[ACEL]: Hi Haley! Tell us how you decided to major in community leadership.
[Duff]: I started at Ohio State as a zoology major, and realized my interests were not in the science behind it all, but in connecting with people and sharing my passion for zoos, wildlife, and the environment. I searched all over Ohio State for a new major that would allow me to still graduate on time, help me grow as a person, and have supportive, caring faculty and staff. I never imagined I would find myself in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, but ACEL and community leadership were a perfect fit.

Why did you choose to attend The Ohio State University?
Even growing up in Arizona, being a Buckeye was my college dream. When it came time for college visits and applying, Ohio State was it, no question.

How did your education at Ohio State influence your choice of career so far?
My education at Ohio State has influenced my choice of career path by allowing me to pursue multiple avenues and passions at once. When ACEL required an internship, capstone credit, and minor, I had to test the waters of different fields and I found out what I liked and was good at, and what was not interesting to me. My career path is definitely still in formation but I definitely attribute where I am now, and have been, to those experiences.

What were you involved on campus as a student?
At Ohio State I worked a campus job at EspressOH at the Ohio Union, and was involved in a few student organizations. One being my sorority, Tau Beta Sigma- a band oriented sorority, and the Nonprofit Immersion Program.

What classes did you enjoy the most while at Ohio State?
I enjoyed many of my leadership classes that involved a lot of self-discovery and professional development. These have given me a huge leg up in interviews and the workplace on a personal level and working with teams. One of my all time favorite classes I took was for my zoology minor, a class called ‘dynamics of dinosaurs’ where we studied dinosaur fossils and physiology. That class and professor helped me realize I didn’t have to be in a lab doing science, but could translate the hard work of scientists to accessible information to help others understand natural history and ecology. And the fossils were so cool!

Did you have a faculty member or professor that had an impact on you during your time at Ohio State?
So many of the faculty in staff in ACEL impacted my education. They were supportive and found solutions to problems with credits and scheduling where others might have not. Emily Wickham, Dr. Birkenholz, Dr. King, and Dr. Chris Igodan made a lasting impression of what a mentor and leader should do for their students.

What is your favorite memory related to your time at Ohio State?
One of my favorite memories from my time at Ohio State was going down to New Orleans with some friends to watch the Buckeyes beat Alabama at the Sugar Bowl!

What was your first job after you graduated?
My first job after graduating was  in Orlando, Florida working at Disney’s Animal Kingdom! I did two successive internships there and loved every second of it.

Since graduating, even though it was just a few years ago, where have you worked?
Following my internships with Disney, I worked at the Cincinnati Zoo through AmeriCorps. Now, I live in Washington DC and work full-time for the African Wildlife Foundation, a nonprofit organization that focuses on wildlife conservation, land and habitat protection, community empowerment and economic development throughout the continent of Africa.

As of today, what is your favorite career highlight?
My favorite career highlight so far was my internship in conservation education at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. I loved interacting with guests who didn’t realize our park is an accredited zoo and sharing conservation messages and the animals with them. To go along with the theme of the park, I also got to dress like a “wilderness explorer” from the movie “Up” every day, which was so much fun.

What advice would you give to a current student?
I would tell a current student to take as many opportunities to work on a team, network, and see Columbus as they can. It can be easy to stay in and study and do homework, or even stick to a small social group, but being able to collaborate and network and have interesting, productive conversations with other is not just a useful skill but can be fun and open new doors!

What did ACEL cultivate in you?
The Department and classes I took cultivated in me what it means to be a leader and care for your team. I had mentors and professors who cared for my well-being and education, which I in turn cared more for the people around me as well, and have carried that value through the past year since graduating.

Over Spring Break, I had the opportunity to participate in a Buck-I-SERV trip to Nashville, Tennessee. Partnered with the Medici Project, this faith-based nonprofit organization combats a multitude of social justice issues in the cities of Atlanta, New York City, and now, in its first year, Nashville. While the trip was partially a trial and error session for future service trips in the city, Nashville welcomed us with open arms and we were quickly put to work.

