Reflection on the G.O.A.L.S.

Global Awareness- Over the past two years, I have pursued coursework that has greatly expanded my global awareness.  For example, last year, I took Honors Mythology, in which we learned about the religious and cultural beliefs of many different cultures and how those beliefs have shaped society.  In the future, I plan to enroll in more of such courses to enrich my global awareness, and I hope to study abroad in order to gain a new level of global awareness firsthand.

Original Inquiry-  I have used my coursework throughout the past two years to pursue many routes of original inquiry, such as through class projects and research papers.  For example, I recently concluded a research study in which I interviewed students on campus in order to gain a better understanding of the struggles faced by Ohio State’s LGBTQ+ community.  Before I graduate, I plan to pursue research opportunities in my field of study, allowing me to better understand my field through hands-on experience and learning.

Academic Enrichment- This year was a very big year for me, academically– I changed my major to physics, and my new classes have been both challenging and fulfilling.  I hope to use this major in physics to pursue original research opportunities and to eventually attend graduate school in physics, and the academically enriching curriculum that I have outlined in my Honors Contract, from taking many more upper-division classes than required to pursuing as many honors/higher-level general education classes as possible, will be an integral part of that journey to post-undergraduate life.

Leadership Development- During this academic year, I became involved in Undergraduate Student Government.  For most of the year, I was a part of the Sustainability Committee which promoted environmentally-friendly projects and policies on campus.  Near the end of the year, I was elected as the Senator for Natural and Mathematical Sciences in USG General Assembly, a great honor that I look forward to taking part in throughout the upcoming year.

Service Engagement- As mentioned above, I was heavily involved in USG this year, and I pursued many avenues of service engagement through that organization.  For example, Sustainability Committee put on many service-oriented events to promote environmentally-friendly policies.  And, through General Assembly, I have already been a part of the passage of numerous resolutions regarding student wellbeing, including a resolution calling on the university to better its mental health programs.  I intend to remain involved both in USG Cabinet and GA throughout next year in order to continue serving my community through student government, and I hope to join more organizations involved with my major so that I can better engage with my peers in my field of study.

 

How I Plan to Achieve My G.O.A.L.S.

 

Global Awareness- In order to become a more globally aware citizen, I will pursue activities both in and out of the classroom that expose me to a variety of cultures and ethnicities.  For example, I will pursue an academic curriculum that includes classes that cover a wide range of global issues.  In addition to taking the required Global Studies GE courses, I will take Political Science courses pertaining to International Relations, allowing me to take globally diverse courses within my major curriculum.  Furthermore, I will participate in extracurricular clubs and activities that both teach and allow me to contribute to a more diverse, global society.  Finally, I plan to pursue study abroad programs through the Department of Political Science, giving me real-world exposure to global culture that will be applicable in both my studies and my future career.

 

Original Inquiry- At some point in my college career, I plan to pursue my own research as a form of original inquiry.  However, before I can do that, I understand that I must prepare myself for the work that that will entail.  For example, I plan to take a challenging honors-level curriculum in political science, exposing me to a wide variety of in-depth political science and sociological topics that could warrant further investigation through my research.  Furthermore, I am currently preparing for a potential research project through my Political Science 4597.02H course, in which we have been tasked to design a social science research project to investigate a specific aspect of illicit markets and organized crime.  For my investigation, I plan to research the effects of LGBT social and legal acceptance on the frequency and characteristics of LGBT human sex trafficking, and the research skills that I have learned through preparation for this proposed research have been invaluable.  I plan to use these skills that I am currently learning, in conjunction with challenging courses that I will take in the future, to perform original, meaningful inquiry and research throughout my college career.

 

Academic Enrichment- I will use my Academic Plan and future Honors Contract to plan a challenging, yet intriguing, course of study in my major, political science.  I chose to study political science, loosely defined as the study of leadership, because I have seen throughout my life the influence that strong leaders can have on a society.  By studying political science, particularly with my specialization in inequality and justice, I hope to understand and contribute to better leaders and, thus, a better society.  Furthermore, I believe that I have complimented my political science major with a great variety of challenging general education topics, allowing me to contribute to my political science studies from a wide range of viewpoints.  For example, I plan to pursue Honors courses in all areas from Entomology to Art Education, allowing me to gain an in-depth understanding of the world from many directions, a vital characteristic of any democratic leader.

 

Leadership Development- Throughout my college career, I plan to pursue many different leadership opportunities that will both prepare me for real-world leadership experiences and, more importantly, contribute to a better community.  For example, I am the Vice President of Reaching Out for Animal Rights at OSU, a student organization that teaches people how to better care for animals in our society, and I have already learned an incredible amount regarding what it means to lead a collegiate club.  For example, I’ve already been involved in budgeting, organization, and event planning, all while contributing to a more informed, compassionate society.  In the future, I plan to pursue leadership roles within more student organizations, and I intend to participate in a political science internship at some point during my college career.  By doing so, I hope to gain real-world experience in leadership while contributing to the significant betterment of my community.

 

Service Engagement- I believe that service is an extremely valuable aspect of any education, and, thus, I intend to pursue many different service engagement opportunities throughout my college career.  For example, this year, in cooperation with the OSU College Democrats and the Hillary for America campaign, I helped to register thousands of students to vote in this year’s election.  I plan to engage in many more service opportunities over the next four years, especially those related to education in and around Columbus, as I believe that better education can be beneficial to a community in countless ways.  Finally, I hope to pursue meaningful, original research in political science during my collegiate career, in the hopes that the results of this research may be applied to make my community, and society as a whole, a better place.

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.]

Artifacts

[Artifacts are the items you consider to be representative of your academic interests and achievements. For each entry, include both an artifact and a detailed annotation.  An annotation is a reflective description of the artifact that attempts to communicate its significance.  For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

About Me

[Your “About Me” is an introduction and should provide insight into who you are as a person and a learner.  This should include a picture of you that is appropriate in a professional/academic context. This information should be continually updated.  For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio.  Delete these instructions and add your own post.]