Author: broughton.49

Year in Review

I occasionally find it hard to remember who I was before I started my life at Ohio State. It seems like it was so far away and I feel like I haven’t changed at all while still being a completely different person. As a high-strung high schooler, I was nervous about my transition to the adult world that is college. When I entered the STEM EE Scholars Program, I was trying to impress everyone around me and act like I was a pro at college. I had strong beliefs and I was not planning on trying new things or leaving my comfort zone. I was a very independent person and I strongly believed that I should be able to do everything by myself. Not far into my first year, I realized that I had a lot to learn and I would need to rely on the people around me more than I anticipated. I was fortunate enough to be placed on a floor with other STEM EE Scholars in my dorm, these people quickly became some of my closest friends. Within my first week of college, I was introduced to some of my roommate’s friends from high school and they are now two of my closest friends at Ohio State. Through all of the lab reports, football games, hall sports, and singing in the study room, I became a more dependent person.

As a young college student, I was very mature and I showed that in taking responsibility for my actions, making difficult decisions that would affect my future, and overcoming adversity in my life. There are a few major events that took place in my first year of college that affected me greatly and I saw myself change in a matter of weeks from these incidents; however, I think the more relevant change is the one that occurred gradually over two semesters. I cannot attribute who I am today to just my parents, friends, professors, or employers. They have all made me who I am today, which sounds slightly cliché, but I genuinely believe this. I have matured in a way that allows me to appreciate the diversity on campus and off campus. I have the STEM EE Scholars program to thank for this. With each event I attended, I was exposed to new people, new places, new fields of study, and new opportunities. I am more willing to accept the ideas and thoughts of my peers, and I am more eager to try new things.

Throughout my first year at Ohio State, I have done many things I never thought of doing and I am proud of myself for trying new things, such as: running a 5K, applying to study abroad, learning how to ice skate, trying to horseback ride, going snow skiing with friends, eating sushi, going caving and camping, going hiking, and attempting to rock wall climb. Going into almost all of these experiences, I was horrified. There were times where I wanted to sit on the sidelines and watch but I made myself try new things and I have not had a single regret. If there is one thing I have learned from my first year at Ohio State, it is this: the best way to learn is by doing. Specifically, gain experience by trying new things.

My growth as a person and a student are similar in many ways. They both revolve around my willingness to try new things and appreciate the diversity that I am surrounded by. I have learned to ask for help from my peers and professors, and I have recognized that I am not going to make it through college alone. I am very pleased with who I am at this point in my life and I am excited for the next year of college so I can see how I grow from here. Ohio State offers so much for all types of students and people, from organizations/clubs to events and activities. There are opportunities everywhere and the scholars program, as well as the university, does a great job of advertising them, making it easy to get involved. Joining the STEM EE Scholars Program at The Ohio State University has allowed me to get involved and expose myself to the diversity that runs through every part of the school. In my next year at school, I plan to focus more on getting involved in activities that will benefit me in my future career.

G.O.A.L.S.

 

The G.O.A.L.S. of the Honors and Scholars programs represent the five qualities that an honors or scholars student should strive to possess. They are all very different from each other, but together, they embody all areas of a strong student appropriately. It is imperative as an honors or scholars student that we consider all of the aspects of G.O.A.L.S. and try to include all of them in our academic and extra-curricular lives. I have found that global awareness and service engagement are most applicable to me, especially with my possible future career choices.

Global Awareness is described as developing an appreciation for diversity and the unique differences in others and there are many ways to include this in our lives as students. Some examples include taking a cultural course or language course, studying abroad, and getting involved in a cultural activity or club. I have found that it is extremely easy at Ohio State to fulfill this global awareness void as a student. There are so many opportunities to get involved on this campus and so many different courses offered over a wide range of languages and cultures. I began taking a language here at Ohio State my first semester as a first year. I enjoyed the class greatly and my professor encouraged me to study abroad since I have such a passion for cultural diversity and linguistics. I decided to apply for a May session study abroad in Mexico and I was accepted into the program. I am very excited to go abroad and experience the cultural differences and societal standards first-hand. I decided to attend Ohio State because of the large amount of diversity that exists on and off campus and I have not been disappointed. This school is so diverse in every way possible and the city of Columbus also consistently offers new experiences. I plan on doing everything I can to experience as much diversity as possible throughout my four years here.

