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 information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. 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.]

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.]

Saplings Mentor Meeting

I met up with my mentor, Adrianna Pollee, this week and had an interesting conversation relating to several areas of interest, all of which she provided insightful information, information that will surely aid any burgeoning freshman lost in the wide world of collegiate expectation. To preface, she spoke of her choice in major, forestry, fisheries, and wildlife (henceforth named FFW). She chose this over other majors of similar virtue as the specialization options within FFW appealed more to her than the general spectrum of classes offered in, for instance, evolution and ecology. She is also planning on minoring in entomology, which she will use to aid her in her goals of maintaining forest and wild life health. Specifically, her ideal career allows her to remain outdoors, a place she loves, and not “behind a desk,” being a field researcher for as long as possible before retiring to a stable researching position is one career among other potential avenues of pursuit.

Beyond academia, she has chosen to stay a regular member of ENR Scholars in a mentor position, as well belonging to “Terra Aqua,” a campus student organization that focuses on the maintenance and preservation of waterways, and the “Fishing and Wildlife Society,” which is akin in the missions of other environmental groups. She also holds a job, unrelated to her ecological pursuits. She also chose to impart some wisdom regarding extra-curricular and other optional commitments: don’t overdo it. She stressed the importance of keeping a balance, and to always keep some time for leisure, being an athlete, officer in a club, having a job and research position looks fantastic, but is also ultimately unsustainable.

We also spoke of the impact of our shared group, ENR Scholars, on her life; she said that, despite being a vegetarian since fourth grade, she still knew surprisingly little of how to live sustainably. Her time within ENR has shed light on areas that she hadn’t previously considered, such as food sourcing, water waste, and other impacts of a poor environment that simply never factored into her personal life. Beyond being merely a tool of teaching sustainability, ENR also brings in how to practice sustainability, which, to Adrianna, really separated the group from just another class. She also loved the annual backpacking trip, signifying that as a defining moment in her experience, she also noted that she has made many of her best friends within the group, and the community that has sprung from this will last beyond her years as a member.

Adrianna’s responses hammered in a different perspective than my own, which helps to diversify my own thoughts. With regards to involvement and academics, we parallel in several places; neither of us majored in what we did with the goal of financial gain, we majored where we did because that’s where our passions lie, and neither of us could live in mundane contentment with an ‘office’ job just because it gave steady economic security. Her advice will stick with me, in high school, I frequently over-committed in my endeavors, which lead to little actual participation in for each club. If nothing else, our conversation, and my subsequent ‘interview’ of her demonstrated that, even if we no longer have the bond of ENR, she will be more than glad to help me with anything she can.

 

 

About Me

Hello, audience, my name is Donald Kramer, though casually I am referred to by my middle name, Austin, or simply my surname, Kramer. I am a first-year, first-generation student here at The Ohio State University, and I am currently majoring in Evolution and Ecology. I was born in Hamilton Ohio, and raised by my maternal grandparents on a small farm North of Hamilton, in a village named Seven Mile. Living with perpetual reminder of the beauty and unique nature of the natural world, it is clear to see why I have developed such a deep passion and interest in ensuring life remains bountiful and diverse. I am proud in my involvement in my Scholars program, Environment and Natural Resources, which will surely help me to challenge assumptions, make educated decisions regarding my ecological impact, and develop vital skills relevant not only to my field, but as well as life as a whole.

While certainly inexperienced, including with respect to my peers,  I remain committed to a simple goal: help make the world a better place. Although my focus lies heavily in sustainability, rehabilitation, and maintenance, I am also disheartened at the general suffering of peoples, from a lack of basic necessities such as food, water, and medicine, to current trends of purposeful miseducation and apathy seen, particularly in Western society.

I am rather contemplative and conservative in my actions outdoors, as heretical as it may seem at this particular university, I hold a disdain for sports, particularly competitive ones. An odd mantra I tend to regard as a principal of mine is eloquently articulated by the late John Paul “Scatman” Larkin: “…Everyone’s born to compete how he chooses, but how can someone win if winning means someone loses” (Scatman’s World, 1995). Beyond sports, however, I am an adventurous spirit, despite my exceedingly reserved appearance. Barring the innately dangerous and reckless, I would be willing to try anything at least once, if given the opportunity. I would relish the chance to skydive, scuba dive, rock climb, backpack, or any other ‘rare’ outdoor activity. In the absence of any of those activities, simply hiking, going for a swim, identifying flora/fauna, or even laying in a field and watching the clouds roll by are all activities I regularly do while outdoors. As an aside, a common activity people tend to engage in outside, hunting, is one of the few things I refuse to partake in, violating my own ‘anything once’ philosophy. Additionally, transitioning from a heavy meat-eater to vegetarian, or even a vegan, is a goal of mine while in this new and exciting world of college. In my area, my friends and I (at my behest) explored every park, arboretum, garden, reserve, and sanctuary we could, I am ecstatic at he opportunity to begin this mission again in the Columbus area!

Currently, my campus involvement consists of naught but my Scholars program. However, it is my desire to join several organizations dedicated to leaving a positive impact. Joining a team of researchers while following my undergraduate course is also a major goal of mine, as well as successfully joining a field pertinent to my interests while still completing my degree. Personally, self-fulfillment and actualization of potential is a prime value I hold, while maintaining any employment on campus will be enough, I strive for more than enough. I believe contentment is hardly a feeling that should be realized while in university, especially one as ample in opportunity as Ohio State University.