Global Awareness:

One large way I have worked to achieve global awareness at OSU is by applying to and being accepted into a study abroad program in the Turks and Caicos islands. I will spend the month of July 2019 immersing myself into the culture their while studying ecology and conservation of marine megafauna. Another small way I have increased my global awareness is by attending some Indian American society events with my future roommates to get a better idea of their culture. My friends have already taught me so much more about Punjabi and Sikh culture this year that I previously had no experience with.

Original Inquiry:

I have taken some small steps so far to immerse myself in the research process at OSU so far. One way is by participating in some research studies through the both the psychology department as well as the school for environmental and natural resources. I plan to further my experience in this field this upcoming summer on my study abroad trip. I will be participating directly in field work in Turks and Caicos and contributing to the ongoing research of the marine megafauna in the Caribbean. I also still hope to get involved in a research lab through the department of neuroscience sometime in my next two years at OSU. I periodically look through research opportunities available in my spare time and will continue to monitor for a project that I have the time to participate in that interests me.

Academic Enrichment:

I have committed more to academic enrichment this semester by declaring a minor in a program that interests me outside my major field of Neuroscience. I chose a minor in society and environmental issues because it is something I am very passionate about, and I wanted to spend some time focusing on a different area of science than Neuroscience as well. I am still very interested in Neuroscience and am extremely happy with my decision to major in it, but I wanted to expand my knowledge to be able to graduate with a more well rounded education not focused on one thing. I also work on the neuro unit of the hospital I am employed at, and I am very excited to be able to see the things I learn in my Neuroscience classes applied in real life with my patients and by the neurologists around me. I plan to pursue a specialty in Neurology in Physician Assistant school since realizing how interesting I find it. I also think my minor will contribute to my hobbies and passions for the outdoors and environment to be able to pour myself into outside of my future career.

Leadership Development:

I am currently still involved with 1Girl, a club dedicated to ending the gender leadership gap by mentoring middle school girls in inner city columbus. I have been a facilitator at the same Middle school for four semesters now, acting as a mentor to the girls and teaching them about important social issues and helping them build their leadership skills. I feel that this helps me to be a leader by planning lessons each week and acting as a role model to these girls. I also play the cello in the praise band at the campus church I attend. Being on stage leading worship during the service has helped me to build my confidence in front of a large crowd, as well as fuel my passion for music and Christ. These activities help me to be a more confident leader, which can help me in my career no matter what my position is.

Service Engagement:

I believe my work mentoring middle school girls helps me to be engaged in a community I would not otherwise have contact with. Being immersed in an inner city school where being white middle class is the minority is something I was completely unfamiliar with. It has opened my eyes to how difficult it is to come into a school of mostly black and latino girls and not give off the impression that I am higher up than them or there to ‘fix’ them. It is important to me to come to the girls as their equal in this sense while still acting as their mentor, and finding ways to show them that just because I look different than them doesn’t mean they can’t confide in me and receive my passion nurturing. Me and my co facilitators put a large emphasis on the fact that we come from a much more privileged community than them and have never experienced the oppression and discrimination that they have; this is a difficult topic to navigate when trying to educate the girls about things like racial inequality and cultural appropriation. This is something I want to continue to work on and stay a part of the inner city communities of Columbus during my time at OSU.