For my second event of the year, I chose to volunteer with Taste of OSU 2020. This event counted as a service event, as I was passing out brochures with the event staff for the duration of my time serving with them. Taste of OSU 2020 occurred on February 21^st in the Ohio Union on campus. Volunteering with Taste of OSU has always been a highlight of my year, and I was excited to return for my sophomore year!

Taste of OSU is an OUAB signature event that always occurs during spring semester in the Ohio Union. Culture and language-based clubs from across the university are invited to set up tables in the union to promote their clubs and provide food for those visiting the event. Each club supplies a savory and a sweet dish which reflects the club’s culture. Students and faculty who wish to attend the event can purchase food tickets, which allow them to try the food at the different cultural stations. Furthermore, several dance and music organizations are also invited, and there is a free show that occurs in the center of the union for people to enjoy as they mill around and try different foods.

This is my second time volunteering with Taste of OSU, and I was excited to come back for this event. My freshman year, I had a wonderful time volunteering, watching the shows, and enjoying the delicious food provided by all the clubs! I chose to come back and volunteer for a second year with this event because I really enjoyed the vibe from Taste of OSU 2019. The event was so welcoming and laidback – the atmosphere was one of exploring different cultures and coming together over shared enjoyment of food and music. I was really impressed by the amount cultures and languages represented on Ohio State’s campus, and how the university has worked to bring them together in an event like Taste of OSU.

Taste of OSU intersects with International Affairs in many ways. As International Affairs scholars, we are always encouraged to seek out and learn about cultures that differ from our own. Taste of OSU provides a laidback experience to do this, encouraging students to try new foods and learn about different campus organizations at the same time. Language learning is also an important part of the International Affairs community. By attending Taste of OSU, I was able to learn about the many language courses that the university offers and the corresponding clubs on campus. As an Italian minor, I am aware of the language community on campus, but talking with students who study Korean and Arabic definitely expanded my view of language on campus.

Volunteering with Taste of OSU 2020 was just as enjoyable as volunteering with Taste of OSU 2019. The relaxed atmosphere of the event and the ability to learn about numerous cultures represented on campus makes it one of the events I look forward to the most during spring semester. I look forward to volunteering again with the event for Taste of OSU 2021!

For my second International Affairs event this semester, I volunteered with Taste of OSU. Taste of OSU was held in the Ohio Union on February 15, 2019. As I volunteered with the organization that hosts this event, I counted this as a service event for this semester. For my volunteer duties, I passed out fliers to visitors entering the Union, urging them to check out the many different attractions that Taste of OSU offers. I also answered questions, directed people towards food ticket lines, and helped visitors find where specific food booths were located. At the end of my volunteer shift, I was able to explore the food and performance aspects of Taste of OSU.

There were over twenty-five food booths present, representing many of the clubs and organizations that span the entire Ohio State University campus, including the Italian Club (which had delicious cannoli’s!). Several of these clubs also had performances in the Great Hall, most of which included music and dancing. After my volunteer shift, I was lucky enough to witness the Chinese Folk Music Orchestra and the Ethiopian and Eritrean Student Organization. The Chinese Folk Music Orchestra performed an extremely beautiful piece, and the Ethiopian and Eritrean Student Organization had everyone on their feet and dancing along. I felt very lucky to be surrounded by the immense amount culture and tradition in the Union that night.

This event is important to International Affairs for many reasons. First and foremost, Taste of OSU is one of Ohio State’s most visible and attended celebrations of culture. The event allows students to connect with the multiple organizations that showcase the diverse and varied nationalities represented at Ohio State. As students who are interested in international affairs, the first place we begin to learn about cultures different than our own is at our colleges and universities. What better way to do so than by attending an event in which all of these identities are gathered in one place, ready to be explored? Secondly, the event showcases several clubs I didn’t even know existed! Volunteering amongst these clubs and their member was an eye-opening experience. It was a fantastic way to help immerse myself in the community that populates Ohio State. It also helped me to understand the multitude of opportunity available at Ohio State, opening me up to cultures and concepts I had never before considered. At the beginning of my volunteer shift, did I think I would end the night eating Native American fry bread and learning about Ohio’s Native American population? Absolutely not!

This event obviously had a large impact on me. Being able to walk around, trying all the different foods and conversing with the organization members, gave me a greater passion for Ohio State and its community. Volunteering with Taste of OSU also opened my eyes to the amount of planning and work an event of that magnitude takes. I have great respect for the event coordinators: they did a fantastic job! I will certainly be back volunteering in 2020, and I am greatly looking forward to it!

I attended the IA Scholars Mini Involvement Fair outside of Smith-Steeb Hall on October 25, 2018. This event counted for several different sections of involvement. I chose to count this event for my service requirement, as most of the organizations I visited with had significant service components on their agendas. There were multiple tables set up outside the building, each with a different organization that related to International Affairs or had a global interest element. The two organizations that I found the most interesting and spent the most time conversing with were The Anthropology Public Outreach Program (APOP) and Advocates for Women of the World (AWOW).

The Anthropology Public Outreach Program was especially exciting and intriguing to me. Though most of their members are mainly Anthropology majors, prospective members are not limited to that specific field. Volunteers have worked at the Science Olympiad, COSI, and local schools, with an educational cart that outlines human evolution and the importance of anthropology in everyday life. As someone who has always had a love of the past and a desire to learn more about human ancestry, I was immediately interested in the volunteer opportunities available! As a child, I was a frequent visitor of COSI and loved their multiple exhibits. I can’t imagine anything more fulfilling or compelling than returning to COSI as an adult, ready to teach a new generation of young learners.

Advocates for Women of the World is an awareness and activism club for women on the Ohio State University’s campus. Their primary focus is community service and service learning, specifically in areas of struggle for women in our community and across the world. This group has a strong connection with global events and international affairs, as they work with the larger world community to advocate for women’s rights. From their table at the Mini Involvement Fair, I learned that AWOW was founded on the principal of intersectional feminism and a strong need for action-based women’s rights organizations on the OSU campus. After hearing about everything that AWOW does at Ohio State – from a panel this past September on sustainability in the fashion industry and the importance of fair trade to rape activism with Banner Up 2018 this past August – I was beyond excited to begin attending meetings and working with these wonderful women to better both our community and communities around the world.

Both of these groups introduced me to new avenues of service on the Ohio State University’s campus. Speaking with the representatives from these organizations showed me the multiple exciting and diverse ways to get involved with the Columbus and greater world community. From attending this event, I discovered that all variety of my interests – from the study of human ancestry and evolution to the desire to advocate for women around the world – can be explored and acted upon. I am especially thankful to the International Affairs Scholars Community for organizing this event and allowing me to broaden my horizons as both a volunteer in the community and student at Ohio State.