Year in Review

This year at Ohio State has been both memorable and eye-opening for me. I’ve made so many friends and learned new things that would not have been possible without taking the opportunity to do things that I enjoy. I’ve learned so much about my major, diversity and inclusion, humanitarian engineering and more. I made long-lasting relationships with people in different organizations such as LSAMP and Morrill, student orgs like Hack OHI/O and Cognitive Science club, and even at places like Nationwide or Chase, where I discovered a lot about my career path in CSE and engineering that I would not have otherwise have known.

Since the start of freshman year, goals that I set for myself are slowly becoming a reality and I am excited to have the support to do so. I have reached out to professors and peers alike for research opportunities that I am grateful to look forward to. For the future, I am looking into working with people in virtual and artificial intelligence. This summer, I plan on taking my calculus 1172 course and work on projects related to CSE. I am excited for the new year and I look forward to seeing my friends from this past year.

G.O.A.L.S.

Columbus To-Do List

For our Columbus To-Do List, my group decided on going to Kafe Kerouac on November 4th around 9:30 pm. Going to the cafe was a calming yet atomic experience. There was a lot of personality packed with plenty of smells and a diverse crowd of people. Although I didn‘t care for the smoking there, the smell of coffee behind the counter in the evening greatly contrasted my level of alertness. The decor of the cafe was also very pleasing, with lots of books, low lighting, a diverse range of art, and home-like-nostalgic features scattered in neat arrangements.  One of the things I learned/found while at the cafe was how different each patron’s activity seemed to be during my short time there; it was definitely a more open environment unlike many places on campus and seemed like a good place to go for any sort of cafe-like activity. One thing I would do differently is definitely going at an earlier time to experience not only the morning setting, but also to have some of their coffee – something I decided wasn’t the best thing to have at 9:30 at night. There was also a very wide range of choices available, with some of their specials even named after book authors. Overall, I had a good time with my peer mentor and group; I would definitely recommend the cafe to a friend, and I hope to find time to come back to it in the future. 

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.]

Artifacts

Volunteering

Volunteering and service has been an important part of my life. It has opened me up on not only the perspective of my community, but also my awareness of how I interact with the world.  Although I was involved in many volunteering activities, the ones that stuck with me the most was when I was able to directly impact the lives of others, whether that be fundraising rural clinics in Ethiopia, or simply going to a local nursing home to play some winter themed songs. Not only was I able to bring piece of joy to others, I found myself being joyful as well by giving back to my community and to people I found to care deeply for. Being fortunate enough to be in a position where one can help others is a part of what I learned from these experiences – that giving your time can mean a world of a difference for someone else; it is something I hope that I will continue to be able to do into college and beyond. 

About Me

Thomas DawitA picture of me

Hello! My name is Thomas Dawit, and welcome to my about page. I want to talk a little bit about myself as a person and an academic here, and hope to let you know a little more about my interests and my passions. 

 I was born in Chicago, Illinois, and have moved around several times across the states until I finally settled into Ohio, where have lived for most of my life. In my family, my dad comes from Ethiopia and my mom is from Germany, and I have four brothers, one who is in college at OSU already. 

 In high school, I was engaged in many different activities and volunteer opportunities. One of the things I did was aide at the Columbus Zoo for over four years, with a strong emphasis on guest relationships and animal outreach. I was also a volunteer at an immigration social service group called ETSS, where I was able to meet with children from all over the world who moved to Columbus with their families and help them join the community.  

For my academic goals, I am working to become a computer scientist, analyzing big data and using my potential skills to advance society. Coming to OSU is what believe to be one of the first steps to achieving my goals in both developing relationships in the college of engineering and beyond. 

 

VIA Top 5 Character Strengths

  • Judgment
    • I find myself fairly impartial to most situations, and actively put myself in positions where my bias is limited
  • Fairness
    • I typically recognize that I have a good sense of delegating and understanding others without outside influences affecting my decisions
  • Self-Regulation
    • I avoid temptations and follow strict schedules in my day; I regulate my time having fun and working
  • Honesty
    • I value sincerity and truth over most things; with it being the first step toward true understanding of others perspectives and as a reflection of my character
  • Hope
    • The future is bright, and I look forward to moving towards a long term goal every day