Year in Review #2

My second academic year at Ohio State was very different from my first. I recently reflected on the growth and development which I had throughout my academic year, and how it was primarily captured through Organic Chemistry 1 and 2. However, the rest of my academic path was also well defined by these classes among many others. During my second year, I also became heavily involved in taking my minor classes for Nonprofit Management. The classes which I took for my minor gave me a challenge different from what I knew in my science-based major classes. I learned how both cases impacted my growth on campus, as I could see myself using learning skills and strategies from both classes. In my upcoming third year, I am really looking forward to using the growth and development I have had during my second year and making the best of the rest of the time I have at Ohio State.

Class Reflection

Being able to take classes on campus and truly connect with the Ohio State community made all the difference this year. I felt immersed in my education and could see my growth drawn out from August 2021 to May 2022 in my second year of undergraduate studies. The growth and development which I had throughout my academic year were primarily captured through Organic Chemistry 1 and 2.

Going into my second year, Organic Chemistry was my boggart. General Chemistry had been a struggle that I managed to surpass, but I knew I wanted to excel in chemistry beyond what I could show on the online exams we had faced before. I knew that Organic Chemistry would be tough, so I was mentally prepared for the challenges that were going to come. I bought numerous textbooks outside of the class material, attended an open house Zoom hosted by my Ochem 1 professor, and connected with classmates and teaching assistants to gain new study strategies.

I left Ochem 1 feeling successful that I had passed a class that was originally so frightening to me. But what made me proudest of my growth was that by the end of Ochem 2, I was looking forward to taking more chemistry courses.

My development could not have happened without the belief that my professors and teaching assistants instilled within me. I was taught by professors at Ohio State that I will forever remember and be thankful for. The classroom where I had both Ochem 1 and 2, McPherson 1000, is a place I now cherish and will pass by with fond memories.

Vision Statement & Statement of Action

Vision Statement: My vision is to become an oncologist, helping others in the fight against cancer and making scientific breakthroughs.

Statement of Action: To work towards my vision, I will be involved on campus with organizations that are cancer-cause connected and I will be working in a research lab that is also organized around cancer. There are many resources available to me that I will utilize to guide my path to becoming a medical doctor and helping others, especially resources that I can use now in my undergraduate years.

Artifact #2

For my second artifact, I uploaded a post I had made as the Marketing Chair for the Biological Sciences Scholar this past Spring semester. I was looking to be more involved within the scholars program, and being the Marketing Chair allowed me to truly connect with more of the scholars members around me. The role of the Marketing Chair also fit in perfectly for what I wanted to do while at Ohio State. I could be creative with this role and it felt more like a break from my daily tasks and student life rather than another assignment. I am really looking forward to the rest of the year as the Marketing Chair, and I hope I can continue to grow within the role.

Abstract

My e-portfolio is a highlight of how I have grown during my time at Ohio State in consideration of my Scholars program. I have showcased many ways that I was involved in my community and how this impacted me. In the future, I plan on using this e-portfolio to help guide me in continuing my reflections on my education and my extracurriculars. I hope that the reflections I have completed within my e-portfolio allow me to grow not only as a student but as a person, too.

Service Reflection

This past semester, I became involved with WITI (Women in Technology International). Although my current path is not associated with my being in technology, it is still important to understand the rise of technology within the medical world and its impact on bioscience. As a volunteer with WITI, I am able to see a different side of what it means to be working with technology. Frequently I envisioned a person sitting in a dark room tapping writing long codes all day, but my mentors in WITI have shown me the impact of those codes first hand–and the brightness of their offices.

WITI, being a female-focused empowerment group, has also encouraged me to continue to advocate for fellow women in STEM. My passions for seeing other women succeed have surfaced in nearly every other aspect of my work, and I am glad that they are a part of my volunteering efforts as well.

Year in Review

My time at Ohio State has had its ups and downs: with the impact of COVID-19, I have tried my best to make the most out of my first semester.

In terms of extracurricular activities, I have been heavily involved in the Biological Scholars Program and the Undergraduate Student Government. I have also maintained my research position in the Bakaletz Lab. My scholars’ program has provided me with a lot of insight into my career pathway in health science. The opportunities to meet and connect with others are endless. I had to learn how to manage my time between Zoom calls for my extracurricular activities and classes during this time.

