Building a Legacy: Mount Legacy Week (Artifact #2)

The Mount Leadership Society prides itself in educating and amplifying the scholars to be a leader, commit to service, and act for social change. As the motto “Together for Good” bonds each of us to our history, another prominent “coming of age” experience binds the past twenty years together: Mount Legacy Week or MLW. The logistics behind MLW is for first-year Mount scholars to design and implement two team projects based on a social change theme between health, poverty, education, abuse, education, or global with a partnering agency. The planning for projects begins in early November and concludes in late February, occurring during a three-week period. Mount Legacy Week’s purpose is to honor Ruth Weimer Mount, the first dean of students at Ohio State, for her active role in the Buckeye and Columbus community and thus I was proud to be a Lead Builder for Team Education for the 2019-2020 school year.

My oversight project partnered with After School All-Stars, a local education agency providing afterschool tutoring and enrichment for students in the Columbus City Schools district. Coming from Akron Public Schools and hosting a background with elementary student engagement, this project became personal as students deserve the right to development opportunities beyond state curricula and classroom antics. The project was titled All-Star Leadership Workshop aimed to connect leadership concepts to students’ framework interactive activities including reading, team building, and followership. As a result, sixty (60) K-5th grade students were impacted within a two-hour time frame of a team of 8 people serving alongside the agency’s amazing staff and volunteers.

Overall, Mount Legacy Week provided immense learning opportunities for me to develop as my leadership abilities were tested and my commitment was assured. As one of first leadership roles in my collegiate life, I had struck a balance between my knowledge and experience with those surrounding me to find comfort in the process altogether. Operating on a team full of personalities and varying ambitions is often a struggle to unite and, as a first-year, pushed me to reconsider how I approach a meeting to maximize team engagement. I realized my strengths of strategy and traits of conviction were my salient proponents while realizing that being vulnerable and “dare to ask” would be my personal upliftment in times of trial. Therefore, I recognize why this event is a hallmark of the Mount experience and why it can be a powerful model to learning personal leadership abilities as we all become stronger in our commitment to community change and social change initiatives.

Career

Overview of Education & Career Interests

Major: Business Administration

Specialization: Marketing

Minors: Engineering Sciences & Leadership Studies

Industries Interested: STEM Fortune 500 Firms or Content Creation Spaces

Interested Roles: Corporate Sustainability Reports, Event & Conference Manager, Equity & Inclusion Work

 

Professional Internship Experience

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Global Headquarters | Akron, Ohio

Environmental, Health, and Safety Intern | June 2019 – July 2019

  • Researched bioremediation practices for waste sites 
  • in line with corporate responsibility.
  • Networked with C-Suite and Senior Leadership in professional development.
  • Managed safety database sheets, electronic e-waste, and EHS database system.

Cosmos Technologies Incorporated | Akron, Ohio

Research Intern | June 2018 – July 2019

  • Researched government-sponsored small business grants for product development.
  • Gathered information on company branding in media websites.

 

Leadership Experience

Mount Leadership Society | Columbus, Ohio

Scholars; Leadership and Social Change Committee Co-Chair | May 2019 – present

  • Established the Leadership & Social Change Committee leading 15+ members in 7-9 events focused on leadership training, cultural competency, and student empowerment.
  • Served on Leadership Training Committee teaching 80+ students’ leadership, planning event for 100+ attendants, and supporting the faculty, staff, and student “LeaderMeals” for 150+ scholars.

The Lebron James Family Foundation | Akron, Ohio

330 Ambassadorship | June 2016 – June 2019

  • Served on 3 All-Star Service Trips: (2017) Served 12+ hrs in New Orleans, LA building a house and then disaster recovery efforts; (2018) Planted 50+ trees in California forests; (2019) Empowered with 200+ students in Charlotte, NC on education and gave new shoes.
  • Aided operations in 25+ LJFF-sponsored events ranging from 250+ attendants for the I Promise Network’s “Hometown Hall” events to the 1,000+ first day of school at the I Promise School event.

 

Featured Project

Inclusive Leadership Series #1: Policing and Black Rights in America: 

Managed designing an event hosting a keynote speaker and four structured workshop activities for ~150 Mount scholar students. Focuses on subjects of police brutality, Black Lives Matter movement, and white supremacy within the United States. Messaging of personal reflection and how the past, present, and future plays a role in systemic racism. Work included marketing and motivation plans, script and logistics writings, and training facilitators to host topically difficult conversations.

 

 

 

 

G.O.A.L.S.

