At a place like Ohio State, global awareness is of the utmost importance because there are students and faculty here from around the globe. No matter where you go, there is always a person from a different area of the world, and I am extremely grateful that Ohio State has given me the opportunity to meet people of a wide variety of different backgrounds. Currently, my second major in Spanish, which has definitely created global awareness within me. This semester, my grammar teacher is from Puerto Rico and my composition teacher is from Spain. To even get a glimpse of what life is like in another country from them is remarkable. Also, this summer I hope to study abroad in Spain. This experience will definitely allow me to be more globally aware, as I will be immersed in another culture. It is easy, in a Spanish major, to get lost in a language and not care about the places where the language is spoken, but I hope that the study abroad trip allows me to learn about the experiences of others in their native language.

While Spanish allows me to have an increased global awareness, I believe that my other major, psychology, allows me to create original inquiry and question why people do the things they do, and by what mechanisms they do them. The social psychology class I am taking this semester is the most applicable psychology class I have taken here and has really caused me to ponder about society and how detrimental we can be towards others. One social psychology term, stereotype threat, has very real-world implications. The theory states that if people hear a stereotype about a group to which they belong, they will be nervous to perpetuate the stereotype, and they will do worse because of it. This has great implications for race relations in America. There has been research concerning standardized tests and it was revealed that African-Americans do worse when they self-report their race before taking an exam. This has caused me to truly ponder about how lucky I have it as a white male. Further, I would like to examine at what age children are faced with this stereotype and how to combat it. My major and time at Ohio State have really caused me to think about what I can do to better the world, from a psychological aspect. It would be interesting to examine if giving children pamphlets to boost self-esteem, giving people diversity training, and teaching children to respect other children would cause stereotype threat to be reduced.

Personally, I believe that I am a person who is dedicated and will continue to be dedicated to academic enrichment. Going into my senior year of high school, I thought that I wanted to be an educator, until I took an AP Psychology class. This class married my desire of wanting to learn about the ways that people interact and think and my desire to help people. I originally thought that I wanted to minor in Spanish, but I fell in love with Spanish at the university level. My teachers have been phenomenal and I have been able to learn about the culture and the Latino and Spanish experience in the United States. My favorite class in Spanish has been a grammar class, and it has sparked my interest in learning about grammatical constructs and how English and Spanish differ. My Spanish classes have challenged me greatly, as I have to learn about a topic in a language other than my native one. Also, my psychology classes have pushed me. In particular, my cognitive neuroscience class has been difficult. I do not have a great interest in the structure of the brain, but this class has allowed me to think in a different way and focus on what anatomy of the brain directly affects how people act. Finally, my general education requirements have been rigorous. One of my classes, Classic Civilization Greece has pushed me very far in my study of culture. To learn about the entire culture of Ancient Greece is very difficult, and I found myself overwhelmed when preparing for an exam. The class gave me a very holistic view of Ancient Greece, with topics including its medicine, philosophers, heroes, and interactions with other places, like Egypt. At the end of the semester, I wrote a paper about women in Ancient Greece, which was very fascinating. This not only pushed me academically but made me have to search to find this information, which was very rewarding in the end. My time at Ohio State has been difficult, but academically rewarding.