Service Engagement is also important to me as a student and member of this community. I recognize the need for community service and I fully support doing everything in our power to make a difference in the lives of others. I believe service engagement is a two way road, it positively affects the volunteer and the beneficiary. I have been involved in service organizations for many years and I enjoy every minute of it. It is an amazing feeling to know you successfully left an impact on someone’s life. I have been fortunate enough to have those experiences when volunteering. Whether at the hospital or a local school, people notice when you try to leave a positive effect on a community. Through my scholars program, I am able to volunteer at a local grade school and work with the children in math and science. This is a great service opportunity because it allows the students to consistently work with me and become comfortable with me. I notice them starting to open up and talk to me as a mentor which is a great thing to experience.

Both global awareness and service engagement are going to be incorporated heavily in my future career. I ultimately wish to get my medical degree and travel abroad with Doctors Without Borders. This career path involves global awareness in the sense that I will be traveling across the world, experiencing different cultures, appreciating all of the diversity across the world. I will also be involved in service organizations and providing medical care to people who cannot afford it. This ties in nicely with Doctors without Borders because their goal is to service areas of the world that do not have access to healthcare.

My First Artifact

 

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I have selected a picture from my post-caving experience in Newport, VA from March 2016 as my first artifact. This picture represents many things in my life and it also reflects on the experiences I had that weekend. I have never been a huge fan of nature, partially because I have so many environmental allergies. However, when I received an email from an RA in Taylor Tower about registering to go caving and hiking for a weekend in Virginia, I oddly jumped at the opportunity. I was mentally prepared for the upcoming weekend until the trip leaders mentioned camping and spiders. For some reason, I mistakenly assumed we would be staying in a hotel and that there would not be a high concentration of spiders throughout the journey. Once I found out the details of the trip, I was tempted to back out and stay home instead but I ignored those temptations and packed my bag for the unforgettable weekend I was about to have. I survived the trip and I learned so much from the people I was surrounded by. This adventure represented personal triumphs in my life and letting myself be vulnerable. My strength, emotionally and physically, was tested from the slippery heights of a pitch black cave to the rushing waterfall at the end of the hike.

My personal goal from the trip was to step out of my comfort zone and try new things, and I would say with confidence that I reached this goal. My boundaries were pushed and many fears were overcome. I was also fortunate enough to meet some amazing people that I have continued to talk to after the trip. The group leaders were amazing and gave me moments of peace in the middle of nowhere, they allowed me to appreciate every piece of nature in the world. There were so many moments when I was able to see my peers work together to reach a common goal, or help each other in a moment of need. Everyone on the trip was at least a little scared but we all helped each other through the struggles we faced. I felt a great sense of camaraderie from the moment we left Taylor Tower to when we arrived back at the OAC. It was a truly amazing experience that changed my perspective and attitude greatly. This trip helped me grow tremendously and gave me the confidence to face any other fears I have in the future.

Top 5 Strengths

My top five strengths are analytical, discipline, maximizer, harmony and relator. These strengths do a good job of describing me as a person. I have always been a very determined and competitive person in all aspects of life. These strengths show how and why I am determined and also correctly assumes my feelings toward certain topics. Most of my strengths describe me well, in ways that I would have never thought of. The insight report put into words what I know about myself but could never say. When I discussed the strengths of my classmates, I learned that even though we may have had similar strengths, the insight could have been opposite.

