Year In Review

My first year at Ohio State was an extremely interesting but memorable time. Not only did I began college as a freshman in the midst of a pandemic, but I also had the newfound workload of a college student and many extracurriculars to go along with it. Although my first year was strenuous, I ultimately wouldn’t change it for the world because I was able to make meaningful impacts in other lives through Mount Leadership Scholars Society, my job as an ABA therapist, etc.

At the beginning of the year, I was simply a confused and petrified freshman. Today, I can proudly say I’m more mature and compassionate than I’ve ever been before. I can thank Mount Scholars for the improvement in my willingness to help others. Through many service events and Mount Legacy Week, I was able to put others needs before my own. This included making food bags for people suffering from poverty, bringing awareness to substance abuse, and using leadership skills to be an effective Media and Marketing Coordinator.

Not only has my passion for service grown through the academic Scholars program, but I was also thankfully given the opportunity to have a career as an ABA therapist my first year. ABA Therapy helps patients with their communication, social skills, and other interactions. My patient was a 22 year old woman with autism who taught me the importance of patience, trust, and compassion in the healthcare field. Working with Aishu only solidified my interest in becoming an Occupational Therapist. I can honestly say that this job doesn’t even feel like work, and instead, feels like amazing time spent with a friend.

That being said, I have many plans for the incoming summer that revolve around the healthcare field and academic achievements. I will continue working with Aishu as her therapist, but I will also be getting a second job as a personal care associate for Ohio At Home Healthcare where I can continue tending to others needs. Not only that, but I will also be volunteering at a local outpatient clinic where I can gain even more experience working with children who have disabilities. On the academic side, I will be taking summer classes to hopefully reach my goal of graduating early. Overall, this year has been wonderful and I’ve been able to gain so many new experiences that I will be thankful for for the rest of my life.

Here’s to many more years of learning and experiences!

About Me

Hey there! My name is Alexandra Coyne, and I am a first year student at the Ohio State University. Currently, I am enrolled in the College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences as a Health Science major. My goal is to go to graduate school to receive at least a Masters degree in Occupational Therapy and work with children who have disabilities! I am very involved at Ohio State, and I absolutely love it here. Some of the things I’m involved in include the Mount Leadership Scholars Society, the Morrill Scholarship program, Pre-PT/Pre-OT club, and I hope to rush a medical sorority in the spring.

I also do a lot of other extracurriculars such as volunteering through the Wishing Well, Miracle League, many nursing homes, and I was president of a club in high school that donated baked goods to children in inner city Columbus schools.

It is because of my heavy involvement with volunteering that I decided to pursue a degree where I can help children with disabilities. My passion is to help others in general, so I am so excited to find more communities to join that will allow me to be an active participant in service.

Artifact: The Miracle League

I choose my volunteering experience with the Miracle League as a specific event to signify one of my artifacts. Ever since I was a child, I have participated in disability related services, therefore, it is an extremely relevant part of my childhood and even into my adulthood. Miracle League is a baseball league that helps children with disabilities play the sport.

While Miracle League has been a great opportunity for volunteering, it is much more than just a service. Through this organization, I have made friends and learned the importance of teamwork, positivity, and selflessness. My collaboration skills have increased, because in order to be a successful volunteer, you must work with the child instead of against him/her. One of the kids may miss the bat, but instead of ridiculing him/her, you work with them to show them the right way to swing. Moving forward, positivity is significant during Miracle League, because it is important to show the child that when they do miss a ball, it’s okay to fail sometimes. As volunteers, we explain to them that they still have a chance to hit the ball next time and to focus on improvement rather than the failure. Not only that, but the volunteers must learn to be there for the players, not for themselves. For example, if a kid would rather throw a ball back and forth with you instead of actually participating in the game, then that’s exactly what we’ll do. People may claim that Miracle League is such a simple service and doesn’t help the participants that much, however, this organization does indeed make a difference in the lives of the children and teaches them collaboration, determination and positivity.

Artifact: Buddy Boxes Service Project

My artifact comes from a volunteer activity that furthered my outlook and understanding on childhood hunger and poverty. This service project was in correlation with the Family Mentor Foundation which is an organization that attempts to meet the unmet needs of children in schools throughout Columbus. The Family Mentor Foundation’s Buddy Box program provides food for 1,500 kids by filling the lunchbox with nutritious and nonperishable food items that make it effortless to prepare and eat meals when not at school. As a result of COVID-19, my fellow volunteers and I were unable to construct the lunch meals in person, however that didn’t stop us from providing some hope in these children’s lives. Instead, we decided to design and create uplifting, appropriate, and colorful cards to put in the lunch boxes as a way to bring some positive light.

In America, 1 in 6 children are unaware of when they will be able to feed themselves next and 5 out of 6 kids rely on free food given from school cafeterias. As a result of these harrowing implications, many students repeat a grade in elementary school, face developmental impairments, and are more likely to experience social and behavioral adversities. Growing up in a predominantly upper class suburb right outside of Columbus, I was often unexposed to the cruel reality of other kids living in conditions more arduous than mine. My lack of wisdom regarding poverty made me take advantage and fail to appreciate my privilege. However, once I became aware of the significance of childhood hunger, I made it my mission to use my privilege and newfound knowledge to take action against it. For this reason, I started my own club in high school, named Kneading for the Needy, where many students from all age groups came together to bake desserts for Columbus inner city schools. I also took initiative in Mount Leadership Scholars Society to participate in poverty based service projects, which is why I joined the Buddy Box volunteer event (pictured above).

All in all, childhood hunger is a true actuality and can be lessened with the generous help of others. The Family Mentor Foundation is just one organization that aids in combatting poverty. There are similar establishments all over the world that realize the severity of this problem and attempt to provide in any way they can. In the future, I hope to continue learning about food deprivation and start my own group that fights for these children.

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 guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. 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 guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. 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 guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]