Speaking of academics, my first semester went very well. I was able to use my resources during this semester by regularly attending office hours, completing practice exams when given, and even attending BioSci’s tutoring hours for general chemistry help. While it has been slightly difficult to adjust to learning while away from a classroom, I think that I have found myself less stressed as a result while taking exams. I can think more clearly when I take the exam in the same setting that I study in: that way, I am already comfortable in the setting. I’m interested to see how next semester will go if we begin to have in-person classes.

I look forward to next semester.

G.O.A.L.S.

The G.O.A.L.S. of the Honors & Scholars program is 5 different categories where its students strive to showcase and excel.

G stands for Global Awareness which is an appreciation for diversity and respect for each individual’s unique differences. In college, I have been showcasing my global awareness by being a part of the Undergraduate Student Government (USG). This organization has allowed me to work with a multitude of other students with various backgrounds. I want to continue being a part of USG and help continue to advocate for the diversification of our university.

O stands for Original Inquiry which is the result of a student’s curiosity and has the students engaging in the research process. I have been a member of Dr. Bakaletz’s lab at Nationwide Children’s Hospital for nearly one year now, where I have had access to seeing how the research process works and my effect on it as a younger student. I plan to continue my research endeavors with the Bakaletz lab and to make the most out of it.

A stands for Academic Enrichment which is shown through the student’s academic excellence with a rigorous class and outside the class curriculum. Personally, academics are my top priority while at school. Throughout my four years of high school, I was able to maintain a high GPA and I plan to continue maintaining this high GPA in college. I hope to challenge myself with my collegiate courses by taking a minor that is not directly related to the health sciences, such as business, to help me fully develop an academic pallet that will prepare me for my future endeavors.

L stands for Leadership Development which is the student’s ability to develop leadership skills and to showcase them both in the classroom and outside of the classroom. As a first-year, I have not had the chance to directly show this in club positions yet. However, I have taken the initiative to be a leader within the classroom when possible, and by also being a personal leader. As this semester continues, I will continue to challenge myself to find opportunities to be a leader within my college.

S stands for Service Engagement which is the student’s willingness to help his own community without seeking anything back in return. I have been volunteering at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital OT/PT center, helping young patients and nurses during these tough times. I am actively looking for non-clinical volunteer activities. I want to give back to my community in a way that will combine both the Global Awareness and Service Engagement goals.

Artifact

Journal on table with drawn library shelves & books

At the beginning of 2020, I set a goal for myself to read at least one book every two weeks. I wanted to accomplish this goal because I had always been an avid reader. I knew with the end of high school and the beginning of college, my time to read leisurely would be lessened. I wanted to document my readings as well. By crafting library shelves of books in my planner for school, I would now be keeping track of my books right next to my homework and activities.

This page in my planner would be motivation for my success both in school and out. By seeing the page before I flipped to others, I would recognize that you can learn and be educated at any point in time, not just while in class.

While I look back at the empty spines of the books I had drawn, I can compare it to the nearly full shelves of text in my planner now. Throughout 2020, I have had ample time to read and to grow as a learner. As I continue throughout my college career and forward, I hope to continue to use this page as motivation to be able to reflect on.

About Me

Sara Alsammerai is a freshman at the Ohio State University, majoring in Biology, and is a part of the Biological Sciences Scholars program. Sara is passionate about advocating for mental health awareness and helping other young people in STEM find their passions.

In high school, she participated in a wide variety of extracurricular activities and was a student at the Biomedical Academy during her junior and senior years. During these two years, she was able to earn credits in AP Biology, complete a capstone research project, and earned an internship researching at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. In her current research state, she has been able to learn more about microbial pathogens, her lab’s specific studies, and understanding the life-long impacts of research on medicine today as she has seen it first-hand.

Along with her scientific passions, Sara deeply values fighting political apathy and being involved in government. In high school, she was a leader within her school’s student council. As a member of the student council, Sara was a major stakeholder and leader as she helped organize events and planned a Mental Health Awareness Spirit Week. Sara’s regard for her school and the students around her led her to joining the Undergraduate Student Government at OSU during her first semester. 

Sara has gained a lot of leadership experience and confidence that she hopes to carry throughout her college career. The opportunities which she had allowed her to join the Biological Science Scholars Program. This program will hopefully continue to help her find new opportunities and connections. Throughout this program, Sara’s skills will continue to grow and her network will strengthen.  

After her undergraduate studies, Sara is hoping to go onto medical school to become an oncologist. She will continue to bring awareness to her passions and advocate for others to rise with her.