At Ohio State, one experience that I have found to be really rewarding is the ability to develop my leadership skills. Currently, I am in the Men’s Glee Club on the Operations Committee, a BuckeyeThon Team Captain, Vice President of my Hall Council, and a volunteer at a local elementary school just off of campus, with the Adopt-A-School program. These activities are all very rewarding to me. In the Operations Committee, we plan events for members of the club outside of rehearsal. I have found this very rewarding because I can learn about the beliefs of other people and what they desire when thinking of an event that would be fun for them. Working on a committee has given me the skills to listen to other people. This leadership role has proven to me that leaders rarely work effectively alone, and in a future career, I know that I will need to work with other people to be successful. As a BuckeyeThon Team Captain, there is a great deal of focus on recruiting members for the team, which is the Men’s and Women’s Glee Club. BuckeyeThon is an organization dedicated to fighting childhood cancer and I am very passionate about it, but the problem can be encouraging others to be passionate. Being a Team Captain has taught me how to reach out to people and encourage them to be dedicated to a cause which has the potential to save many lives. As Vice President of my Hall Council, my job is to hear RA proposals and approve them. Also, as a Hall Council, we decide what events to put on that will be beneficial to all residents. Being involved with this has caused me to think about others and their desires, which is very beneficial. I have learned that not everyone wants the same things that I do, and that I need to listen to others in order to create a welcoming and enjoyable space for all. Finally, as a volunteer at an elementary school, I am inspired by children every day. The second-grade class I work with can be rowdy sometimes, but I can tell that they all have a desire to learn. My goal is to inspire younger generations to be successful and show them that they can go to a place like Ohio State. All of these extracurriculars are related because the involve helping people. I chose to major in psychology and Spanish because I want to help as many people as possible, and I believe that my extracurriculars give me the skills to do so.

Further, my work at the local elementary school has given me great joy and has increased my love of service. At the school, I work with a second-grade and fourth-grade class for 90 minutes. With the second-grade class, I mainly practice math facts with them or walk around during their math time to help them. With the fourth-grade class, I do much of the same, but also help the teacher grade. These experiences have been very rewarding for me. In the second-grade class, I can tell that the teacher gets frustrated when the children get too loud, but I can tell that there is a genuine love of learning there. Also, with the fourth-grade class, even though I have to grade sometimes, I understand the bigger picture. If I can reduce the amount of grading that the teacher has to do, then the teacher has more time to make sure that the children get a proper education and are able to be as successful as possible. I would like to do more service in the community. I would like to intern or shadow a school psychologist and learn more about this job. I believe that psychology can allow for assistance with children who are struggling to learn, and I believe that doing this would marry my interests. Also, I would like to participate in a service project that helps children in hospitals, whether that be by providing them with a friend or giving them toys that will make their lives a little bit less stressful. Ultimately, I want to to be able to make a difference in someone’s life, even in a small way.

In reflecting on the previous year up to now, a lot has changed in my life, but a lot has stayed the same. More specifically, I know a little bit more about what I want to do in life, but I also know a little bit less. In my first year at Ohio, I was involved in the Men’s Glee Club, but I also felt that something was missing, extracurricular-wise. As a psychology major, I knew that I wanted to help people, but I lacked any sense of how to do this. In my past year, I have discovered that there are many paths I could take in a future career. Sometimes I see myself as indecisive, not wanting to have to decide on a career, but I also see it as an openness to new ideas and experiences. In the psychology classes I have taken, I have learned that I want to help children, as they are at a crucial time in their development. Currently, as a double-major, and I believe that my indecisiveness is reflected, but in more positive terms, my openness to various fields is reflected. This year at Ohio State, I am involved in many organizations: the Men’s Glee Club, BuckeyeThon, Hall Council, and volunteering at an elementary school. These organizations truly capture my passions, whether they are working with children or singing. Within these organizations, I am also involved in leadership roles. I am on the Operations Committee for Glee Club, in which I help create events for the members of the club, outside of rehearsals. These are extremely important in forming bonds with other people. The true level of musicality cannot be accessed unless people trust one another and can feel comfortable in sharing their voice, in a place where they feel that their voice has weight and wants to be heard. Also, as the Vice President of my Hall Council, I try to put on events that will be beneficial for residents in the residence hall. In any place, it is important that there is a sense of community and friendship. I believe that a residence hall is a microcosm of the real world, and the many different viewpoints people have should be recognized and appreciated by others. In a residence hall, people should be challenged to learn about others and have an experience that is truly transformational. Finally, as a volunteer at a local elementary school off campus, I work with a second grade and a fourth-grade class. The second-grade class is truly inspiring, even when working with them on small things, like their addition and subtraction skills. As Whitney Houston once said, the children are our future, and it is important that we help the younger generations access their potential to change the world. Every day, I strive to be a person who gives back to others, and I believe that the world should be selfless. We are all human beings in a world that has its trials and tribulations, and the world might be better if we work to make it a less stressful place. As a psychology and Spanish major, I hope to become a counselor and work with children. With the addition of a Spanish major, I hope to help as many people as possible. In the United States, we tend to forget about the experiences of underrepresented groups of people, and in the future, regardless of my career, I want to help people’s voices to be heard and help them deal with the struggles they might be experiencing, whether at home or in regards to their social environment. Through my extracurriculars and past year at college, I have learned that the only thing I want to do in this world is to help people feel more comfortable and spur on their success. There are clearly many ways to do this, and I hope to be even a small part of them.

