My name is Laurel Baumler, and I’m from Canton, Ohio. I consider myself to be a pretty outgoing and fun-loving person, though I sometimes battle with the perfectionist or “nit-picky” aspects of my personality. I spent a lot of my time in high school working in fine arts, such as singing with my choir or performing in our school musicals, and work with my speech and debate team. In fact, some of the highlights of my high school career include traveling to the National Speech and Debate Association National Tournament two years in a row, and earning and performing the lead role in my school’s fall musical during my senior year. My time spent on the stage during high school provided some of my most treasured memories to this day, and performing is something I will always enjoy. However, looking to my future I know for certain that I want to devote my life to helping and healing people. I am seeking to learn and grow in the field of biology while at Ohio State and eventually further my education in the medical realm to become a doctor. I am a very social person and I love to make people laugh and smile, as well as being a good friend to those around me. While I enjoy connecting and collaborating with people around me, I am mostly independent in my academic endeavors, and find my best work is created after independent research and reflection. I am looking forward to growing as a person and student in my time at Ohio State and taking advantage of every learning opportunity that comes my way.