Year in Review

Grad School, Semester One Done

In this post, I speak candidly of my experiences as a first-generation graduate student. As of yesterday, I have finished one semester of graduate school at The Ohio State University! I hope that I passed all of my classes. Final grades are being updated daily. I feel so relieved and want to share how the semester unfolded.

Source: Boston University

Biostatistics I was the most difficult class for me. I have made it through science and math courses before, but growing up and to this day, I am not fond of STEM courses. I am more of a humanities and social sciences person. I did appreciate and adore my biology courses, but the other sciences gave me a hard time. I had to put in more studying and seek out tutoring for classes such as Chemistry and Calculus. These subjects are complex and complicated to me. Thankfully, tutors were kind (for the most part) and teachers took time after school to explain concepts. I also have benefitted from viewing online videos to supplement my instruction. Biostatistics I was difficult and I could have done better by trying to ask for help more often. I was not reviewing the material at the end of each class; if I had reviewed more frequently, I would likely have felt more calm in the class. I was constantly stressed at the fast pace and at the amount of unfamiliar material. My study buddy group, comprised of me and a few other Master’s of Public Health students, was my savior. Up until the end of the semester, I was not sure if I would pass the class because the required grade is B-. Next semester, I take Biostatistics II, this time online.

Source: Oasis Surg

I enjoyed my Intro to Healthcare Organization class. We have lectures with a few guest lectures from professionals in the field. The class has a lot of discussion built into it, primarily at the end of a lecture. The United States does not really have a healthcare “system,” because it is so fragmented and uncoordinated. I enjoyed this course. We covered topics including managed care, vulnerable populations, access, and quality. We had six case study assignments as well as a group presentation. My group focused on access to healthcare among refugees in the United States. The future of healthcare should involve more collaborations, innovation, strong teamwork, and capacity-building.

Source: Health Workforce Technical Assistance Center

I had a Community Health Assessment class, in which I applied my knowledge and research skills to create deliverables and portfolio-ready products. My four-member group for that class prepared a 20-30 page assessment report on the Linden community in Columbus, Ohio. In this document were the following: an executive summary, community description, and summary sheets for our chosen health topics of diabetes, infant mortality, food insecurity, intimate partner violence, and poverty. We included recommendations for these issues plaguing Linden. This paper took a lot of time and effort but I am pleased with the end result! We also presented our findings in a 20 minute presentation to the rest of the class. Another fun part of the class was getting to do a nutritional assessment of convenience stores on campus; I collected observational data on what foods were available and how much shelf space they were given. I would like to do more community health assessments in the future. This class was a nice test-run/trial or introduction to the practice.

Source: Socialmarketing.blogs.com

My Advanced Disease Prevention and Health Promotion class provided me with a wealth of information regarding health behavior theories and insights into how difficult and tricky it is to change behavior, despite individuals having the intention to do so. We learned about financial incentives, ethics, social determinants of health, survey measurement, etc. A major takeaway for me was that no health theory can be used for all problems. All theories have strengths and weaknesses. I am still very interested in and invested in social determinants of health, especially for vulnerable and minority populations, including people of color and LGBTQ communities. Our class included several papers; for two of them, I was to write about a health behavior that I want to change in my own life, and I talked about personal sunscreen application. However, interestingly, I also have picked up the behavior of dental flossing because of the professor mentioning it in class many times.

Source: University of Michigan

My city and regional planning class is called The Socially Just City. I have never taken a class in that field before so it was new to me and I learned so much from the readings, my professor, and my peers. Our class gave me background information on the planning profession and its challenges with balancing interests and goals. We also went over housing, transportation equity, integration vs. separation, diversity, feminism, access, and more. We reviewed numerous case studies where socially just outcomes were not reached. This is a reading- and discussion-intensive class but you gain a lot from it! Students read essays or articles and write discussion posts online. Then we come to class, where students present vital points from those readings to everyone else and we further discuss. Additionally, groups of students write final papers analyzing interventions, policies, or plans to see if they are achieving social justice. This was challenging but I appreciated it and pushed myself out of my comfort zone. My peers provided me with feedback throughout the process.

Academically, I feel at peace with my progress. My GPA is not perfect but GPA does not matter too much. A peer had just reminded me of this and disclosed to me that she does not include her GPA on her resume or CV. It has been a rough semester in terms of adjusting to the rigors of graduate school and navigating a different culture. I do not know how many people in my cohort are first-generation college students and/or first-generation graduate students, but I felt that I had hurdles to overcome. I did not have parents who pursued higher education at all so they could not offer advice for anything. I felt imposter syndrome and that I was not as well-spoken as my peers. I could have participated in classes more, so I am hoping that I feel more comfortable sharing my perspectives because they will enrich the conversations and my peers’ minds. I hope to truly relax this winter break but knowing me, I will want to do something productive each day, such as begin searching for practicum experiences for the summer. Over break, I want to improve my writing and work on personal passion projects.