Haunt the Halls (10/24)

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This upcoming Wednesday, I am looking forward to participating in Haunt the Halls, a fun Halloween event that takes place in Lawrence Tower, an old hotel turned into a residence hall, that looks pretty old and spooky inside. The purpose of the event is to have kids and their families come and take part in fun Halloween events. I will be participating with my Hall Council Executive Board, and we were all enthusiastic to help plan this. Each dorm building will have their own station with a game or an activity. For our station, we are planning to have a couple different activities, including musical chairs, a mummy wrapping contest (with us as the mummies), and a candy bag decorating station. I am very excited because it will be a time for my Executive Board to bond, and also give back to the kids and allow them to have a fun night. I hope that this night will be very fun and that I feel like a made a difference in someone’s life based on the events we put on.

I think that this event is a very good opportunity for the Executive Board to get to know one another. In any team setting, it is extremely important that all members of the group are comfortable with one another and that each person feels like they can share their opinions freely and be able to relax, while still getting work done. On Hall Council, we are tasked with the important job of approving events that the RAs want to put on and also creating our own events. Since we are tasked with these events, it is extremely important that we can be comfortable and share what ideas we want to see happen in our residence hall. This year, being more involved in collaborative organizations, such as the Operations Committee for glee club and BuckeyeThon, the importance of knowing others and being able to be comfortable in order to succeed in a task has made itself very evident. I also think that social skills are extremely important in a future career.

If I am in charge of people in the future, I want to create an environment that is welcoming and is not a hierarchy of power. If I become a counselor, I hope to be able to communicate with other counselors and learn what has been effective in treatment. For the world to change, people cannot just keep to themselves, and it is necessary to learn about the world from different perspectives in order to change it.

Adopt-A-School (10/25)

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For some background, I am very excited to be volunteering at The Graham School, just off of the Ohio State campus. This semester I am working with a second and a fourth-grade class. So far, the experience has been very rewarding and I have been able to learn a lot about myself and what works in a classroom. In my first week at the school, I did not do very much. I mostly observed the second-grade classroom and graded papers in the fourth-grade classroom. While this is not necessarily the most exciting task, I realized that it needed to be done in order to provide the kids with a more valuable learning experience. I was glad to help out with grading if it meant that the kids had more time to learn or the teacher had more time to create a lesson plan that would be extremely beneficial to the kids. As time has gone on, though, I have been much more involved in the classroom.

In the second grade class, I mostly walk around during independent math time and help the kids if they are struggling with a problem. In the fourth grade class, I still do grading and have been making sure that the kids stay on task. With the fourth grade class, they need less guidance, as they are older and have learned more of the concepts. This week, though, I had somewhat of a different experience. When I got to the second-grade class, the teacher was making the point that the kids had not been very well behaved and tickets (a form of reward) had not been given out in a week. I really did not think much about the fact that they had not been well-behaved, after that. During my time with the second-grade class, I had one-on-ones with the kids and helped them with their math facts. I really enjoyed doing this, as it helped to break up the routine of my volunteering and allowed me to relate with the kids a little bit more so that they could trust me.

