Year of Service

My year of service project has played a large role in who I have become these past few months. I chose to work with the Crisis Text Line as my agency and I have experienced a lot already. I have learned a lot more about myself and how much I am able to handle when it comes to those heavier topics. I have also learned a lot about crisis management, and have been trained in helping others find their calm state again after a crisis. I have had conversations with many people, some more intense than others. I think these conversations have helped me become more in touch with my caring side and grow more as a leader. I’ve already started noticing small things in my daily life that have changed because of my service project. For example, when I’m talking to my friends who are stressed or upset, I subconsciously begin to go through the steps I was taught in training. It’s interesting to see how even though I help some people, they show me a lot back. I’m really grateful for my experience so far, and I am excited to continue helping people and making an impact in my community.

G.O.A.L.S.

After being at OSU for almost a year and a half, there is a lot that I have learned about myself already. Having the opportunity to witness myself grow on a more personal scale as well as with my leadership has been very beneficial, and I believe Mount has a great role in that. One thing I would like to focus on more in the coming semesters is getting involved in more leadership positions within different student organizations on campus. Although I am a member in a few right now, I am hoping to take on a larger role in the next two years.  Having leadership experience through Mount is an opportunity that I am very grateful for and I hope to use more of those here for me at Ohio State in the next few years to come.

Another goal I hope to accomplish before I graduate is either working abroad or serving a new community. STEP has made these ideas a potential reality, so I have been researching more into what these different opportunities could entail. I would like to combine the coursework and leadership experiences I gained here at OSU and use both of them while either interning abroad or volunteering with a group that serves a population I haven’t had much experience with before.

These two goals of mine, to join more leadership roles in student organizations and to be more engaged in my global community, are the things I hope to accomplish before I leave Ohio State. I truly believe this is possible if I continue on my journey and grasp every potential opportunity around me.

Artifact

Another artifact for me is my black belt. I started doing Tae Kwon Do when I was five, and it has remained a big part of my life since then. Doing Tae Kwon Do taught me many things about the art, but also about discipline and respect. It is a great sport to start young, because it can strongly shape a person and their personality. Throughout my childhood I was continuously involved in other sports as well, but the values I learned in Tae Kwon Do came with me wherever I went.

After I earned my black belt, I became an instructor and taught younger belts. This also had a large impact on my life, because I began to teach others at a young age. It helped me to work on my patience and learn more about those around me. Although the other sports I played taught me more about being on a team and reliability, Tae Kwon Do shaped me to be a respectful, honest, disciplined hard worker. I would definitely not be the person I am today had I not been involved in this sport. It has become a part of my personality and character, and I am grateful to have started so young.

Year in Review

This past year I have grown a lot because of the new environment, the difficult coursework, and Mount Leadership Society scholars program. Living alone and away from home has led me to realizing many new aspects of myself that I didn’t see before. Additionally, I have learned how to be more independent, and have grown in my time management skills. The coursework I have faced as a first year student in the Fisher college of Business, has also defined who I am now. I see growth in myself and my work ethic as I begin to understand how to properly study for exams, and make the most out of my classes. Finally, I have strengthened my leadership skills through the Mount Leadership Society. Having the opportunity to be one of the leads in my Legacy Week team and a co-chair for the Recruitment, Outreach, and Welcoming Committee next year has really helped my leadership qualities grow. I better understand myself as a leader as well as things I need to work on to become a better leader. I am definitely not the same person I was when I moved into Bowen House almost eight months ago, and I am thankful to OSU for that.

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

While being close to finishing my second year at Ohio State, I have completed many courses that will help me towards my career. Being a student in Fisher helps give me a well-rounded education and learn the basics about all different aspects of business. I have really enjoyed learning about my specialization, Marketing, as well as many others. I plan on continuing to enroll in these business courses that will help me learn more and grow into a knowledgable student. Along with the strong coursework, I hope to learn more through internships and impact others with what I have learned. I am in some extracurriculars through the business school (FisherCares, Fisher Peer Mentoring Program), as well as others that are related to my passions (Buckeyes Against Alzheimer’s). I believe all of these organizations will help me in my future career through the soft skills that I will learn (leadership, communication, time management, etc.) as well as the connections I make through the different organizations! Last semester, I began a new undergraduate research position with a research professor at Fisher who has already shown me a lot in the past few weeks. Additionally, I will begin a Marketing internship this summer at Huntington Bank which will help me learn more about my future career. Both of these opportunities will help me in the future; I am grateful for each of them. Along with the professor I am working with for the research project, I also find both my Mount mega and co-mega to be extremely great mentors! Sydney and Spencer are both in Fisher and are people I look up to. They’re really accomplished and doing well in their majors, I am grateful to have them as my megas.

Artifacts

My artifact is the piano because it has been a major aspect of my life for thirteen years. The piano is kind of a conflicting artifact for me because while it brings me a sense of calmness and clarity, it also makes me reminisce on countless hours of practicing and the hard work that has gone with it. I think playing the piano is a staple aspect of my life because when I get stressed with schoolwork or social situations, it is always there to snap me out of reality and calm me down.

Playing the piano is also very important to me because it highlights the effort I place in all activities. It represents hard work, motivation, and perseverance because of the many hours I’ve spent playing and practicing for exams. It is an interesting artifact for me because it has brought both challenging and calming sides to me. But overall, it still remains an extremely important aspect to my life, as I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t play anymore!

The piano helps to tell my story because it encompasses both the challenging moments as well as the relaxing ones. It showcases my personality very well in the fact that I love to work hard and achieve my goals, but also relax and enjoy time with others. Playing the piano represents me very well and I love the strength and motivation that I have received from this instrument since I was a child. I don’t know who I would be if I didn’t learn these lessons along the way and impact from this beautiful instrument.

About Me

Hi, my name is Farah Desai and I am a first-year business student at The Ohio State University majoring in Marketing. I am from Cincinnati, Ohio where I attended Fairfield High School. I held a leadership role in clubs such as National Honor Society, Interact Club, French Club, Symphony Orchestra, and student council where I served as class president for three years. I was also involved in my school’s tennis team all throughout high school, as well as a black belt instructor at my local Tae Kwon Do gymnasium. Additionally, I volunteered with numerous organizations for kids and senior citizens, as a Big for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, a baseball coach for the Reds Rookie Success League, and a volunteer with Alzheimer’s patients and other elderly citizens at different nursing homes.

Currently at Ohio State, I am a part of the Mount Leadership Society Scholars Program and on the Recruitment, Outreach, and Welcome Committee (ROW). I also hope to join a few student organizations pertaining to my major as well as my interests soon. Although I am unclear on my future after college, I am excited to learn more about my career path and create new memories here at Ohio State.