Global Awareness:
During the past two years at The Ohio State University, I have been exposed to people from many different walks of life in small ways, including clubs and coursework. Since my first semester of my freshman year I have been involved in The Boo Radley Society—an organization that inspires others to do random acts of kindness around campus. While the group is not directly diversity oriented, the community encourages a sense of inclusion among its members and draws in people from many different backgrounds. I’ve been incredibly grateful to meet kind, accepting individuals who have exposed me to different cultures and beliefs and also inspired me to become a better global citizen.
I have also recently taken my second year English course which served as a GE for cultural diversity. Not only does the course’s subject encourage me to approach issues from other perspectives that I might not have previously considered, but the diversity of students in the course has shed light on issues faced by different groups of people. Due to the class’s online format, it has allowed for students from different circumstances to discuss topics pertaining to diversity. Specifically I recall a discussion about nationalism in sports television. I had never thought much about where I stood regarding singing the national anthem at sporting events until talking with classmates who come from immigrant families or who have different religious beliefs from my own. Hearing their stories made me realize how I often ignore issues that don’t affect myself. In order to be a better global citizen in the future, I plan on better informing myself on all issues even when they don’t impact me and looking at these issues from the perspective of people who are affected by these issues. It’s my responsibility as a global citizen to make this effort to support and celebrate the diversity of others.
In order to continue working towards a better sense of global awareness, I am taking a study abroad trip this summer to Trondheim, Norway where I will be studying biomedical laboratory science. I will live for one month in the Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s residence halls with other Norwegian and transfer students. During the trip, I will be exposed to a completely different culture from my own and develop a greater understanding for what it’s like to be in a foreign place. Statistically, I have always been a part of the majority; this experience will show me what it’s like to be a minority. This experience will push me out of my comfort zone and give me a greater understanding of what is necessary to be a good global citizen. I look forward to trying new foods and celebrating different holiday’s during my time abroad and truly expanding my horizons.
Original Inquiry:
During my first year at Ohio State, I was exposed to many coursework that exposed me to the research process. Being a molecular genetics major, much of my coursework includes a lab. In both Biology 1113H and Biology 1114H, the lab portion included the opportunity to for students to complete different small-scale research projects throughout the course. In Biology 1113H, the project focused on how scientific research has direct impact on the well-being of others. We toured Dr. Byrd’s cancer research lab on campus. This lab is funded by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) in order to find new ways of effectively treating different blood cancers. We the also volunteered at an LLS Light the Night event, which is a walk to raise money for additional resources and for families impacted by blood cancer. Our experience touring the lab and interacting with affected families culminated in a poster project that we presented to our peers, giving me my first taste of a formal poster presentation session.
In Biology 1114H, we did more of a scientific research project that focused on endophytes, or fungus that grows within plants and usually provides some benefit to the host plant. We had the opportunity to ask any question to endophytes that we wanted and choose appropriate plans to answer this question, giving us experience in designing a study. My group specifically studied how the physical morphology/structures of the plants impacted the endophyte composition of plants. We took two ferns that differed in physical appearance (one with large, waxy leaves and one with more tree-like appearance) and cultured the endophytes, doing different test to classify the types of endophytes in each plant. It was a great way to experience a full research project all the way from coming up with a hypothesis to writing a paper on the results.
Knowing that I want a career involving research, I joined a research lab on OSU’s medical campus at the beginning of my sophomore year. My lab studies how stress affects the health of mothers and their offspring during pregnancy, using a mouse model to conduct studies. For my first semester in the lab, I familiarized myself with the laboratory work setting and got comfortable doing routine tasks around the lab such as RNA extractions, taking images of fetal samples, and doing behavioral testing. I aided in any task that graduate students needed. During my final semester of my sophomore year, I have been able to get myself involved in a specific project in the lab. I am working with a graduate student to get a new project off the ground that investigates how antibiotic mice are impacted by stress compared to control mice. Through this study we aim to determine the role the microbiome plays in mediating the effects of stress. I’ve been incredibly excited to be part of a project that inspires my curiosity and prepares me for a future career in science. I plan on continuing research work outside of my classes to continue integrating original inquiry into my undergraduate career.