When I went to the fourth-grade class a little bit later, I noticed a similarity to the second-grade class. The kids here were very rowdy and less attentive than I had seen them in the past. The teacher seemed very frustrated that the kids were not listening and threatened to call parents. This upset me somewhat, as I could see that the teacher was trying her best, with little result. This made me wonder why the second-grade and fourth-grade class had both had behavior issues. Could it be the time of year (a time without the excitement of the beginning of the year)? Could it just be a coincidence? These questions were left unanswered for me, but I definitely hope that there is an improvement in the next week. So far, my volunteering experience has really forced me to observe the social structure of a classroom, particularly how kids interact with their teacher and with each other. Sometimes, it seems that the kids respect each other more than the teacher, and sometimes it seems like the opposite.

I hope that, in the future, I will learn more about how the kids act in response to authority and hopefully figure out what strategies are most effective for an effective learning environment. Even though this might seem unrelated to psychology, this experience is helping me to produce my own original thought. In the future, if I want to work with kids, it is very important that I know what goes on in the classroom, and I hope that volunteering provides me with some of the answers.

Circleville Pumpkin Show (10/20)

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Today, members of the Men’s and Women’s Glee Club attended the Circleville Pumpkin Show in Circleville, Ohio. This event, which takes place over the entire weekend is something like a state fair, but with an added twist: a focus on pumpkins. The show had many pumpkin-flavored items, such as pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin cream puffs, pumpkin donuts, and even pumpkin chili dogs. There were also many carved pumpkins, including one that looked like a snake, and massive pumpkins, which were over 300 pounds. I had a very fun time at the event and was able to bond with members of the Men’s Glee Club, that I am familiar with, and members of the Women’s Glee Club, with whom I am less familiar. For me, it was very interesting to hear about the pieces that the women were planning to perform, experiences in their rehearsals, and their experiences with music, in general. In music, I think that it is extremely important for musicians who are interested in the same fields to bond and build connections. We all have a love of singing, and I think sometimes when there is a focus on music, the aspect of bonding and getting to know other people take a backseat sometimes. As a member of the Operations Committee, I would like to see more events like this going forward, ones that connect both glee clubs.

In a future career, I would like to apply this same type of idea. I think that it is very important to know other people in your field and be able to ask them for help in completing a task that one may not have done in the past. If I pursue counseling, I may be able to ask a fellow counselor what strategy works best for a person going through a certain problem, or what books are best for diagnosing mental illnesses. For me, it is very surprising that a pumpkin show can relate to my future career, but this just proves that the intersection of career and personal life is larger than I think.

BuckeyeThon

This year, I am proud to be a team captain for BuckeyeThon, an organization at Ohio State dedicated to fighting childhood cancer. I am a team captain for the Men’s and Women’s Glee Club, along with my roommate, Chris. The story of how I got involved with BuckeyeThon is not some story about how I heard about the organization and fell in love, but rather just me being curious and wanting to be involved on campus. I signed up with the Men’s Glee Club team and raised the $250 to be able to attend the Dance Marathon. On the day of the Dance Marathon, I was a little skeptical about staying on my feet for twelve hours, but quickly was lost in the excitement of the Union, which was transformed into its own little world on that day. I was able to take part in a silent disco, play video games, do Zumba, and so much more, all while being surrounded by a sense of compassion and caring. The experience of that day was unlike any other I have had at Ohio State, and it inspired me to become a team captain.

This year, I hope to recruit ten members of the Men’s and Women’s Glee Club and hopefully instill a desire to help this cause within them, like one has been instilled within me. This picture was taken at the BuckeyeThon barbeque, where members of the organization were able to interact with children and families affected by cancer. I was able to talk to a few children and their families, and learn more about their stories. I was able to enjoy good food, fun on inflatables, and experience a welcoming environment in which all were dedicated to one cause, childhood cancer. I cannot think of a nobler or more important cause. Children are our future, and every kid deserves the opportunity to grow up, learn, develop, and play without the threat of their life being cut short. The event was especially impactful because I witnessed what it was like for children to feel that they have support in students at the Ohio State University and what it is like to escape the pressures of the world. For college students, the pressure may be midterms, but for children, it may be cancer. For me, to help children to be able to escape cancer is more valuable than words.