Socially, it was not until the end of the semester that peers and I got together to socialize. People are busy and also I perceived that I would not have much in common with some people. However, assumptions like this prevent me from getting to know people and finding out that even if we may not have similar experiences or interests, it’s great to learn something new. Throughout the semester, I was spending time with one peer in particular because of our shared struggles and experiences. I did make time to have fun with friends a few times each week. I saw movies, attended student organization events, and went shopping. This is necessary to stay sane and not get too drained by life. I feel affirmed that peers are supportive of me and that we are not competing with one another. I look forward to getting to know my fellow cohort members better.

Financially, I have been managing thanks to generous funding. I try to maintain my budget and check my accounts regularly. I splurged on purchases multiple times this semester because of stress. Nevertheless, I try not to shame myself for doing so but I know to better exert control. A good tip is to think to myself, “Do I need this item, or do I want it? How many times can I use/wear it?”

Mentally, I have struggled. The best methods I have utilized this semester has been sharing openly on social media, talking with friends, and speaking with my therapist. I log my emotions daily using a health app. Maintaining a journal could also be useful because I did that last school year and wrote down the highs and lows of my day as well as what was bothering me. I know I am not in this alone.

To fellow and future graduate students, it will be tough. (Some peers have said it is easy, while it is not the case for me). Something about the process will frustrate you or make you feel less than. I urge you to consider what are these challenges trying to teach you. Mentors have also asked me to think about my “Why” or my purpose for doing what I do. Why am I in public health? Why am I getting this degree? Why does it matter to me that I help further social justice and equity?

What is your Why?

Junior Year Timeline

My junior year at The Ohio State University was full of growth and discovery. I arrived to campus more confident in myself and ready to tackle harder classes that covered more complex concepts. I also had leadership roles on campus, which helped me learn more about leadership. There was so much to do and I did struggle so much throughout the year, with handling my responsibilities and trying to do self care. Looking back at the year, I am very impressed at what I accomplished. It is difficult to remember all that happened, but this list shows the breadth and depth of what I do as a student!

Autumn 2018

  • Spoke on my research experiences to about 30 first-year OSU students who are also Young Scholars in a Research Methods class (within a Summer Bridge Experience program) and answered questions about college, in early August
    • Presented information on Summer Research Opportunities Programs (SROPs) and briefly shared my own experience with them about University of Iowa SROP
    • Presented my own research poster from the summer and provided students with advice on poster construction and layout
    • Shared what interview coding was
  • Served on student panel for the Young Scholars Program’s IMPACT Day for second-year scholars
    • Spoke about my experiences during the summer, with particular attention to Summer Research Opportunities Program and how it helps first-generation college students and students from historically underrepresented backgrounds
  • Served as Public Health Student Ambassador for College of Public Health’s BSPH New Major Orientation
    • Assembled Safe Point kits for Equitas Health while mingling with newly accepted students into the Bachelor of Science in Public Health major
  • Selected as student representative from Young Scholars Program to present speech at Office of Diversity and Inclusion New Student Convocation
    • Presented 7-minute speech detailing my experiences with the specific ODI program I am a part of, how YSP and ODI as a whole have helped me throughout my life, and some of my accomplishments in college thus far.
    • There were about 500 students expected to come; since this was not mandatory, not everyone made it but there were at least 100-200 who did attend. I helped get these first-years excited about college.
  • Received additional support from my Student Success Specialist
    • Attended mandatory meetings and open office hours to discuss my goals for junior year and receive advice about various issues related to college and life in general.
    • My specialist is another resource for me at OSU, which is assuring for me emotionally and academically
    • I suggest to others to not hesitate to reach out to people for support!
  • Attended a Dinner for 12 Buckeyes event, hosted by the Student Alumni Council
    • Met with alumni from the Asian/Pacific Islander (API) Alumni Society of OSU
    • Networked with fellow students and alumni
  • Accepted as Student Assistant/Research Assistant for The Ohio State University’s Opioid StoryMap research project! This project is through the partnership of the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, and a 2016 OSU President’s Prize winner.
    • With this research, students interview first responders (EMTs, police officers) in Columbus and surrounding areas and then people who have struggled with opioid use disorder in order to create narratives about use in our communities. We hope to reduce stigma against opioid use and addiction. We hope to gain a variety of perspectives and then make an online interactive story map that will help the public understand more about the epidemic and those who are impacted.
    • For autumn 2018, I did trainings to familiarize ourselves with the opioid epidemic in Central Ohio and how to effectively interview people using a trauma-informed model.
    • We awaited IRB approval this semester and we were still productive because we did cognitive interviews with our peers instead; we worked on developing good interview questions to later ask of the first responders and people in recovery.
  • Resumed volunteering with Equitas Health – Ohio HIV/STI Hotline
    • Reduced hours from 8 hours last semester to 4 hours for fall
    • Assembled risk reduction kits, with condoms (or dental dams) and business cards
    • Learned new skills of copying and printing sheets for our Free Condom Project
    • Learned how to use USPS database to print off labels of mailing addresses for our clients of the Free Condom Project
    • Created social media graphics that receive over 100, 300, and close to 500 individuals engaging with the posts
      • Examples: National Taco Day, International Day of the Elderly, National Mole Day, National Nut Day
      • I should create a portfolio of all of the posts I’ve made for the hotline
  • Volunteered with Equitas Health – Safe Point program
    • Conducted neighborhood clean up of Franklinton community, which involved finding and removing syringe parts on the streets. We looked around bushes, trash cans, and in parking lots.

