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Redefining Crisis Response and Reclaiming Nature as a Healing Space: Meet Conner Strgueon
Meet Conner Strugeon, one of GlobalMindED's class of 2019 student leaders. Connor is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for Indiana University Counseling Services.
Tell us about your journey?
Growing up in a small rural community provided limited experience and exposure to the greater world. Starting college at the University of Southern Indiana (USI) was an invigorating and nerve-wracking step away from small-town living. As a first-generation student and 21st-Century Scholar, I had no expectations, yet so many for myself. Despite the stress, coming to college enlightened me and helped me focus on my direction. Once I found my academic home, I found a connection and commitment.
I graduated with my Bachelor of Social Work from USI in 2020. Due to the pandemic, my best option was to continue my education, so I immediately started my Master of Social Work program at Indiana University Bloomington. Since graduating, I have honed, developed, and learned many new skills while creating new job opportunities.
As the first Police Social Worker for the Indiana University Police Department, I was able to combat stereotypes, and provide quality experiences and education to law enforcement and the public. My focus was to respond to and support people in crises. Creating a program that allowed folks to receive immediate mental, emotional, and physical support during some of their most vulnerable times was my sole motivation for my years in that role.
Now, I work as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for Indiana University Counseling Services. In this role, I have also worked to create new paths. My primary objective is to support the mental health of all clients who come through the door. It is also important to recognize the different resources available for mental health support, even some unconventional ones. For this reason, I have been providing and continually developing an outdoor and mindfulness-based intervention program called "Go Touch Grass."
I have also been developing my advocacy skills outside my primary role by joining committees, workgroups, and community organizations to support the disenfranchised. Advocacy is the primary reason I joined the social work profession, and I am working to reconnect with that purpose at a critical time.
What pivotal experiences shaped your current path?
As a social work student at USI, I focused on opportunities that would get me involved and give back to the community. I was a peer mentor, RA, Greek Life vice president, student ambassador, and more. I was also heavily involved in my campus Student Support Services program, which allowed me to be part of the inaugural cohort of students on a cultural immersion trip to China with the Zion Leadership Group.
Once I left the United States for the first time, it felt like the door had been blown off its hinges. The size of our world seemed to shrink and grow simultaneously. This trip provided experience, cultural humility, and so much perspective that continues to guide me to this day. Additionally, this trip is why I was initially connected with the GlobalMindED network!
What drives your desire to contribute and make a difference?
I strongly desire to contribute to making a difference, mainly because of the fortune and experiences that have driven me. Opportunities are not created equally and are not open to all folks. I have earned many opportunities and have been lucky to have come across or been provided with them. With the privilege that I hold comes responsibility and power.
It comes from recognizing the world's disparities, which hold back human power and potential. As someone who has experienced them, I can also recognize that my situation may have been incredibly different based on other factors that did not impact me, such as race or other identities. Despite these challenges or disparities, I was empowered by those around me to keep trying, keep fighting, and push for what I needed in the world.
Community is another crucial factor in my desire to make change. Those people who were or are part of my journey still inspire me to make that change today. I can reflect on the lessons, words of affirmation, or unconditional support given to me when I felt my lowest. With that, I can support people similarly. Find the strengths in those that cross your path, empower them, and watch the world change.
Beyond your own journey, what are your hopes for your community, generation, or people?
One of my biggest aspirations is for folks to reconnect with nature. Our society is seemingly trending in this direction, but the environment is not just the outdoors. It is a resource for more than just fuel and recreation. It can be a safe space for us to express and experience our emotions. It can be an experience of liberation. If you listen to it, it can also be a source of support and empowerment in your community.
What role has GlobalMindED played in your personal, academic, or professional journey?
In my personal life, GlobalMindED has allowed me to meet and connect with some of the most stellar people on the planet. With that, one message is networking. Networking is crucial in social work for leveraging support for others, but it is also crucial for yourself, professionally and academically. The networking that GlobalMindED generated for me and continues to generate for others is beautiful.
GlobalMindED also allowed me to be academically educated outside of the traditional classroom. As a student, it created opportunities for learning that I have taken back and applied to traditional classrooms. It taught me to challenge and view many other perspectives while engaging with content more deeply and critically.
Finally, professionally, GlobalMindED has helped me with things like networking, but it has also provided unique experiences that I can reflect on in resumes or in interviews. As a community, it allows us to stand out as change agents, driven toward our individual missions. It reflects the meaning and purpose of all our work and is the backbone of support. GlobalMindED also allowed me to use my voice among people in the world who have and hold more significant power or resources than I do. Now those folks know my name and my goals.
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