Spring Project

Internships Across The Country
Justin Hamilton, Hamilton.1289@buckeyemail.osu.edu, Architecture, 740-827-6740

Description
The purpose of this project was to try to find possible internships for the summers following the one between my Freshman and Sophomore years of college. Due to my love for travel and goal to explore the country, I have decided that I wanted to look for internships outside of Ohio. If possible, I would want them to be in cities where I have family or friends so I won’t have to worry about housing costs (Seattle, Portland, Phoenix, Minneapolis, or Charlotte). I did my own work for this project. I feel that this meets several, if not all, of the scholar’s GOALS. It meets global awareness because I am searching for jobs outside of my home. It meets original inquiry because I am doing this on my own, therefore have potential to have no other classmates searching for the same internships. It meets academic enrichment because I’ll be expanding my architectural knowledge in the workplace. It meets leadership development because I’ll be expanding my skills as an architect and developing myself to become better in my field. Last, it meets service engagement because I will be working for others with very little if not no pay.

Process
My process for finding internships was tougher. Since I am looking for potential opportunities for summers that are not this coming one, I will most likely not get an exact answer on any. However, I will still be looking for opportunities and trying to make connections. I will be talking to my boss this summer, who is a licensed architect, about potential opportunities for myself. I also took some of the internship positions that were emailed to us by Angela Beer and jotted some down that I thought would be one that I may be interested in (there was one in Charlotte, NC that interested me). I will be continuing my search next year.

Results
Due to the reasons I described above, I do not have any results yet. I have an internship for this summer, but it is with a small firm in my hometown, which is a good start, but not what I want once I build my resume more. Of course, I will need to build my resume more in order to receive serious internship offers. I do have the internship in Charlotte to consider heavily, though. I’ll continue to research firms more intensively next year.

Reflection
This project has provided me with the opportunity to search outside of my home and get the chance to explore the country in the future. For years, I’ve always known what was going to come next for me in terms of where my life was going. Now that I’m in college, for the first time in my life I truly don’t know where I’ll end up in the future. This project is helping me slowly figure that out.

Pictures
Pictures included are the top prospects for my future new home.

Journal 3

An idea to get started on my spring semester project came while trying to figure out how to use traveling the country or even the world while also expanding my knowledge in architecture. It was pretty obvious from there that my project would involve researching internship and co-op opportunities. As someone who loves to travel and experience new environments, but doesn’t always have the financial stability in order to do that, interning in somewhere other than my hometown would be the perfect opportunity to explore the world. It also meets all five G.O.A.L.S. as well. Global awareness is obviously met because I will get the chance to explore the country, and maybe even the world. Original inquiry comes with me developing ideas while going out and exploring different kinds of architecture while working under different architects. Academic enrichment is another goal that is obviously met because I will be learning more about my field of study and gain contacts for potential future jobs. Leadership development is seen with my development as an architect student, seeking to become licensed one day and possibly lead my own firm. Service engagement comes with me being a helping hand to the architects I am working for with the amazing opportunities they can provide for me. I would like to start looking into these opportunities as soon as I get back from winter break. I can start by creating a resume and setting up an account on LinkedIn to help with the application process. The next step would be to contact firms and seek interviews. I’d have to ask about living arrangements and possible pay if I’m going to be moving to a different city for a period of time. I don’t want to take an internship if they aren’t going to offer pay considering so many internships nowadays do offer payment. I would hope to have this finished up by May. Researching and finding opportunities for myself takes time and I don’t want to rush it. I also don’t know if interning just after my Freshman year would be the best idea, considering that I don’t have a strong base in any of the computer programs yet, so simply finding these opportunities and getting my name out to firms would suffice for now. I hope that interning can not only strengthen my skills in the architectural field, but allow me to explore the world as well.

Columbus To Do List Part 2

Columbus is very proud of its ice cream. Being home to both Jeni’s and Graeter’s, two of the top rated ice cream chains in the country, or even the world, definitely helps prove that point. As I stated in the previous installment of my adventures to find the best ice cream in Columbus, I’ve had the pleasure of already going to Jeni’s, Graeter’s, and Rocket Fizz. All three of those will be places I will definitely be returning to over the next four years. Even though Rocket Fizz may not be ice cream, I’m a fan of their unique flavors of pop. I enjoy variety in almost everything I do (and eat) and the unique flavors of pop at Rocket Fizz definitely help add some variety into what I drink. Jeni’s is a classic and I wish there was one closer than the Short North. I would love to see one just off of campus. The business that store would receive would be astronomic. The same for a Graeter’s. I went to a Graeter’s again up in Easton because it had been over a year since I’d last tried it and I needed a little refresher on it. Needless to say it was just how I remembered it: delicious. I’ve now had their black raspberry with chocolate chips, and had their chocolate peanut butter. The argument about what is better between Graeter’s and Jeni’s is so incredibly difficult that it makes me head hurt just thinking about it. I’ll take whichever one I’m craving on that day. Now as for the new places I got to go to, I’ll start with Pistacia Vera. I didn’t realize this was on the list when the Explore Columbus class made a stop there on our German Village tour, but I quite enjoyed what I had. I had some of the small, dry cookies. The professor was the one who purchased them so I can’t exactly remember what they’re called. However those cookies would not have been my top choice to eat if I was paying. I remember distinctly seeing a blackberry cake in there that looked very tasty. I don’t see myself making it back to Pistacia Vera anytime soon, mainly because of its distance, but it will definitely be a pit stop at some point. The last place I visited was Whit’s Custard, and I absolutely loved it. I’d never had frozen custard before. It’s not something that I saw in my home town, or any of the towns around it. We had frozen yogurt but not custard. I ordered the buckeye madness and I definitely got what I paid for. The size is deceptive because it is so filling. It was drenched in peanut butter and chocolate sauce and topped with Reese’s cup, making for the perfect mixture of vanilla ice cream with chocolate and peanut butter. Thankfully it’s just a short bus ride up to Clintonville so I can make my way back there soon. If you have a car, I definitely recommend checking out the sites I did not get to visit, like Johnson’s Real Ice Cream and Kittie’s Cakes, both located in Bexley. I’d definitely love to check out more small shops in the city to see if any of them can top what I’ve already had in the ice cream department. I think that Whit’s was probably my favorite experience because it surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. I snagged a picture of my custard before digging in to show off how good it looked (and tasted).