When most people think of Nashville, they may think of live country music and excellent barbecue. While they are definitely not wrong, they certainly are not thinking about the over four-thousand homeless individuals within the city’s limits. Time after time, we were told that the booming, touristic city of Nashville keeps trying to push out this displaced population in order to make it more attractive to visitors. Fortunately, there are several nonprofit organizations in Nashville to help these people get back on their feet.

Each morning, we volunteered at institutions that help the homeless population in Nashville. The Nashville Rescue Mission has two separate facilities in the city, one for men and one for women and children, with the goal to restore hope and transform lives. They offer three meals a day, a warm place to stay overnight, and a live-in Life Recovery Program to those battling addiction. While at the Nashville Rescue Mission, we helped serve food to the over six-hundred individuals who use the service daily. Although a rather mundane task, the smiles of gratitude shown from the individuals we were serving make it completely worthwhile.

Aside from our mornings spent at the Nashville Rescue Mission, we spent two mornings at the Room in the Inn. Much like the Nashville Rescue Mission, the Room in the Inn provides meals and shelter for the homeless population. In addition, however, the Room in the Inn provides countless services including: postal, medical, dental, haircuts, and classes ranging from financial budgeting to arts and crafts. Our first day at Room in the Inn was spent doing indirect service by sorting clothes in the warehouse. On our next visit, we participated in a St. Patrick’s Day Jeopardy Game and an art class where we made shamrocks out of pipe cleaners with the residents at Room in the Inn.

During this art class at Room in the Inn is where I met Cornelius, a middle-aged man who put things into perspective for me. Cornelius confided in me his story, how he used to travel across the world for work, and about his son. At the end of our visit, Cornelius waved me goodbye and thanked me for making him feel human again. In retrospect, I gained much more from our conversation than Cornelius. More than anything else, the Nashville Medici Project Buck-I-SERV trip helped break preconceived stereotypes I had about the social justice issue of homelessness. Initially, I had believed homelessness was a choice based on the inability to withstand impulse buying and the lack of motivation to obtain a job. After spending the week in Nashville, I now know that more times than not, it is a series of unfortunate events that place these individuals in such a situation. Thankfully, there are nonprofit organizations put in place to help these people get back on the right track.

While each morning was spent at an institution helping the homeless, each afternoon was spent at a different elementary or middle school helping with their after-school programs. At Preston Taylor Ministries, elementary students are bussed to a separate location after their school day ends to play games, do their homework, and study the Bible. They also had different daily programming – some students ran a mile outside while others learned about love languages.

Later in the week, we visited the Stratford STEM Middle School after-school program. While there, Buck-I-SERV participants and I developed ice-breaker games to play with the students before we helped them study and do their homework. Both the Preston Taylor Ministries and the Stratford STEM after-school programs were designed to keep the students safe until their parents got home from work. In the week spent with the students, I became attached to several of them and it was hard to say goodbye. I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent with the students and am thankful for the aforementioned organizations for protecting their safety and enriching their lives.

The Nashville Medici Project Buck-I-SERV trip was not all service-based as we had the weekend to tour Nashville’s hottest spots like the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Grand Ole Opry, and the Parthenon. Aside from the fulfillment I received through serving others, one of my favorite parts of the experience was meeting the fellow Ohio State students also on the trip. As a student within the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences and with the geographical separation from central campus, it can be difficult to make connections with students outside of the college. On this Buck-I-SERV trip, however, I met freshmen through seniors with a variety of interests and career aspirations from political science to doctors. While we only spent a week together, I know that the friendships formed on the Nashville Medici Project Buck-I-SERV trip will far exceed my remaining year at Ohio State, but they will last a lifetime. For that, I am forever thankful and continue to encourage fellow students within the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences to seek unique experiences such as my week serving others in Nashville.