      It turns out that my friends had also signed up to volunteer for the morning! The neighborhood was quiet and we saw plenty of cats roaming around. There was much litter as well, and we focused on grabbing syringes.

    •  Prepared risk reduction materials for clients who utilize Safe Point – I quickly assemble bags with syringes and sharps containers for people
    • I earned 30 hours of service here as part of a service learning course I took through the Women’s Studies department, Feminist Perspectives on Addiction
    • Although I was behind-the-scenes for the most part, besides one time where I shadowed an interviewer, I was able to learn more about substance use. This was very eye-opening for me.
  • Served first semester as Co-President of Global Health Initiative at The Ohio State University
    • Organized general body meetings, which entailed emailing potential speakers and coordinating with them to present to the organization.

      Marketing matters when attracting and retaining members for a student organization!

    • Oversaw our various committees: local volunteering, international volunteering, educational outreach, event planning, and marketing. Communicated with each group about concerns and progress.
    • Regularly maintained emails and responded to them promptly.
    • Maintained email listserv of over 6,000 people and monitored student subscriptions and removals.
    • Coordinated Simply Rolled fundraiser event.
    • Presented a couple of general body meetings: I lead one on Equitas Health and one about self-care, which was supported with research articles that talked about mindfulness, mental health, racial disparities, and affirmation-speaking.
    • Volunteered with Clean-Up Columbus on numerous occasions with fellow executive board members to raise money for GHI while simultaneously giving back to Columbus and beautifying it. We picked up recycling and trash along sidewalks on streets that were close to campus.
    •  Prepared executive board meeting agenda and kept minutes. Presented updates to the team.

    • I designed this informational flyer for GHI!

  • Presented poster on my Second-Year Transformational Program (STEP) Signature Project, which I completed in Summer 2018, at the STEP Expo on November 1st, 2018
    • Spent $10 on 36″ by 48″ poster

    • I frequently have an issue of putting too much text onto a poster. I just always have so much information and insights to share!

    • Poster link: Melinda Dang – STEP Poster PDF
  • Participated in Buckeye Pen Pals, from the Student Alumni Council
    • Matched with a mentor who graduated from OSU with her Master of Public Health in Epidemiology
    • Regularly communicate with mentor about career plans, academic goals, and other aspects of college life
  • Served on student panel at regional NAFSA international education conference on November 5th, 2018
    • Spoke about experiences with my education abroad program in May and challenges I faced, from financial to social to cultural, etc.
    • Was one of four student panelists; all of us were Young Scholars
    • Our panel was called “Access and Affordability: Lessons from Young Scholars”

      This was my first time participating in a panel at a conference! It was a large room and we had no microphones. It was especially a struggle for me with my softer voice.

  • Attended luncheon with Mrs. Brenda Drake (wife of President Michael Drake of The Ohio State University) along with three other female students at OSU who are scholarship recipients themselves. The room was full of women professionals and we were able to talk over a meal.
  • On November 30th, 2018, I was informed of my offer of admission into the College of Public Health’s combined degree program for my BS/MPH in five years!
  • Planned and participated in MUNDO’s Puerto Rico 2018 Winter Break Experience: Se Levanta
    • Met with Action Team for an hour/hour and a half weekly beginning in August to plan experience.
    • Created informational flyer to advertise and promote experience, and also created flyer for the Pre-Travel Meeting for those accepted for the experience.

    • This is a very eye-catching flyer and includes the details of the trip as well as how it connects to MUNDO’s pillars of service, learning, and leadership.

    • Researched areas of interest related to cultural immersion, immigration experiences and history, and environmental sustainability.
    • Reached out to potential sites for volunteering in Puerto Rico, but it was difficult to find sites that accommodated our group size and were accessible to us.
    •  Emailed alumni of OSU who were in Puerto Rico and was able to secure six of them for a dinner with the students.
    • Throughout the experience, I kept constant communication on GroupMe to remind participants of the day-to-day activities and what to keep in mind while exploring.
  • Planned MUNDO’s Spring Break 2019 Experience in Washington, D.C. area
    • Met biweekly with action team for Autumn 2018 semester
    • Focus was on laying out itinerary and later on, recruitment of participants
    • I created a flyer to advertise the trip.
  • Achieved a 4.0 GPA and Dean’s List for the semester!
  • Wrote an analytical paper that will be provided as an example of exemplary writing for a course called Gender and Pop Culture (WGSST 2230)! I was surprised when my instructor reached out to me to ask if it was alright for them to show this paper for future classes.