Global Awareness

  • Chair of the Leadership and Social Change Committee within Mount Scholars promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the community and related social change topics.
  • Enrolled in ESHESA 2577: Diversity and Social Justice Leadership.
  • Planning to complete the Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement Certificant through the Multicultural Centerr for the 2020-2021 school year.

Original Inquiry

  • Experienced in environmental sustainability topics: water quality, food insecurity, U.S. environmental policy, invasive specicies, tree management, habitat remediation, and corporate responsibility reports.
  • Researched multiculturism in advertising and plan to continue investigating problems and solutions within my major, marketing, in representation and social identities.
  • Investigating how education and human resource models contirnute to effective team building activities in context with design thinking principles.

Academic Enrichment

  • Enrolled in variety of course electives meant to apply in career and community work in addition to major requirements. Current in DESIGN 3105: Introduction to Design Thinking. Planning to take Engineering Capstone, additional leadership courses, and human resource curricula.
  • Planning to study abroad through Fisher College of Business’s Office of Global Engagement 1-2 times prior to graduation through their programming.
  • Interned at the Goodyear Global Headquarters in Akron, Ohio. Hoping to intern for large corporations focus on technology related to my field of study prior to graduation.

Leadership Development

  • Beyond involvement in Mount scholars, holding leadership positions in the Undergraduate Student Government, Hall/Community Councils, and the Morrill Scholarship Program. In addition to being involved in Ohio Union Activities Board and roles within the organization.
  • Hoping to minor in Leadership Studies to compliment my academic enrichment.
  • Within Mount scholars, involved in many aspects: planning for Launch Week, Mount Legacy Week team lead for Team Education, member of Leadership Training Communitee, starting and promoting new initiatives, and now chair of LSCC.

Service Engagement

  • Year of Service focused on education. Currently plan STEM Engagement lessons for 5th grade classroom virtually focused on concepts, creativity, and hands-on activities weekly to inspire students not to push them into the STEM fields, but to connect 21st-century skills to apply in their own aspirations.
  • Aspire to hold a career in corporate phailathropy and community engagement to support the organizations and resources elevating families across local communities.

Year in Review

Over the past year, Mount Leadership Society scholars gave me my collegiate start to recognizing issues facing the Columbus community and tools to evaluate, organize, and lead on Ohio State’s campus. Transitioning into Ohio State, Mount provided me a safe space to culminate my ideas and find friendships with my newfound community. From engineering work sessions to late night volleyball games, my time living in Bowen House was always felt like home. Thus, heading into second semester with an academic major change and heightened responsibilities within Mount propelled me into a world of busyness, but great reward.

  • The Seminar class was a happy escape on Tuesday afternoons to a world of learning self-awareness, purpose in action, and how social change intersects with higher education. I often recount times in-class because the lessons taught were not academic-based but experiential-based that showcased how leadership is multi-faceted and not a singular definition, especially within the Social Change model.
  • Through the Leadership Training Committee, I explored many routes to not only designing and implementing educational and enrichment programming, but also learned how to foster a friendly and productive team culture. Knowing I contributed to teaching 100+ scholars leadership material and designing programming for a collective 300+ attendants is thought-provoking. I remember attending three LeaderMeals put on from LTC meeting with Kellie Ulrig (Student Life), Dr. Qiana Smith (Residence Life), and Dr. Amy Barnes (High Education & Student Affairs), three powerful leaders who not only showcased how the university supports student success, but also how innovation and inclusion are necessary components for expanding higher education and beyond.
  • I loved Mount Legacy Week because it was a chance to critically think through a project focused on my favorite subject: education. Being a lead builder for Team Education, I learned ways to manage a team while keeping accountable the impact we were committing. Ultimately, going into Broadleigh Elementary School working with 60+ kids from K-5th grade about leadership development was insightful because it marked how college students can create real change in the community and the lessons all, not just young, can learn further about.
  • Now, ending the year off with the Mount Washington D.C. trip to explore public policy and meet public servants was a wonderful capstone experience of my year in Mount. I share many wonderful memories with my fellow Mounties for I was entering into a world quite foreign to me. To highlight one memory specifically was meeting Congressman Steve Stivers and his entire D.C. office staff. Learning the different roles that each member contributes the overall mission of supporting constituents was heart-warming because I understood how I could communicate, develop, and advocate for policy that supports the student success and development.

Mount gave me many opportunities to learn leadership and apply it in dialogues and programming, but what does my 2nd-year look like? I am proud to serve as one of the first Leadership and Social Change Committee (LSCC) chairs in 2020-2021 school year. Through this position, I am excited to promote the cross-collaboration between social justice and leadership with the Mount community and continue to support student success as a mentor to first year students. In addition, I am excited to take ESHESA 2571S and serve my community in during the “Year of Service”, hopefully in the world of youth development.  I am very fortunate to be a scholar student and Mount has provided the gateway to exemplify the core values of scholars in myself and on the Ohio State University campus.

