arizona State University the following semester. I believe our department is in a type of hierarchical position. A FYRE "Fellow" is hired as a undergraduate student, specifically a junior or senior student. Our mentors are graduate students, and post undergraduate graduation we have an option of remaining within the FYRE staff as a graduate student so there are many different positions of hierarchy. As I continue into graduate school I would love to stay with the FYRE program. Thus far I have developed some great friendships as I do my best at being a big brother to First Year Residents.