To develop my Global Awareness while here at Ohio State, I have become a part of several student organizations which learn about and value diversity and people’s differences.  I attend Hillel often, where we learn about Judaism and Jewish culture, but also about how other cultures interact with each other around the world. In Student Leadership Advocates, a main focus is on embracing people’s strengths and differences and viewing those differences as learning opportunities.  This is similar to what I learned in my Comparative Religions class: that people may have significant differences, but no one is “wrong” or better than one another.  We are all connected and affect one another. I plan to continue to develop my global awareness by learning all I can about different cultures and people’s differences in my student organizations and courses. I will keep attending Hillel and campus diversity events to be more aware of what is going on in the world.

My major, data analytics is about data collection and evaluation, so I examine research on a daily basis.  One experience I have had that has helped me understand the research process is in my Sociology Intro to Research Methods course.  I am in the process of writing a research paper about how data is collected, and in order to write this paper I have had to learn about and evaluate research process in-depth.  I will continue to work toward this goal by finishing my paper and the research methods course I am in. I will also keep connecting my field of study with research processes, and potentially look for research opportunities campus.

My honors contract demonstrates a commitment to the goal of Academic Achievement by displaying my dedication to a rigorous course load and to the honors program.  My majors is one of the largest at Ohio State, requiring over 60 credit hours (including the specialization courses), so each semester I must have a full schedule of challenging courses.  I also take honors and high-level courses whenever possible, and try to take a variety of courses, even outside of GE and major/minor requirements.  My planned curriculum will help me reach my goals for the future by helping me graduate with a well-rounded education. I want to be a leader in whatever job or career I have, so my minor courses and extra-curricular activities will prove essential in that area. I am also interested in working for a government agency or other company as a data analyst or project manager, which is why I chose my major, so the coursework for that will help me reach my career goals, as well.

I am involved in several student organizations on campus, and take leadership roles in a few of them. I am a member of and serve on the executive board of both Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority and the Meshuganotes a cappella choir.  I am also a member of Student Leadership Advocates, in which we learn about leadership and then facilitate leadership workshops for other student organizations on campus.  My involvement in these organizations, as well as being a Leadership Studies minor, has taught me a lot about what it means to be a leader. I have been able to learn leadership skills and concepts, and then put them into use as a leader in my organizations.  One of my goals is to be a leader in my adult life, both in a professional capacity and in my personal life, so learning these skills now is essential for me to reach that goal.

The service-oriented activities which I have been involved in have been mostly short-term. I participated in Buckeyethon, a dance marathon to raise money for Nationwide children’s hospital. I have also performed services with my a cappella choir by singing in nursing and assisted-living homes.  Most of the service I do, however, is through my sorority, Alpha Epsilon Phi. We have two philanthropies which we raise money for: Sharsheret (a foundation for breast cancer research and support) and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.  Throughout the year, we have several service events to raise money and awareness for these organizations.  I plan to continue to engage with the community by continuing to participate in these events as much as I can. I would also like to find a long-term service project to become a part of, but due to my busy schedule, I may have to wait until after graduation to pursue that goal.