Being an RA

img_5655Being an Resident Advisor has been the most rewarding experience I have had in college thus far. I have the privilege of being an RA for the first year IA students. They are genuinely great people and I have loved getting to know all of them. I’ve learned a lot about organizing my time and prioritizing my involvement on campus because this job forces me to do so. Unfortunately, I will not be returning next year but I am so glad I decided to be an RA for this year. I hope to stay close with my residents next year.

Toronto

img_5864Over my sophomore fall break, from the 13th of October until the 16th of the October, I spent time in Toronto. I had the opportunity to explore museums, castles, and the city at night. One of my favorites was Castle Loma. It was interesting to learn about the family and it was so beautiful, especially the back garden. I really enjoyed getting to spend time with the first year IA students and second year IA students that I previously hadn’t had a chance to get to know as well.

Game Days at The Shoe

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Game days are the best days at Ohio State.  There is nothing like being in a stadium that is covered in red and full of fellow Buckeyes: past, current and future students.  The school spirit at Ohio State is one of the main reasons why I chose this University.  Every student here is so excited to be a Buckeye and wears scarlet and gray with pride. Plus winning so much is pretty fun, too.

College Mentors for Kids

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This semester I got to participate in College Mentors for Kids.  My little buddy’s name is Jaylynn and I get to hang out with her every Thursday.  She is the sweetest 4th grader and I am always so happy she is my buddy when all the other kids start running around she stays next to me holding my hand. Last week she told me that Thursday’s are her favorite and that she had missed me all week, it was very sweet and rewarding to hear! I will be so sad when she graduates from the program next year.

Resident Advisor

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I am so happy that I have been chosen to be a Resident Advisor for the 2016-2017 school year in Smith Steeb.  I am even going to be a Resident Advisor on the International Affairs Scholars floor so I will get to know all the first years in the program. My co-Resident Advisor is also an International Affairs Scholar and we are both really excited to help lead this group of freshman through their first year at Ohio State.

Career

[“Career” is where you can collect information about your experiences and skills that will apply to your future career.  Like your resume, this is information that will evolve over time and should be continually updated.   For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

Artifacts

 

Group 1- extreme povertyThis artifact is my presentation for the millennium goals project from my International Affairs scholars seminar.  The millennium goal I present was Goal 1: Hunger and Poverty in the North American region.  This millennium goal was set in 1990 and was to be reached by 2015.  Portions of this goal were met, but not all of them.  In North America, hunger and poverty is more relative instead of absolute.  People suffering from hunger and poverty come from families that have been in poverty for generations.  I have learned from this project that North America has its problems, too.  Whenever I think of hunger and poverty, I think of developing countries.  However, just walking down High Street I know that is not the case.  People here are suffering too, and portions of this goal still need to be met.  Even those that have already been met can still be improved on.  This artifact and project has broadened my view on international affairs.  I have learned more about all the social and environmental problems this world faces as well as how the UN proposes to fix them.  It has also opened my eyes to the suffering of people here in our country.  Hunger and poverty are not just a problem abroad.

About Me

Hi, my name is Madison Handley and I am currently a sophomore at The Ohio State University. I am a Social Work major with the hopes of attending a graduate program for Occupational Therapy. This year I have focused on getting involved on campus. I am already in the International Affairs Scholars program, but I have also added Alpha Phi Omega, STEP, College Mentors for Kids, and Phi Sigma Pi. I am employed with the university as a Resident Advisor. I adore my job and it has been the best part of my sophomore year. Being able to impact 53 freshman students is very rewarding.

Year in Review

My sophomore year has been full of ups and downs. I have learned a lot about what is most important to me and that my grades/school work matter most. I took the hardest classes I will ever take (hopefully) this school year and they really challenged me more than I ever have been. I realized how hard I had to try to achieve my goals. This year I had the privilege of being a resident advisor and ultimately this became my identity for this school year. I really loved my job and I learned that leaders come in a very wide variety. In my case, I can still be myself and be nice and hold authority over others. I got involved outside my dorm as well. I learned to choose the involvement that is most worthwhile to me. I am excited to be back and start anew in the fall.