Josephine Tucci is an amazing individual who possesses a wide range of personal attributes in the form of stellar character who cares about the environment in which she lives, who has had a number of rich experiences in her lifetime, and who understands what it means to be civically engaged. The most important aspects of Josephine are evidenced in her growing up in New York City, her caring about the environment in which she lives, her learning about the causes, her hardships and difficulties of Italian immigration, her active participation in a variety of forms of civic engagement. I have never said this anywhere before in my writing about the discovery assignments but it is important to know that Josephine Tucci is my grandmother. The most important and interesting part of the entire year-long process has been to uncover information that I had not previously known before about my grandmother. 

          The most important accomplishment throughout the entire year-long process has been to uncover information that I would have never known if I did not ask. I am honored to have been responsible for the undertaking and partaking of documenting another’s life. The experience has made me think deeper about the value of life through each and every experience that I partake in. Knowing more about Josephine helped me to know more about my heritage and myself. Compiling all four parts of the project has been a memorable experience that I will never forget for the rest of my life.

          The Discovery assignment has refined my interviewing, research, and writing skills most. I was forced to become a good listener and documenter as I transcribed each of the questions I was asking into written form. In parts two and four of the discovery, I had to do a lot of research on scientific issues and Italian immigration. There was a lot of information to look at but I had to pick which pieces of information would be most effective in documenting my subject’s life. My writing skills increased immensely as I was tasked with the assignment of integrating Josephine’s words with mine. Interviewing, research and writing are skills that I can put to good use in the future.

          I have come more interested in research as a result of the Discovery Project. The most important skill I have increased my competence in is the ability to tell whether a source is credible or not. There were many sources of information that I came across in my early drafts of the Discovery. Through correction and help from my professors in showing me specific things like checking the education of the author or looking for any bias information within the content of the source itself I am able to now analyze a source to determine if I can use it or not for my discovery. I am not fully competent in this area but I believe that only time and experience will make me stronger.