Being interested in psychology, I would love to work for Nationwide Children’s Hospital and be a counselor or family advocate for people struggling with cancer. This barbeque, and BuckeyeThon, in general, have shown me that I am very passionate about helping others and want to make a difference in the world. Through BuckeyeThon, I hope to learn more about my passions and get a better sense of what kind of difference I want to make in the world. I am studying Psychology and Spanish because I have a genuine interest in making lives easier, and I know that BuckeyeThon will allow me to have a taste of what it would feel like to give back, even if in a very small way.

G.O.A.L.S.

Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences.

In today’s society, being aware of the world around us is increasingly more important. It is crucial, in a world dominated by technology, to realize that there is so much outside of our own personal bubble. For me, global awareness can exist right here in the United States. The realization that we have so many cultures, religions, and beliefs in one place is vital to being globally aware. I am minoring in Spanish in order to be better connected the world around me. I am a person that wants to connect with as many people as possible and I believe that learning a new language can break down this barrier. In the future, I plan to go to many different cultural areas of Columbus and go to many museums to understand and appreciate the views and histories of others.

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.

Being a psychology major, I am interested in learning more about the human brain, the amazing and powerful tool that humans take for granted constantly. I hope that, by taking more psychology classes, I will find a topic that I am very interested in and begin to do research on it. I am also very interested in being a psychologist who works with children, and I would be very interested in doing research with these people, who are sometimes forgotten. Children are vastly different from adults and I think that it would be very important to learn more about this group. Ohio State is a great place to do research and I hope to be involved in a research laboratory. Also, OSU’s library has amazing resources and I hope to use these in the future to create my own ideas and hypotheses.

Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom.

There is no doubt that academics are at the heart of the Honors program. The academics at Ohio State are top-notch, and the Honors program raises the bar even higher. One of my favorite parts of the program is the smaller class sizes. This allows for a lot of discussion and in-depth coverage of topics that may not be present in a regular class. For example, in my Classical Mythology class, we solely discuss the works we read during class. This allows for the sharing of ideas and the realization of thoughts that one may not have had otherwise. I hope that as I take more Honors classes, I will be able to cover interesting topics with great depth and learn of what others think of a topic.

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.

I am a person that has always considered myself a leader. I was the President of National Honor Society in high school and enjoyed the position thoroughly. At Ohio State, I hope that I continue to be a leader. Being a leader does not mean being better than others, but being humble and working your hardest to make sure that all members of a group reach their full potential. I hope that, at Ohio State, I can join an organization that teaches leadership. I would also like to hold a leadership position in an extracurricular activity that I join. I could join a residence hall council and be a leader in that way. There are many possibilities, but I know that I want to be a capable leader that inspires others.

Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community.

In any society, it is crucial that there are philanthropic people who give their time to help others. I hope that I can be one of these people and help to change the world, starting with our small community. I would love to be involved with an organization that focuses on social justice for oppressed groups of people. I would like to start, or be involved with, a large service project that aims to help the homeless of Columbus. One idea that I have concerning service is to start an online database, where anyone can search for a service project and get involved. Service is so important and I believe that everyone should get involved in this amazing thing that is beneficial for all groups involved.

Artifacts

Yesterday, at Men’s Glee Club rehearsal, we were joined by the seventh and eighth grade choir from Olentangy Orange Middle School. During this time, each member of the Men’s Glee Club was paired up with a middle schooler. We shared music and the children sang along with us. Afterwards, we were treated to a short performance from the choir. This experience was one of the most meaningful for me here at Ohio State. It caused me to reflect back on middle school years and realize how far I have come. I hope that I was able to show the kids that anything is possible and that hard work can get them anywhere.

