Powerpoint slide listed above about my experience volunteering at The Friendship Circle.
A Year in Review
Since coming to OSU, I have grown to be a more independent person. I have also learned to be more efficient in my coursework and learn how to prepare well for my classes. My expectations about college were that the classes were going to be very large and it would be difficult to interact with professors. I expected HSS to be a great community with people who have the same interests as me. My expectations were correct that classes are very large here, but it is definitely possible to get to know professors through office hours. My expectations were also met about HSS because it is an amazing community and I have met many friends through it; I have also learned useful information about pre-health professional programs. My goals for my second year in HSS and at OSU include continuing to do well in school; also, I want to volunteer more and find an organization that I am very passionate about. I also want to apply to more leadership positions within clubs and other organizations.
Service
This year, I have volunteered at several events. In the beginning of first semester, I volunteered at the Garden of Hope with HSS, where we helped pick vegetables alongside cancer survivors; I volunteered here for about three hours. This semester, I participated in BuckeyeThon, which is a large student organization that raises money for the oncology department at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus and culminates in a dance marathon event, which is twelve hours. I also joined the sorority Alpha Epsilon Phi and our philanthropy event Phi Trotters was held recently. Phi Trotters is a basketball tournament held in the RPAC and the money raised from making teams is given to Sharsheret, which is a breast cancer organization; I volunteered here for about five hours. Lastly, I attended the HSS event in which we made paper flowers for athletes participating in Special Olympics Ohio; I volunteered here for about one hour.
My most memorable service experience was participating in BuckeyeThon. Throughout the dance marathon, I heard the stories of cancer survivors and also children who are currently suffering from cancer. I felt that the money I raised for the oncology department at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is truly making a difference in these children’s lives. Also, seeing a large amount of the Ohio State student body coming together for a great cause is truly an amazing experience. I gained leadership and understanding out of this experience.
Upperclassmen Interview
I interviewed Brittany Boltz, an upperclassman in HSS who is pursuing a pre-med career path. Brittany wants to be a pediatrician out of her love for helping children. In order to prepare for medical school, Brittany has shadowed other physicians and she has also volunteered at the Wexner Medical Center. Additionally, she did research at the Cleveland Clinic analyzing the health impact of access to more primary care physicians. She advised me to find something that I am passionate about, whether it be volunteering at an organization or joining a club because it makes you a more well-rounded individual and helps in writing the personal statement for medical school. Although I am not pre-med, passion is very important in any career and it is ultimately the driving force of deciding what career path to follow. Brittany is preparing herself for medical school by attaining good grades, making connections with others, and continuing to gain experience in the field through shadowing and volunteering.
In my second year, I interviewed a third-year pre-dental student at Ohio State. Next year, I will be studying for the DAT and I was wondering how I should prepare for the exam. He told me that the Kaplan DAT book is a great resource to study for the exam. Also, he recommended that I should start studying early and divide the studying time equally among all the subjects so that it is not overwhelming. Also, he recommended that I should start shadowing early because you need 40 hours of shadowing a general dentist before you apply to dental school. I am doing research at the College of Dentistry this summer and I am hoping to volunteer and shadow during my free time in the summer as well. I also asked him about my schedule and what classes I should be taking before the DAT. He informed me that it would be a good idea to take biochemistry, anatomy, physiology, and microbiology before taking the DAT because those topics will be on the test; he said that physics isn’t on the DAT so I could wait to take that senior year, which is what I am planning to do. This interview was very helpful and it answered many of my questions.