Spring 2019

  •  Accepted as a participant for the Public Health Perspectives: Japan experience with the College of Public Health!
    • Our group has about 17 or 18 students and this was a competitive process. After applying, there were short interviews with the program director.
    • In spring, we have two orientation sessions to get ourselves ready for the program.
    • Also in spring, we have individual and group assignments to complete before the program. Then while abroad, we still have work to do!
  • Organized and executed MUNDO’s Spring Break 2019 Experience in Washington, D.C. area “Roots of Revolution, Social Change, & Activism in America”
    • I have a separate blog post for this experience!

      OH-IO at the Capitol!

  • Served on Office of Diversity and Inclusion Research Panel in February to discuss how I got involved with research.
  •  Hired as one of two semester student assistants at the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity.
    •  Receptionist duties: greeting people
    •  Make copies, scans, and retrieve printed documents
    •  Stock Kirwan’s reports around office and in conference room
    •  Set up, check in, and tear down of Weekly Forums that occur in spring and fall
    •  Help with special projects, such as inputting data from business cards
    •  It has been great getting to know the researchers and staff at Kirwan and understand all that Kirwan has to offer, as well as the many partnerships we have in the community.
  • Awarded Alan Vander Molen study abroad scholarship, for students who are studying certain topics related to health and wellness, sustainability, and other areas.
  • Awarded an Honors & Scholars Enrichment Grant! Only 10-15% of proposals are accepted and I was awarded the full amount I asked for.
  • Awarded an ODI Education Abroad scholarship to help with study abroad.
  • Recognized as MUNDO’s Most Outstanding Member for spring 2019! I had the most points for attending MUNDO events.
    • We celebrate the very last general body meeting of MUNDO with a Mexican tradition called cascarones.

      We had a large group partake in this colorful tradition this year. Good luck and go Bucks!

  • Continued as Global Health Initiative’s Co-President for the semester.
    • Helped transition executive board members to become Co-Presidents.
    • Monitored executive board member applications and provided updates and acceptances on a rolling basis.
  • Awarded a Summer 2019 College of Public Health Global Health Travel Award for my study abroad program.
    • I will write a summary of my experience and its connection to global health.
  • Awarded Asian American Studies Best Undergraduate Research Paper or Critical Essay.
    • I submitted a paper that I wrote for my Gender in Pop Culture class, which I learned a lot from!
    • My paper analyzed a music video’s representation of women, and furthermore, Asian American women. The song I chose was Chris Brown’s “Fine China.” This assignment was fun and fulfilling, and it was also eye-opening.
  • Awarded summer funding from College Now Greater Cleveland; I asked this external donor for funds to help with meals and transportation during my program and I was excited to hear that they will support me!
  • Awarded fellowship for first year of graduate school, which will cover tuition, expenses, and provide me with a stipend!
  • Accepted into the Summer HIV/AIDS Research Program (SHARP) as a 2019 cohort member!
    • I am delighted to be a scholar in this extremely competitive summer internship program that involves research, mentorship, community outreach, workshops and seminars, and more! This is a great step in my public health career and will help me narrow down what I want to do in my future. Furthermore, I will get to live and work in a different environment and meet dozens of individuals. I look forward to these relationships and I am super excited about this opportunity. Look out for several blog posts about SHARP.
  • Earned Dean’s List honor for spring 2019 semester!
  • Shared my story on mental health and breaking the stigma for podcast called Hidden in Plain Sight, co-founded by two students at OSU; more information on the podcast is here: https://neurosciencemajor.osu.edu/hidden-in-plain-site.
  • Shared my story about mental health stigma as an APIDA with an editor from The Lantern, a student-run newspaper! I was excited to be a part of the campus conversation on mental health within the APIDA community and my unique experiences with my identities. I hope to continue advocating for mental health resources for everyone and that everyone can access these resources; not only that, but these resources and providers need to be culturally sensitive and intersectional in their approach, so that they look at the whole person and see what is all going on in their lives. There’s so much to mental health I want to talk about and explore further myself, in my personal life as well as my professional career.

Once again, the 2018-2019 school year has had a myriad of ups and downs but I learned about myself in the process. I cannot believe the year is over, but I am glad because I have been incredibly tired. I did not imagine myself getting involved and taking part in these amazing opportunities at Ohio State and outside of this campus, this state, or even this country.

Tomorrow, if things go as planned, I will head to Tokyo, Japan to start my adventures in another country! Then next month, I begin more adventures in a new city, all the way across America, in San Francisco. I’m so thankful for these opportunities.