My first strength is analytical and the insight report summarizes this strength for me as a logical person who spends time with factual matters and seldom acts in haste. This strength plays a role in my life and I am able to see it every day and from my past experiences. Especially throughout my academics, I see myself analyzing situations and assignments before tackling the task. An example of this is when the insight report identifies me as a businesslike individual. This is extremely representative of me, specifically when I was an athlete in high school. As a varsity volleyball team captain, I was the steady headed, focused leader on the team. I represented us as a whole in many situations and I was determined to have and keep a good reputation and record. In my life as a college student, I am able to see myself as an analytical student, planning my activities and courses in order to succeed. Being able to read about this strength gives me more confidence to work toward my end goal, to be a pediatrician. I plan on using this strength to stay ahead in school and focus on the factual affairs in life.

The second strength listed is discipline, which describes me well as a meticulous student when designing methods for managing common assignments. This strength goes well with my first, analytical, because of how straightforward I am with assignments and tasks in school. I try not to procrastinate with any coursework in college because I realize the possible consequences. This is very helpful in school because I am able to attack the easier assignments and finish them quickly, allowing me to focus on the difficult projects. This strength is also evident in the current events of my life. For example, when I was working in the hospital, I was able to efficiently complete clerical work because of my clear plan for work every day. I am going to use this strength in the future to stand out academically and in my work place. By imposing structure on my day, I ensure that every task is accomplished. Making lists and goals to be completed in a certain day helps me to focus on the imperative work and complete exactly what needs to be done.

My third strength is maximizer, which recognizes me as a person who takes advantage of my known talents and spends little time focused on my flaws. The insight report explains my strength as an individual that realizes how each individual’s interests, background, motivations and fears are different. I am able to appreciate my own strengths and also identify where I lack in talent. Furthermore, I recognize the talents of my peers and understand their ambitions which gives me insights into the type of experiences and support he or she needs to thrive. Knowing this strength allows me to identify and use my strengths and talents properly and also identify the strengths of others. With this skill, I can focus on the “big picture” and use the talents of everyone to achieve a common goal.

Harmony is my fourth strength and it is the only strength that I agree least with. I am a very straightforward and realistic person, as recognized in the insight report. However, I do not succeed in comforting others because of my natural drive to focus on the goal. I do well when putting things in perspective, which allows me to naturally search for plans, ideas, and techniques that have proved to be successful. I am a driven person and I am also able to keep a realistic and commonsensical style that allows me to make progress. This skill is relevant in the field I am pursuing because I can keep a mellow head that gives me the ability to think clearly when stressed and deal with the problems of others. This ties in with my analytical strength because I have a plan for dealing with any problems or conflicts.

My final strength is relator. This is the most realistic and evident strength that is used to describe me. I can see how this strength is used in every day of my life and how I apply it to many situations with my peers. I offer guidance to friends who seek my assistance and although I enjoy being helpful, I tend to avoid imposing my ideas on someone. I also feel most fulfilled when I am busy and focused on difficult tasks. This is very true in my life and I have recognized this since high school. My grades and commitments are always best when I am involved the most. In high school, even when I played two sports at once, I was so driven to keep my grades up, they ended up being the best of the year. I also adore being surrounded by bright, young minds and I want to help and invest in their knowledge and education. I have only started to notice this in college. For example, when I sit in the study room, I take time to recognize how I am surrounded by some of the smartest people I have met. It continues to amaze me because of the brain power that these students possess. This strength will help me in the future to recognize and appreciate the talents of others.

Welcome to my Honors & Scholars e-Portfolio

Welcome to my e-portfolio. My name is Megan Broughton and I am a first year studying Biology with a Pre-Med focus at Ohio State University. I am in the STEM Exploration and Engagement program and thrilled to be involved in such an active group of people. Many of my successes in life have followed failures and with every failure, a lesson is learned. My main career goal is to help people and my passion is medicine, therefore, I plan to specialize in pediatrics and travel to countries where my help is needed most. My competitive personality allows me to focus on the task at hand and finish it to the best of my ability. I look forward to furthering my studies and expanding my horizon at Ohio State. I know the opportunities are endless and I plan on taking advantage of as many of them as possible.

