When I first stepped onto the Ohio State University’s main campus, I rode the elevator in Morrill Tower all the way up to the 13th floor to meet my new family: the Dunn Scholar’s class of 2018. Walking in as a freshman, I was ecstatic to meet the group of people that I would grow up with and learn to navigate this university with. Growing up in a small town in NE, Ohio, I was almost in shock at the amount of students at this school and the size of the campus. However, the Dunn Scholars program provided me with a niche of students with similar interests to me from all different walks of life that helped make this huge university into something a little more manageable.

Growing up in the middle of no where, I had not experienced many different cultures or lifestyles different from my own. Coming to Ohio State was, in a lack of better terms, a bit of a culture shock. After spending some time with the Dunn Scholars and others on campus, I realized the importance of education on different cultures and how it can shape the way people believe. This was also during the 2016 election, which lead to multiple peer-lead discussions about the world around us and what we believed. Through these discussions, I was able to grow as a person and become more culturally sensitive to those around me. Finally, these discussions helped me change the thought patterns I once had and realize the close-mindedness of them.

When I first walked onto THE Ohio State University’s campus, I was completely shocked at the massive shoes I needed to fill. However, when I walked into my first meeting for the Dunn Sport and Wellness Scholars, I knew. I knew that this is where I belonged and that this is the place I would call home for at least the next four years. The Dunn Sport and Wellness Scholars program has provided me with countless opportunities and a family to make this huge university feel small. In the first week of coming to campus, we received a pin for becoming a scholars student. This pin has helped me throughout the year remember why I came to THE Ohio State and the goals I hope to accomplish some day. Throughout this year, I have learned an infinite amount about myself due to the Dunn Sport and Wellness Scholar program. I have learned what it means to be a DSWS member and the weight that name carries on this campus. I have also learned who I am as a person. What my goals in life are, what my values are, and what I want to accomplish before I leave this university. The DSWS program has pushed me to push myself to receive grades that are good enough to get into physical therapy school, as well as to push myself out of my comfort zone. Without this H&S pin, I do not know how my semester would have ended. I could not be more grateful.