Corn Maze 2018

I went to the corn maze event again this past fall, which is definitely one of my favorite scholars events. There were a bunch of fun things going on there, as well as some really good food and apple cider. It was a great social event!

Semester of Service

This year I joined Semester of Service, a cohort that placed me with a local organization to volunteer at. Throughout the spring, I volunteered weekly at Neighborhood Services, Inc., a food pantry close to campus. I spent my time there helping people find what they needed throughout the pantry, cleaning, stocking, and organizing the area. I plan on going back there to volunteer next fall semester as well.

End of Sophomore Year

As spring semester comes to an end, so does my sophomore year of college here at OSU. It seems like this past year really flew by, but a lot has happened. I joined Semester of Service, a cohort that helped me find a local organization to volunteer at for the semester. I also started working at a job on-campus this year at The Berry Cafe. Academically, I have improved the way I study and learn in order to improve my GPA and develop better time management skills. I have also put a lot more thought into my future career path by looking into other options in healthcare other than med school, such as PA school. Now that this year is over, I have completed my Spanish minor, I am planning on studying abroad in Paris this May, and I am planning on looking into research that I could get involved in in the upcoming fall semester. Overall, this has been a really great year for me and I hope that next year will be just as good.

Dog Adoption Service Event

This past February, I participated in a service event through BioSci scholars that took us to a local PetSmart to help a dog shelter hold their weekly dog adoption fair. Everyone was given a dog to take care of for the day and show off to people in hopes of finding them a home. The dog that I was paired up with, Booker, was the sweetest dog ever! He just wanted to be pet the entire time. I really had a blast taking care of him for the day, as well as being surrounded by so many other dogs! Unfortunately he did not get adopted that day, but it was still an overall successful event because a few of the other dogs did, and it felt great to have contributed to that. I love animals, so this was by far my favorite service event of the year.

Hospital Volunteering

As of December 2017, I have started volunteering at a hospital in my home town (Lima Memorial Hospital). I help the pharmacy run errands and deliver meds throughout the day. Even though I have just started, I really enjoy spending time in the pharmacy and getting to know everyone that works there, as well as becoming familiar with the hospital environment and seeing how things work there. It’s encouraged me even further to pursue a health career.

Year in Review

The end of my first semester of college is coming up quickly! Even though it has only been a few months since I started my freshman year, I feel as though I have already started to grow as a person. It may not seem like there’s been any apparent change; I haven’t yet joined a club or organization, I am still looking for a consistent volunteer opportunity, etc. However, my entire attitude has changed, and I have learned a lot about college during this time. At the beginning of the semester, I was afraid of over-working myself, I didn’t want to do anything unless it was mandatory, and I thought I could somehow still have a good college experience without doing much work. Now, I’ve realized that that won’t get me anywhere. I’ve learned better time management skills, have improved my grades, I have plans to join a club at the beginning of next semester, I’m going to volunteer at the hospital back home over winter break, and overall my entire mindset has become more productive and positive. I’m much more interested in becoming involved here at OSU, as much of the initial intimidation has fallen away. I now know how to follow through with a plan to achieve my short-term, near future, goals. I am looking forward to what is yet to come, and what the second half of my freshman year will bring!

Scholars Corn Maze Trip

This scholars event was a ton of fun; it was a great way to meet other scholars and form bonds as well as spending time outdoors, navigating a corn maze, interacting with various types of farm animals, going on a hayride, and picking pumpkins.

G.O.A.L.S.

The G.O.A.L.S. are the pillars of the Scholars program, and each letter represents a different aspect of what is important and prioritized during my college experience.

“G” stands for Global Awareness, which means that students develop an appreciation and understanding for diverse people and cultures. I am currently working on a minor in Spanish, and I also plan on studying abroad in the future.
“O” is for Original Inquiry, which means that Honors & Scholars students put an emphasis on finding opportunities, such as engaging in research. Next year, I hope to find a position in a lab that I could become a part of to gain research experience to help me develop my interests when it comes to pursuing a career.
“A” is for Academic Enrichment, meaning that Honors & Scholars students look for academic experiences and challenges in and out of the classroom. I am currently working on maintaining a high gpa, taking challenging courses, and trying to meet professors and faculty.
“L” stands for Leadership Development, which means that leadership is an important quality and skill to develop for academics, clubs, organizations, and future roles and career paths. I hope to find a club or organization that I can fit into well that I am interested in and passionate about that I could form a leadership position in.
“S” is for Service Engagement, which means that service to the community is a characteristic of Honors & Scholars students. I plan on volunteering at a hospital or medical facility as soon as possible.