Resume

Resume

 

In my experience with the Scholars Program, specifically my experience with the leadership council, I have learned many transferable skills that will benefit me greatly in my future endeavors. One of the most important skills, in my opinion, is time management. Being able to prioritize certain things and finish them well before the deadline is important as a college student. I believe that if enough time is allowed to complete an assignment, then it should be completed to the best of one’s ability. There is no excuse for a poor performance. Time management is relevant in every other aspect in life as well. When working, volunteering, leading, learning, etc. it is important to dedicate time to a task and coworkers, peers, bosses will appreciate this. Another important skill I have learned while being in Scholars is being open to new ideas, people and activities. In college, there are so many different opportunities ready to be taken advantage of and some may seem a little far-fetched but college is more than an education, it is an experience and the different opportunities are what shape us. I have been much more open to different activities and more excited to meet new people this year and it has helped me to make connections all over the campus.

About Me

About me picture

My name is Megan Broughton and I am from Marietta, Ohio. Although I was born and raised in a small town, I have been exposed to the world around me through traveling, sports and school. I love adventure and jump at the idea of new experiences. I am attending The Ohio State University this fall as a Biology major with a Pre-Med focus. There are so many things to discover in the world of science and I want to take part in the discovery. When I think about my career interests and goals, my main focus is to help people. I take pride in my reputation as a student, employee and member of the community and I appreciate sincerity, honesty and dedication. During my final year at Marietta High School, I was fortunate enough to meet some of the most amazing people. I made friends out of strangers and mentors out of teachers. Then, after traveling to Europe and Jamaica over the summer, I experienced racial, ethnic and cultural diversity. It was an incredible sight to see the world on a larger scale. I also participated in the volunteering services at my high school and I was able to see my work change the lives of others. These events have shaped me into the person I am today. I plan on furthering my education at Ohio State by taking advantage of every opportunity that is presented.

My educational journey has been filled with life lessons and determination. Coming from a small town, it’s hard to meet new people, but I had the privilege of meeting many genuine people. My parents were not doctors, lawyers or anything special when I was growing up, but they did everything they could to make sure I was a well-rounded child. I was far from the smartest student in my graduating class; however, I was the most determined. After playing two varsity sports my freshman year, I realized my competitive side is an ally. With each classroom I entered on the first day of school came doubt. Doubt is my biggest enemy but my teachers and peers helped me to overcome this. Although our school did not offer many challenging classes or activities, the students were responsible for challenging themselves every day. My biology teacher, Mrs. Hall, always told our class to go above and beyond what is expected. The excitement and enthusiasm she brought to the classroom every day encouraged me to study biology.

STEM EE Scholars group seemed like the perfect fit for me because of how much I like to get involved. I knew STEM took part in multiple service and bonding activities, which is exactly what I was looking for. I joined every club possible at my high school and I played a leadership role in most. Some of these clubs were Key Club, Spanish Club, AFS, Model United Nations and Environmental Awareness Club.  Engagement and exploration was another factor in my decision. I considered myself an active explorer academically and culturally. I was always looking for new classes to take or clubs to join, but also new trips to go on and places to discover.

There is one specific moment that reassured my intentions of being in the medical field. My senior year of high school, I got involved with the volunteering services at the hospital in our community. I was placed with the central transporters and my responsibility was to transport patients to new rooms, scans or various tests. One day, I had to move a quiet, older man back to his room from a scan. He slept on the way there, so I did not anticipate any issues taking him back. Once I got him ready to go, I realized that something was wrong. I stopped moving his bed to ask if he was okay, he slowly pointed to his arm. I peeled of the blankets he was wrapped in for warmth to find his IV (intravenous fluids) twisted around his upper arm, slowly cutting off his circulation. Once I unraveled his IV, he smiled and took a deep breath. Although I did not do anything spectacular or outstanding, I made a difference. I was able to help him, which left me smiling. As I was about to leave his room, he grabbed my hand, shook it, and smiled. This was the point that I knew I wanted to work with people in the medical field.