Academic Enrichment:
The honors program at Ohio State has introduced me to challenging, interesting coursework that I may not have experienced otherwise. Inside the classroom, I have been challenged to better my understanding of biology and conduct individual research projects in courses such as Biology 1113H and Biology 1114H. This courses provided a strong foundation for my continued education in the field of genetics. In Sociology 1101H, I was challenged to think critically about issues pertaining to different groups of people, the structure of our society, and how this structure impacts how we behave. It was a class that dreaded taking initially, but the passion of Dr. Douglas Downey was inspiring and has left me with deep interest in sociology. Although the course challenged me to think critically in ways I hadn’t done before, it was a great learning experience that I embraced, finding issues within sociology that I became passionate about.
The honors contract has helped me to organize my coursework and led me to research courses at OSU that I may not have previously known existed. By preparing a plan for the rest of my undergraduate education, I can prepare a curriculum for myself that will best develop the skills I need for the working world. While I am still determining that exact direction my career will take me, I know that my career will pertain to the life sciences. I have found a passion in genetics that I will continue to pursue through my major in Molecular Genetics. In order to explore different fields throughout my time at OSU, I have made a plan that allows me to explore and prepare for many different fields. I am choosing GE courses that are necessary for many pre-professional programs and I am taking a minor in forensic science to explore interests in this area. While exploring my options, I have committed myself to take coursework that challenges me within my major and in my honors GE choices such as Biology 1113H, Biology 1114H, and Sociology 1101H. Throughout this journey, I continue to hold myself to high academic standards that align with the honors college at OSU by achieving the Dean’s list each semester I have been at the university. I hope to continue challenging myself while aiming for academic excellence.
Leadership Development:
While I have made an effort to be involved on campus, I haven’t had the opportunity to become officially involved in many leadership opportunities on campus. Currently, I am a general chemistry mentor for Dr. Stoltzfus’s general chemistry 1210 course. This has been an excellent opportunity to foster some leadership skills by providing advice to incoming freshmen on how to do well in challenging college coursework. It has been an enriching experience actively engaging with other students and helping them during a challenging time. This experience has been my first taste of an official leadership position. In the future, I plan on seeking out leadership opportunities in the future.
Specifically, I am involved in an OSU organization called The Boo Radley Society that spreads random acts of kindness around campus. I have been involved with the club since my first semester at the university and am prepared to invest even more of myself into the club. They have truly become my family, and I’m excited to give back to the organization in any way I can. Next semester, I will apply to be a captain. These individuals help plan events across campus for the club and work with club executives to fund and advertise these events. In addition to this, I plan on becoming a mentor for new members of the club. I have loved being a mentor for others and wish to do it for this club as well. I want to be a support system like all of my previous mentors have supported me. After becoming a captain, I hope to apply to be an executive during my senior year to truly act as a leader.
No matter the career path I choose, leadership will be critical to my success. Whether it’s working in a research lab or in the medical field, I will need to be an independent worker that can be depended upon by others. I hope to one day serve as a mentor and a leader in my field of choice. Gaining these experiences now will prepare me for this future.
Service Engagement:
I have been involved in many short-term volunteering experiences during my time at OSU. In the future I hope to direct my time to more long-term projects I am passionate about in order to be as socially beneficial to the community as possible. During my past two years at the university I have participated in Buckeyethon by raising money to end childhood cancer. This past summer I also did hospice volunteering near my house in Cincinnati. This was an especially emotional, and life-changing experience. I had the wonderful opportunity to meet with an Alzheimer’s patient and provide emotional support to her during her final days. I would meet with her weekly to sit with her, read the bible, and play music for her. While she was often unaware of her surroundings, her family was comforted knowing that someone was there with her when they could not be. The experience truly opened my eyes to the importance of quality end of life care that goes beyond easing pain—care that includes personal connection.
I have also volunteered at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s light the night walk that raises awareness and funds for blood cancer through my Biology 1114H. While this was and single event, I was touched by the support that families affected by blood cancer have for one another. During the past year, I have raised money for and personally donated to the foundation. I plan on continuing to do so in order to engage in a cause that I find important.
In the future I hope to engage in suicide hotline volunteering. Having had many issues with my own mental health in the past, I want to provide support to others who are going through similar struggles. I plan on applying to a crisis center during fall semester of my junior year. In the meantime, I am signed up for OSU’s REACH training program which informs individuals on how to prevent suicide. While I do not have the time in my schedule now, I will prepare in small ways to be more active in preventing suicide in our community.