Year in Review

For my year in review, I am intending to talk about the beginning of my senior year of high school up until now. Going into my senior year, I thought that I knew what I wanted to do. I was going to be a History teacher, because I liked history and wanted to help children learn about the past. Then, I took an AP Psychology class and fell in love. I was so intrigued by the way the brain works and how people perceive the world. I realized that the field of psychology was a way to incorporate my philanthropic tendencies into my newfound interest of the mind and the amazing way it functions. The next step in figuring out my life path was to pick a college. I visited many colleges such as, Baldwin Wallace University, Kent State University, Cleveland State University, Bowling Green State University, and Miami University. After visiting these, I thought that I was going to attend Bowling Green. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the beautiful campus. I had not visited Ohio State at this point, but applied because of the amazing reputation of the university. I found out I was accepted to every one of the schools I applied to by early December and was ecstatic. I was still sold on Bowling Green and even submitted my housing deposit. Then, my parents suggested I visit Ohio State and I was a bit skeptical because of the sheer size of the school. We visited in mid-February and, as soon as I stepped on campus, I fell in love. The beauty of the campus enthralled me and the Oval was definitely a deciding factor in my choice. Ultimately, I think I picked Ohio State because of the amazing opportunity offered here. I applied to the Honors program and found out that I made it in at the beginning of March. I was so excited and then decided to live in Bradley Hall, the Honors Living Community. That was the end of my figuring out my college decision. Then, it was time to move in. My first week in a dorm, I was very upset. I missed home a lot and did not think that college was for me. I was very upset and wanted to be comfortable at home. After classes began, though, I began to enjoy college life more and more. I auditioned and became a member of the Men’s Glee Club and joined an amazing church group, which have really helped me adjust. I have made amazing friends and believe that I have started to find my place. I thoroughly enjoy my classes and am so thankful to receive a world-class education everyday. I can personally attest to the tough transitions of college, but I am having an amazing time at The Ohio State University.

About Me

Hi everyone! My name is Ben Chiappone and I am in my second year at Ohio State. I was born in South Carolina, but I have lived in Mentor (near Cleveland) for most of my life. Going into my senior year of high school, I had no idea where I wanted to go for college, as I am the kind of person who is afraid of making big decisions. I applied to many schools, including Ohio State, but was set on attending Bowling Green. My mom suggested I visit Ohio State, but I was skeptical because of the large size. My visit changed my view entirely, and I learned so much about the many opportunities available at the university. From that day forward, I knew that I made the right decision. I am so grateful to be attending such an amazing university and feel blessed every day because I am able to meet so many new people. I would never have imagined that I would have made so many close friends and met so many outstanding people, because of the sheer size of the school.

This year, I am much more involved than I was last year. I am in the Operations Committee for the Men’s Glee Club, in which we plan events for the organization and facilitate interactions between members. Also, I am the Vice President of the Blackburn Haverfield Activities Council, in which we create events for our residence halls and approve funding for the resident advisors to put on programs. I am a Team Captain for BuckeyeThon, an organization dedicated to fighting childhood cancer and providing services, such as counseling, activities for the children, and research to battle this horrible disease.

As a psychology major, I have a sincere interest in helping others who may not be able to help themselves. Being exposed to so many different types of people has created great empathy in me and has given me a very strong desire to provide assistance to people who struggle internally. Also, I am double-majoring in Spanish so that I can help as many people from as many different backgrounds as possible.

For me, the ePortfolio is a key: a key to a door that leads to my future. Currently, I do not have a set career path and am exploring my options within in psychology. I hope that the ePortfolio will allow me to document important moments in my life, even if they are small. At the end of my undergraduate career, I would like to look back at my ePortfolio and realize how I have grown in my career aspirations and as a person.