Sophomore Year Timeline

Autumn 2017

  • Began role as Social Media & Marketing Correspondent for MUNDO
    • Managed social media: Facebook and Twitter
    • Posted statuses/photos at least once a week to social media and to the MUNDO GroupMe messaging app to connect with OSU students and staff
    • Designed promotional flyers for our Monday meetings, events, and trips
    • Designed graphics to showcase our executive board members during our Monthly ODNUM Spotlights
    • Created PowerPoint for Fall Pinning Ceremony, the culminating meeting for fall semester, and presented it to the group
    • Collaborated with our president Danny to select food menu for ceremony
    • Designed certificates of achievement to present to the 11 new active members of MUNDO for Autumn 2017
  • Active participant in planning Spring Break 2018 Experience for MUNDO
    • Attended biweekly planning meetings as part of the Action Team
    • Designed flyer graphic for the week-long trip
    • Researched museums and other locations in the South (New Orleans, Memphis, Birmingham) in order to plan a trip that will be educational and meet all of our goals
    • Initiated design of itinerary packet for trip participants
  • Participated in MUNDO’s Detroit (Classic Edition) Experience,  a day-long trip to Detroit
    • Only executive board member to attend
    • Spoke with Wayne State University students about what Detroit is like and how their life experiences have shaped them
    • Visited Greektown and took a subway train to gain perspective on the city
    • Explored for a few hours the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History with a guided tour and visits to the following exhibits:
      And Still We Rise: The African American Journey
      Say It Loud: Art, History, Rebellion
      Inspiring Minds: African Americans in Science & Technology
      The Music and the Times: Photographs by Leni Sinclair
      Spirits and Symbols: The Art of Haiti
  • Active member of MUNDO
    • Earned 42 points by attending 14 meetings/events with MUNDO; tied for second place for executive member having the most points
  • Through Buckeye Pen Pals, was matched with a mentor (and OSU alumna) who has a Ph.D. in epidemiology and works with a clinical trial right now studying tobacco-related health disparities, specifically with the American Indian population
    • Email correspondence several times a month to exchange knowledge and perspectives; I specifically hope to gain career guidance from her and more
    • The Buckeye Pen Pals program connects students with alumni mentors around the country. Based on a short registration survey and students’ career interests and major, program administrators match students and mentors. Participants stay in contact by email, but decide on their own how frequently they correspond and on what topics.
  • Began role as Event Planning Co-Chair for Global Health Initiative
    • Planned second annual Pre-Professional 101 event, which brought close to 20 upperclassmen/graduate students and at least 20 underclassmen/undergraduates together to discuss academics and graduate/professional school
    • Reached out to numerous upperclassmen and graduate students to ask if they could volunteer to represent their tracks at the event
    • Learned more about event planning, marketing, and budgeting
    • Designed flyer and was able to advertise on the Ohio Union TV screens as well as in residence halls across campus
    • Planned and executed two Study Tables, one for midterms and one for finals week, for the general body members

      We just provide an assortment of cookies, no milk!

    • Along with a Co-President and Event Planning Co-Chair, accepted the John Lewis Award at OSU’s Civic Engagement Banquet
    • Participated in an event called Advocacy Training with a partner organization Population Connection so that I could learn about advocacy and lobbying, especially for the #Fight4HER act
  • Resumed role as Young Scholars Program – Young Scholar Ambassador
    • Called 12th grade YSP student to congratulate her on being accepted to OSU and discussing with her goals and hopes for college
    • Provided example for new Ambassadors to emulate when they call high school students themselves
  • Recognized as National Residence Hall Honorary All-Star
    • Was nominated by anonymous person to be an All-Star for the Buckeye Chapter of National Residence Hall Honorary
    • Was recognized for the positive impact I have made on my Buckeye community and for my exceptional student leadership with a lunch and movie
       
  • Participated in MUNDO’s one week long New York Experience 2017 (Deluxe Edition)
    • Engaged in service with minority youth at a program
    • Learned about immigration histories by visiting Ellis Island, Tenement Museum, Chinatown, and more
    • Immersed myself into what it is like to be a New Yorker for a week as I navigated my way using the transit system
    • Viewed two Broadway shows to further explore cultural issues (Latin History for Morons covered Latin history and Once on this Island examined struggles of different social classes.)
    • Expanded my worldviews on various cultures through these different experiences and visiting ethnic enclaves
    • There is a separate post about this experience!
  • At beginning of semester (first week of school), was emailed saying that I was hired for a work-study position within an hour after the interview
    I deferred this position until Spring so that I could finish Autumn semester strong
  • Dean’s List and 4.0 GPA again!
    • I am especially proud of myself since I was very anxious about my courses for the semester. I earned a perfect score on a 30-page paper for my Research Methods in Sociology class
  • Opted out of Mirrors Sophomore Class Honorary and James Cancer Hospital volunteering position in order to focus on my true passions and my personal healthLess is more!
    This semester taught me so much and contrasted greatly from freshman year, but I am glad that I was able to achieve despite numerous struggles.