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Next Level of Networking (Artifact #1)

Networking has become an essential component of my collegiate lifestyle. Everyday there is always an opportunity to listen and speak, inquire and solve, and implement and reflect because everyone has a unique story to share that transforms my perspective. Therefore, socializing is not only an enjoyable activity, but a chance to personally and professional develop through expanding my ideology across many personalities. Before coming to Ohio State, I felt comfortable networking and presenting content to inquiring minds; however, coming to Ohio State and joining Mount has transformed this enlighteningly pastime of being a social butterfly to pursuing a career focused on nurturing relationships while engaging in strategic partnerships to embrace a powerful collaborative dynamic.

During my Mount career, the opportunity to share a meal through “LeaderMeals” with faculty and staff made me passionate about networking. The ability to attend three meals is unheard of, but the ability to form relationships with the chief of staff, HESA professor, and interim director of residence life is truly significant. Not only for their connections and hierarchical power, but the knowledge and passion they can share that led them to their positions inspires chasing minds to look further. In addition, listening to them discuss being purposeful to commitment, understanding the balance of creativity in education, and how inclusivity goes beyond representation is valuable for when I need to incorporate these fundamentals into my own life.

As I navigate understanding my position within the STEM industry, I realized communications is my key trait that will lead me to be successful and ultimately happy. Connecting the guests’ words to my meories,  connecting with my peers to learn their dreams, and ultimately sharing this newfound knowledge to empower others and myself showcases this work others may find nervous is my strong suit that I prosper within. Although I must continue studying the analytics, technical knowledge, and problem-solving with my degree path, coming to Ohio State made me appreciate networking to a new level because it does not only build a profile, but it also provides the support resources and mentors necessary to strive in a dynamic, collaborative society.

Best Wishes,

Aaron Brown.7308

About Me

          My name is Aaron Brown, a first-year student at the Ohio State University – main campus. Residing from the urban landscape of Akron, Ohio – graduating from the National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM High School – tOSU is an opportunity to network with professionals while gaining an appreciation for local, national, and global citizenship. I am titled pursuing a B.S. in Biology on a pre-medicine track; but, currently transitioning to a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering with a pre-medicine track. Thankfully, I am a member of the Mount Leadership Society Scholars (a leadership and community service scholars program) and a Morrill Scholar through the Office of Diversity and Inclusion as an ambassador (engaged with the Recruitment & Looking Forward committee). Outside of class, I love relaxing with peers, volunteering, and watching YouTube. I love being at tOSU for the professional and personal development opportunities available that challenges my comfort zones and empowers me to pursue my own passions. 

          I am transitioning to biomedical engineering for a multitude of reasons regarding career pathways and personal objectives. Biomedical engineering challenges learners to develop an analytical, rationale perspective to everyday problem-solving and decision making. These skills, along with identifying the design processes utilized in product development, will make me more marketable across the industry and business. Nevertheless, I chose this major not only for the professionalism, but also the personal enjoyment and societal reward. I want to design biotechnology reducing human health risks in fields such as cardiology, neurology, respiratory, and bones/muscles using regenerative medicine or nano–sensors. Growing up, I understood the effects health tolls have on family dynamics and adverse changes to patients’ lifestyles for unforeseen disasters. Therefore, to craft solutions for families, while closing the socioeconomical disparities accessing quality healthcare tools, truly makes me passionate in my studies and motivates me to strive further. 

          Upon completion of high school, I accomplished a variety of leadership, professional, and community service opportunities that built my character. Serving for the LeBron James Family Foundation as a 330 ambassador ignited my passion for educational innovation and crafted an identity of positivity and social accountability. Interning for Goodyear Global HQ for the EHS&S organization provided self-branding tools and career resources for me to utilize to maximize my collegiate studies. In addition, engaging in activities in Akron Public Schools, my alma mater district, to push forward the educational advancements as an ambassador and leader sparked my dedication towards networking and learning of innovative systems. Overall, I committed hours upon redefining and improving my capabilities so I may become a “game-changer” in social issues, impacting those who desire a progressive, welcoming community. 

          Moving forward, I hope to develop my leadership style to practice executions of operations while expanding my technical knowledge to underlay my abilities. I am very excited to enjoy every moment that the Ohio State University has to offer and connect with my fellow young professionals!  

Signed,

Aaron Brown

brown.7308@osu.edu