Finding in person service opportunities has been very challenging due to COVID-19 restrictions. I recently applied for a volunteer position at The Columbus Ronald McDonald House, and was given a weekly volunteer position. This is an opportunity I am very excited about because I will be able to volunteer much more frequently and give back to those going through a very difficult time.
I am currently writing a research brief on the impact of historical redlining on current public school districts. Researching this topic has broadened my knowledge on the institutionalized racism that exists within the foundation of school districts and the resources available to them. I would not have learned about this without doing my own research on it so I am very happy I chose to research educational redlining. I have not yet finished my research brief so attached is my annotated bibliography for the sources used in my brief.
Through ACES I was able to join a mentorship program which has been very helpful in my time here so far. My mentor, Anna, and I have met multiple times thr
oughout the semester which has helped me in my transition to OSU. She helped me talk through my academic and social interests and recommended classes and clubs she thinks I would enjoy. We also did a virtual explore Columbus event which helped me learn more about the community around OSU and all the experiences it has to offer. Knowing I have somebody older than me here that I can turn to with any questions has been incredibly helpful in making such a large university feel like home.
This semester I was fortunate enough to take a course called School and Society. Through this course I was able to learn about all of the intricacies of education that are often looked over and further inform myself on ways to be a better educator. One of our assignments was to think about all of our intersectionalities that make us unique and write about how they have helped form us into who we are today. This assignment helped me be more aware of the fact that each of my students is so much more than one characteristic and that to be the most effective educator I have to know and accept my students for all aspects of their identity. I grew as an individual and future educator through this exercise and think it is very representative of a lot of the material I have learned through this course.
[ “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.]
What do the G.O.A.L.S. mean to me?
Global Awareness: In order to be a globally aware citizen I think it is crucial to stay informed on current events and have open conversations about my views. By talking with my peers and professors about current events I am able to to see the world from new perspectives and be more culturally aware. I plan to further my global awareness by studying abroad and finding the best ways to promote diversity and inclusion in the classroom. I have worked toward this goal by attending FYSS on diversity and inclusion.
Original Inquiry: I think original inquiry is the best way to improve the current education system. New research on the impacts of diversity, funding and resources in schools has made a lot of progression toward ways to truly fix the current public education system. These discoveries could not have been done without original inquiry into topics that had not been previously looked into. I have worked toward this goal by writing a research brief on educational redlining.
Academic Enrichment: Academic enrichment is crucial to gaining the best educational experience possible. Joining programs in your field outside of the classroom gives you additional insight into your profession and sets you apart from your peers. Through academic enrichment you go into the workplace with more experience and preparation than your peers that only gained experience in the classroom. I plan to work toward this goal by participating in FEEP next semester.
Leadership Development: Learning how to effectively and successfully lead a group of people is a skill that is necessary for the professional workplace. Whether this simply means taking charge and leading a group project or gaining a leadership role in a club you are a part of, developing this skill in any setting is crucial. I plan to apply for ACES leadership council because it would be an amazing opportunity and help me develop my leadership skills.
Service Engagement: Giving back to your community is something that I strongly believe in. If you are fortunate enough to have the time and resources to help people that are going through a rough time a little bit of support, you should absolutely do it. Service engagement can be seen through donating money and food or going out into the community and donating your time to help a cause. I have volunteered through multiple ACES events and recently started volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House.
[“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.]
This section houses the projects and items that I believe are representative of my academic interests and achievements. Not all artifacts are academic but they demonstrate areas where I have had personal growth.
I’m Alex Criss and I am a freshman at The Ohio State University. I graduated in 2020 from Upper Arlington High School Summa Cum Laude with an Honors diploma. At Upper Arlington I was Co-President of Student Council, Co-President of the Interact Club, and played basketball and softball. At OSU I am in the Advocates for Communities and Education Scholars program and plan to join Roteract. School has always been important for me and was my main focus through all of the activities I did in high school. I was very fortunate to have a teacher that taught me how and why I should love learning very early in my academic career. She is who inspired me to go into the field of education and has many characteristics I want to exemplify. As an educator I want to teach content in an engaging way and make sure my students understand why we are learning the material. In the past, I found myself simply memorizing a lot of the material I learned instead of diving into the importance of it which is something I want to change for my students. As a learned I benefitted most from discussion based lessons and visual learning, but I know this is different for all people. Above all I want to be accommodating for students to make the best possible learning environment for each of them individually.