Spring 2018 

  • Began volunteering with Equitas Health as part of their Ohio HIV/STI Hotline – I am an Operator and answer online inquiries about sexual health, create informative social media posts, and prepare health packs with condoms, lube, and business cards. I volunteer on Mondays from 9:30 to 5! I will have monthly posts about my experience on my blog.
  • Participated in MUNDO’s “Civil Rights, Citizenship, & Southern Legacies” spring break experience
    • Part of ACTION Team that plans every aspect of the trip
    • I specifically had role of booking group tours with museums in Birmingham, AL
    • A separate blog post will be made for details of this experience!
  • Accepted to participate in “Public Health Perspectives: Finland & Estonia” study abroad program for May-June 2018
  • Facilitated the first meeting of the school year for MUNDO “Where Do We Go From Here?” along with another ODNUM member

    OSU has great Brutus Buckeye emojis for use!

  • Executed first AlumNight event for Global Health Initiative, which brought together GHI alumni and current GHI members together for a night of networking
  • Featured on www.osu.edu front page when Communications department took photos of me and my friends during the summer
  • Solely organized and executed GHI’s resume review event, which I renamed Professional Finesse.
    Event included LinkedIn tips and overview, Honors & Scholars e-portfolio use and general u.osu.edu use, resume basics, social media etiquette, and more.

    I prepared a 60+ slide presentation with all the information I could discuss with potential students. Unfortunately, not a single person attended, but this informed me that the time of the event conflicted with others’ schedules.

  • Executed Research Mix & Mingle event for Global Health Initiative on March 20th, 2018 and connect undergraduate students with faculty members who are doing research. Over 30 students attended and spoke with the representatives we had.
  • Participated in 2 hours of video recording at Curl Market and North Rec Center for OSU’s future freshmen Orientation videos (the videos should be shown for the next three to four years)
  • Awarded Office of Diversity & Inclusion’s Education Abroad scholarship for $925, which will almost fully reimburse me for my study abroad flight
  • Participated in first Global Women’s Empowerment Conference, presented by AWOW (Advocates for Women of the World), Buck-I-Serv, and the Multicultural Center. Attended break-out sessions on sexual harassment awareness, economic empowerment, and women’s health.
  • Attended in-person university training to prepare for being Co-President of Global Health Initiative of 2018-2019 school year
  • Participated in the Multicultural Center’s Women Student Initiative’s inaugural Buckeye Women Service and Philanthropy Day 2018! I volunteered at Kaleidoscope Youth Center, which is off-campus
  • Attended the annual Distinguished Leadership Brunch on March 31st honoring student organizations on campus that support the residential community in Residence Life. Refreshments and an awards ceremony were part of the brunch to highlight the Involved Living Organizations at OSU!
  • Accepted into University of Iowa’s SROP for Summer 2018; during the eight-week program, I will work on a professor’s research project(s) while preparing for the GRE and graduate school, participating in workshops and other professional development activities, and networking with peers from across the country
  • Executed and volunteered at Khmer Student Association’s Khmer New Year 2018.
    Throughout the semester, I joined this group’s meetings to learn more about Khmer culture and Cambodian history. I learned about experiences of Southeast Asians.
    I was on the Marketing Team and my graphic designs were used for program flyers and promotional material. For Khmer New Year 2018, I designed a banner for sponsors, the event program, the Facebook event photos, and more. Over 100 people attended the event.

    At the beginning of the event, I helped with the PowerPoint presentation and click on the slides.

    Performers and volunteers pose for a photo!

