Caroline Willett '20

What “wicked problem” did you study?

Antiretroviral medication and chronic pain.

Why IDS?

I chose IDS because I had a topic that I was extremely passionate about and I could not wrap my head around a way to fully understand this topic from one disciplinary perspective. I spent my entire freshman year taking a variety of classes and asking myself, “Is this how my brain works?" and continually discovering that the answer was “no.”

What do you value about the IDS program at Wheaton College?

IDS students are one of a kind! I appreciated the cacophonous beauty that resulted from so many wandering minds converging together in one classroom. It created a vibrant energy that was unlike any other that I have experienced.

What is your advice for someone who is considering the IDS major?

Do it! It is scary at some points, and you may feel unusual, but it is by all means a worthwhile endeavor. Finishing my final project was one of the most satisfying things I have ever done. Because of IDS, I was able to create something that matters and something that I am truly proud of. But more importantly than this, I learned so much along the way. I stretched myself in ways that I did not know were possible, and I have grown more as an IDS major than I would have in any other major.

What is your final project title?

When Pain Persists: The Chronic Side Effects of Antiretroviral Treatment in the Lives of People with HIV.

What is your final project abstract?

In the era of antiretroviral treatment, the overwhelming chronic pain that confronts people living with the human immunodeficiency virus often goes unnoticed. While antiretroviral treatments have lengthened the lives of people living with HIV, they have also caused extreme physical and social disruption that negatively impact the lives of the 23.3 million people who are taking antiretroviral treatment today. This project aims to take a deeper look at the physical and social side effects of antiretroviral treatment through an interdisciplinary lens. This will be accomplished by providing an overview of HIV, detailing the biochemical mechanisms of antiretroviral treatments, defining types of chronic pain, and discussing stigma. The project will conclude with an integration of the aforementioned pieces in hopes of drawing them together to produce an awareness of the burden of chronic pain within the Body of Christ.