Columbus To Do List

I decided to choose the ice cream and desserts list. I have quite the sweet tooth (it’s not so good for my physical shape) so I think this will be a list that I enjoy. I’m not too worried about it being too cold for this list either, because it is never too cold for ice cream. I’m very excited to try this list because I’ve only tried Graeter’s once, had never been to Jeni’s before coming to OSU, just tried Rocket Fizz the other day, and the rest of them are a complete mystery to me. The bottle below is from my trip to Rocket Fizz. I quite enjoyed their cream soda. I’ve also had the chance to try Jeni’s and I can’t get enough of it. I really enjoy the salted peanut butter with chocolate flakes. I bought a pint of it at the c store and it was gone in one sitting. It’s been over a year since I last had my one and only Graeter’s so I’m eager to get out there and try it again. Something else about this list that I’m a fan of is the small price of it. I originally thought of doing the sports and games list, but while I would love to get out and see the Crew play and get down to Nationwide for a game, preferably against Pittsburgh or Vegas, it would be pretty expensive. I do plan on seeing a Crew game in November, but that might be pushing my budget a little. I hope to gain a taste of variety from this list. I can’t stand eating at the same place over and over, even if it’s dessert. My hope is to find my new favorite place to grab a tasty treat.                                           

Mentor Interview

I got to meet with Declan on September 18 at the big steps in Knowlton. I was very interested to learn about why Declan planned to go to Ohio rather than staying in Texas. So far with everyone I’ve met from out of state, one of my first questions is “why here?”. Declan’s reasoning for coming here was because there were no good schools in Texas for landscape architects. He’d never been to Ohio before, despite a campus visit he did during his senior year. As of right now, he is unsure if he’ll go back to Texas or not. He said it is a possibility, but he’s also thinking about Chicago, or staying at OSU for graduate school in city and regional planning. Something interesting I learned about Declan is that he expresses a similar interest in roads and how they’re planned out and all connect to each other. I’d never met someone that is also intrigued by that before. As of right n0w, I don’t have plans to meet with Declan again. I would like to plan to meet with Taylor at some point, as well with Declan again. For now, however, I’m putting a lot of my focus on studio, because a piece of advice Declan had for me was to not get behind in there. Seeing where the assignments are going in there, I think that is the last thing I want to do.

Journal #1

So far, I am really enjoying myself at Ohio State. I love the city, the campus, the people, and almost everything else. The scholars program has also been extremely beneficial to me as well. Not only have I made friends quickly, but I’ve made friends in my major. Something I’ve noticed in a lot of my classes is that a lot of students don’t know each other or have any friends in there, so when it comes time for a big project, test, or homework assignment, they may not have anyone they can go to. I’m very lucky to have several people I’m already friends with in several of my classes. I share all but one class with another girl in scholars (and she’s also from the same county as me). I’m very excited to see what else comes with the program.

Welcome week was very busy. I found myself exhausted. I had fun with most of the activities, and also got a lot of useful information as well. I found ways to get involved at the involvement fair and also ways to get free or discounted food at Buck-I-Frenzy.

So far my classes have been what I was expecting. I did hope that my geography class would be a little bit more exciting (geography is my favorite topic to study) but I think it’s going to pick up soon. Nothing has been extremely difficult yet, although I need a lot of practice in studio. I have the exact opposite of a steady hand and am not that artistic. Everything seems to just need a lot of time devoted to it, which is why I think people panic so much. Although this is all before taking the first exam of the semester so my feelings may change.

Life as a college student has been great so far. I enjoy having breaks in between classes rather than going straight through. I also enjoy waking up closer to 8 rather than 6:30. I’m incredibly excited to go to the first football game, and I will for sure be at every home game this season. It was a much easier adjustment than I thought coming into college. Although doing my 0wn laundry all the time is not going to be the most fun.

So far the scholars program has lived up to what I thought it would be. Nice dorms, good people who share a similar academic integrity with me, and of course the standards to stay in, which I’m hoping will be no issue for me. However if they become an issue, I’ll do what I can to turn myself around and meet the criteria required to stay in this wonderful program.

Year in Review

[ “Year in Review”  is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student.  You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

G.O.A.L.S.

[ “G.O.A.L.S.” is a place where students write about how their planned, current, and future activities may fit into the Honors & Scholars G.O.A.L.S.: Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement. For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.

  • Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences. For example, consider course work, study abroad, involvement in cultural organizations or activities, etc.
  • Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community. For example, consider research, creative productions or performances, advanced course work, etc.
  • Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom.
  • Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society.
  • Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community.]