Final Strategic Life Plan
As I began my journey at Ohio State as a public health major, I felt overwhelmed because I didn’t know if I chose the most interesting major; additionally, I didn’t have a solidified career plan either. After completing the “Vision for Life” and “Finding your Focus” assignments, I developed a clearer understanding of my strengths, weaknesses, passions, and possible career interests. Through these modules and my global public health course, I understood that I chose the correct major because I enjoy developing innovations to help others by solving global health problems. I also attended the Majors Fair, which allowed me to explore other majors as well; I found neuroscience to be an interesting major as a “Plan B” for my undergraduate studies. At this moment, I am considering dentistry as a career but I would like to explore other career options throughout my time at Ohio State. One of the campus resources that is useful for exploring careers is my academic advisors at the College of Public Health; they are knowledgeable about various careers that other students have pursued related to public health, including health professional schools. Through the health and wellness module, I developed a plan to stay healthy while balancing academic, extracurricular, and social commitments; this included striving to be efficient with school work to create time for exercising and spending time with friends. I expect that I will experience obstacles throughout my journey at Ohio State. I hope that in the future I will continue to work diligently in order to overcome those obstacles and learn from my mistakes. Fortunately, faculty members, upperclassmen, and university staff members serve as resources to help students succeed. Throughout my journey to discover my passion, I will strive to stay hungry and stay foolish.
Garden of Hope
“This is Public Health” sticker campaign
Family vacation photo in California
About Me in a buckeye nutshell
My name is Kayla Bernstein and I am from Toledo, OH. I graduated from Southview high school this past June and I am incredibly excited to start school as a freshman at Ohio State this fall! I am a member of the Health Sciences scholars program and I am also a Morrill scholar. During high school, I participated in Science Olympiad, student government, National Honor Society, and other extracurricular activities. I also played varsity tennis and I am planning to play intramural at Ohio State. Additionally, I enjoy playing the piano and volunteering. As a student, I love working together because many minds are better than one and it brings out the creativity in all of us.
One of my most meaningful experiences in high school was participating in a summer trip called Impact Boston. During this program, participants volunteer at an organization in Boston and strive to make an impact on others who are seeking help or other services. I volunteered at an organization called Jewish Vocational Services (JVS); their goal is to teach refugees the English language in order to help them find jobs and support their families. This was a very meaningful experience for me because I felt that I was making a positive impact on their lives and helping the refugees achieve success. Their determination to learn the English language has also inspired me to continue working hard to achieve my goals. Another impactful experience from high school was serving as a captain of the varsity tennis team. As a captain, my teammates looked to me for guidance and I became a leader who prioritized working together to achieve our collective goals.
My favorite academic area is science, especially chemistry, and I love to solve problems. I am majoring in Environmental Public Health and I am interested in learning about the health field on a global perspective. My academic goals at Ohio State include pursuing my interests and investigating how the material learned in class applies to the real world. At this point, I am not exactly sure of my career but I have been exploring different fields and will continue to do so in college. I am interested in the health sciences, which is why I chose to be in the Health Sciences Scholars program at OSU. I have observed dentists and oral surgeons this past summer and I have developed some interest in the field. I enjoy the precision and creativity involved in dental surgery and it seems to coincide with my love of problem solving. Additionally, the technology and other tools that are used are quite fascinating. I have also explored the option of working for a biotechnology company and developing medication to be used in the health fields. Over the next couple of years, I will enjoy my academic journey and explore the many opportunities that Ohio State has to offer. Regardless of the field I choose to pursue, my passion is to help others and make an impact on one person at a time.
Welcome to my Honors & Scholars e-Portfolio
[The Home Page will show a running blog of your recent posts, which are categorized and show on that category’s page. Please delete this post or edit with your own information.]
Year in Review
[ “Year in Review” is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student. You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year. For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]
G.O.A.L.S.
[ “G.O.A.L.S.” is a place where students write about how their planned, current, and future activities may fit into the Honors & Scholars G.O.A.L.S.: Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement. For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.
Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences. For example, consider course work, study abroad, involvement in cultural organizations or activities, etc .
Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community. For example, consider research, creative productions or performances, advanced course work, etc.
Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom.
Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society.
Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community.]
Career
[“Career” is where you can collect information about your experiences and skills that will apply to your future career. Like your resume, this is information that will evolve over time and should be continually updated. For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]