    A goofy photo moment

  • April 13th, about 80 tenth graders from the nine urban cities of Ohio visited OSU for a few hours to see what college is like. For this 10th grade visit day, I had two shadow me; one was from Toledo and one from Dayton. They were both interested in engineering. From 10 am to 1 pm, they were with me; I introduced them to North High Street and the Union. They sat in on one of my classes, and afterwards I showed them the Oval. It felt short to me but I enjoyed meeting new people, especially so because both were in the Young Scholars Program, like me! This counted as part of my volunteer position as a Young Scholars Ambassador.
    Places to take potential future Buckeyes include: campus libraries (Thompson is a must), the RPAC, the Union, a dining facility, Wexner Center for the Arts, and a ride on the CABS bus.
  • Visited a community recreation center with Sophia, GHI Co-President, to do a public health-related session with Healthy Asian Youth (H.A.Y. kids). These children are Southeast Asian-American and they have different health outcomes compared to other Asian subgroups, in addition to different life experiences, which dispel the model minority myth that inflicts Asians. We introduced ourselves and I provided an intro to public health. We then proceeded with our activity. We divided the youth, who ranged in age from preschool to teenage, into two groups. They each received a poster paper and made Venn diagrams about what was ‘good health’ and ‘bad health’ to them. We instructed them to provide as many examples or ideas as they can think of. Some of what they wrote and what we ourselves thought of included: proper sleep (not too much but not too little), reducing soda intake, getting flu shots, not jaywalking, eating vegetables, no smoking, using seatbelts, and more. Future lesson plans should have more focus, such as a lesson on solely mental health and all that it encompasses. One group wrote down “suicide,” and I want to highlight that topic as a part of depression because of how prevalent and salient mental health is during youth. Next school year, we will be sure to also discuss the role of technology and health. Global Health Initiative is partnering with H.A.Y. and will continue to interact with the youth so that they can lead healthy lives and understand more about themselves!
  • Present my second-year service project at Health Science Scholars Second-Year Symposium on April 19th
  • Presented my art piece and spoken word/poem at mental health gala called Breaking Our Silence by Pan-Asian Mental Wellness Association (PMWA) on April 20
  • Made the Dean’s List
  • Earned a cumulative 3.964 GPA; term GPA is 3.8
  • I sadly will never have a 4.0 again, and this came as a shock to me but it was almost inevitable. I learned from this and do not see it as a failure but something that shapes who I am, and my grades are not entirely reflective of my character or personality. I am still a very well-rounded scholar who is involved in multiple commitments and activities. Based on who I am holistically, I am a strong candidate for future graduate school programs. I am also still loved and appreciated by my friends and family, as well as others in my community.

A Year In Review: Year 1

Since coming to OSU, have you seen any personal growth into who you are now? What were your expectations and preconceived notions about college and HSS? Were those initial expectations met? What are your goals for your 2nd Year in HSS and at OSU?

Reflecting on the near-completion of my first-year at OSU, I am amazed at how far I came and the experiences I gained. I have witnessed personal growth in my ability to take on more tasks and a heavier workload than in high school. Taking on Chinese for my foreign language requirement was something I hated in the first few months on campus but I came to enjoy how rewarding it is to make all this progress. Plus, I really liked the five Chinese TAs I saw (one for each day of the week) who made the in-class work enjoyable. Also, I found employment and another family at Sloopy’s Diner in the Ohio Union. Working in the Dessert Shop whipping up milkshakes (which did not bring boys to the yard), cookie a la modes, fudge brownies and other delectable delicacies entailed some physical labor and endurance. Standing for 5 hour shifts was something I quickly became accustomed to, and I improved customer service skills. Teamwork does make the dream work! Another way I grew is that I am more self-aware. I handle stress better and know when and who to turn to when I need additional assistance. I realize that I need time to recharge. Do not feel shameful or guilty for spending that half-hour or hour catching up on Netflix or painting your nails – taking breaks works for me, and should work for others too. Also important is my increased openness to new ideas, even ones that challenge my thoughts and beliefs (the 2016 election was a difficult time for the whole world, and I learned to be vocal about my rights and not remain silent, but that it was ok to engage in debate.) I lived with a complete stranger this year (I grew up sleeping with my mom and brother in the same room my entire life). My environment changed so much but I love my current surroundings. If I could pick a single facet that makes OSU so great, I would have to choose the people.

Image may contain: 10 people, people smiling, outdoor

The 2017-2018 cohort of Health Sciences Scholars first years! We are residing in Park-Stradley Hall because our community lives and learns together. I am in the second row 7th from the right, wearing a red sweater underneath my shirt.

I was placed into my first choice Scholars program, Health Sciences Scholars (HSS), so I was enthusiastic about that because it most closely aligned with my career and personal interests of healthcare. I looked forward to learning how to be a skilled professional and approach public health from a biopsychosocial standpoint. HSS had a beginning-of-the-year bash with Minute-to-Win-It-like games that they called the Olympics. It was fun and broke some ice. At the start of the year, we also volunteered together as a giant group and that helped me feel more comfortable with my cohort of about a hundred students. Some first and second year Scholars volunteered a morning at the Garden of Hope, a James Cancer Hospital initiative for cancer patients to help manage their cancer and general health. The patients get to grow vegetables. I enjoyed learning about the plants and seeing cows!

Actually, HSS exceeded my expectations because we had a seminar course autumn semester where we learned about topics like multiculturalism, how to give a presentation on a disease, and health literacy. We were divided into groups to present on our chosen diseases, so this reinforced my collaboration and research skills.

Our program coordinator, Gail, really made an effort to ensure that we participated and benefitted from HSS. She put on multiple student panels for our class as well as brought in professionals such as doctors and occupational therapists (who are also OSU faculty) for the event Dining with the Department. I also really liked the HSS events; they helped my college experience because sometimes there were craft nights or stress-relief days with puppies. HSS is just one of the several different communities I am in at OSU, and we are all connected by our desire to improve the world and people’s health, whether it’s hands-on clinical interaction or community outreach. I learned much more about this field of work. In HSS, we were provided with information about resources like research opportunities, student organizations, and volunteering options. The various assignments we did for class helped strengthen my writing; I explored secondary solutions/back-up-plans if public health does not turn out well for me, and by taking personality assessments, it was not a surprise that my strong suits are helping and caring! I am a great fit for my future career.

