Date of Award
Spring 5-7-2026
Document Type
Project (696 or 796 registration)
Degree Name
Master of Science in Counseling
Department
Graduate Studies
Committee Chair
Taryn Akgul
Keywords
Mindfulness, Privilege, Social Connection
Abstract
This essay outlines the life of Jared Saunders, from his birth in 1995 to the day this was written in 2026. Born, raised, and educated in Minnesota, he grew up in a stable household with a moderate sized family. Trained to be an educator, he has recently redirected his career path towards becoming a school counselor in the hopes that he can better serve his students. Throughout the process of researching and writing for this essay, the author reflected on his life and the mechanisms that steadily sculpted him into the person he is today. After chronologically reflecting on his life, he analyzed his results from two personality assessments: the Big Five and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. In addition, a handful of individuals who know him best were interviewed. While the answers he found were not overly surprising, finding them in the words of his friends and family had a larger impact than solely deducing it in his mind. The result of his upbringing, education, and interactions with thousands of different people across a lifespan of ages have led to where our author is today. He hopes to continue listening and learning from those around him, and that he will always find time in his life to set aside time to pause and reflect on where he has been, where he is currently, and what he intends to do in the future.
Recommended Citation
Saunders, Jared J., "A Moment for Pause" (2026). Dissertations, Theses, and Projects. 1109.
https://red.mnstate.edu/thesis/1109