My goals for my second year of HSS is to do exceptionally well with the Second Year Major Service Project (which requires at least 40 hours of volunteering under a certain theme) and learn from that while setting an example for younger HSS cohorts. In spring of 2018, I present my project at the HSS Symposium they have each year at Hale Hall.

I had a list of my expectations for college (a google doc with goals I wanted to achieve my first year into second year). These achievements included: getting accepted into my major, joining at least one club, committing to a volunteering opportunity, become Young Scholar Ambassador, and getting a 4.0. I fulfilled all of these! Coming into college with a framework or road map is useful. I explored the OSU website for hours and also checked out College Confidential as well as OSU’s Instagram, Facebook and YouTube channels when I had spare time. Sure, you may deviate from your proposed plans but at least you’re not going to be walking into OSU blind with no direction. (Then again, having no idea what you want to do before you arrive on campus is not necessarily bad! Welcome Week and the Involvement Fair gives you so much free stuff and they help you determine what you want to be apart of.)
I have ups and downs in college (unexpected late scholarship payments that caused me to resign from work-study for the semester, and relationship issues), but that’s all part of life. I learned how to be more flexible, more adult-like.

Mirrors Sophomore Class Honorary 2017-2018 Privileged to be among the 46 members chosen out of 106 applicants! There was an application process and interviewing round. I am happy to spend the next year (and beyond) with brilliant-minded individuals dedicated to the pillars of Service, Learning, and Leadership!

My goals for OSU in general are to dig deeper into my activities because during my first year I only touched the tip of the iceberg, and I want to get to the core of it. I know I will be a volunteer at the James Cancer Hospital, an executive-board member for a club called MUNDO, and member of Mirrors Sophomore Class Honorary. Furthermore, I will be conducting a project with STEP support and funding. I hope to be an HIV test counselor as well. Additionally, I hope I will continue to manage my academics, which are a constant challenge that I embrace with open arms.

Now that it is mid-April, I am prepping for my finals, which I anticipate will hit me harder than Holly Holms knocked out Ronda Rousey in 2015, but I know I can bounce back from that! 😉

Until next year,
Melinda Dang

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 information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

Freshman Year Timeline

Fall 2016

  • Participated in 3-week early arrival program in summer to prepare for college and move into dorm early
  • Joined MUNDO and Global Health Initiative
  • Worked part-time at College of Public Health as Student Assistant
  • Was randomly selected for a First in the World research study, during which I receive additional advising services from a Student Success Specialist. Criteria was qualifying for a Pell grant, being a first-generation college student, or both.  A total of 1,100 OSU students have been selected.
  • Applied for and was only freshman accepted to MUNDO alternative winter-break week-long trip to Los Angeles
  • Attended first football game with President Drake and Board of Trustees in the University Suite, for free
  • Became a Young Scholars Ambassador for the Young Scholars Program to do outreach for younger Young Scholars. I called 12th graders to discuss college and requirements with them.
  • Volunteered 20 hours at various blood drives and other service projects
  • Participated in the 2016 October walk for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. There were 2500 walkers, volunteers and survivors. A total of $135,000 was raised. The team I walked with raised over $2,000
  • Posted a Snap which was featured on Ohio State’s Snapchat Story, and viewed by 8,000 people
  • Dean’s List and 4.0 GPA!

Spring 2017

  • Worked 15 hours a week in Ohio Union at Sloopy’s Diner
  • Volunteered at nonprofit health care center for 15 hours over winter break
  • Volunteered as Young Scholars Ambassador for Go Buckeye Day, and welcomed 128 admitted Young Scholars (who are first-generation college students) to campus for the all-day event
  • Participated in MUNDO Multicultural Leadership trip to Cincinnati and Louisville, KY in January 2017
  • Awarded $2,000 OH-IO Education Abroad scholarship
  • Attended College of Public Health 2017 Spring Career Fair
  • Inducted into Mirrors Sophomore Class Honorary. 106 applicants and 46 members were chosen
  • Inducted into ALDPES, Alpha Lambda Delta and Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society
  • Elected to Global Health Initiative executive board as Event Planning co-chair
  • Elected to MUNDO executive board as Social Media and Marketing Correspondent
  • Participated in annual Involved Learning Organization (ILO) retreat
    MUNDO is one of the six central Involved Living Organizations within Residence Life which supports efforts to create the extraordinary student experience at The Ohio State University
  • Featured in a USAToday article that received over 2,000 shares. Article was about how I benefitted from an AmeriCorps member’s service while I was in high school applying for college
  • Accepted into BSPH major
  • Declared Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies minor
  • Dean’s List and 4.0 GPA to end freshman year!
  • Accepted as Summer Bridge Experience Peer Leader for Young Scholars Program for Summer 2017