Year in Review

2020 has been a long, impactful, and exhausting year for everyone. But as Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Life is what you make it.” And with that, I aim to apply this motto towards my day-to-day life and its accompanying obstacles.

As I started my freshman year of college in a pandemic, living without a roommate, and taking online classes, my ability to easily make friends was nearly impossible. In attempt to find a solution, I decided to best attempt to involve myself with the Columbus community by joining various organizations.

Since then, my sophomore year of college allowed some return to normalcy. In-person meetings and classes had certainly helped me develop the countless connections and relationships thatI currently hold today. This past year, 2021-2022, I have participated in the following organizations and activities:

 

Honors Program 

This past semester, I decided to apply to the University’s Honors Program. After making the Dean’s list and maintaining a GPA above 3.5, I was eligible to join the program. The Honors program opened up a spectrum of academically enriched courses that have granted me opportunities to evolve my knowledge at a more competitive level as I continue to improve my intellectual and communicative skills.

 

Kappa Delta Sorority 

Additionally, I joined Ohio State Greek Life, becoming a member of the Kappa Delta Sorority. Within this organization, I was able to develop a network of connections outside my educational sphere while acquiring various developmental skills through sisterhood collaborations, meetings, and events. As a Kappa Delta, I was actively involved in civic engagement, supporting Prevent Child Abuse America and Girl Scouts Foundation, two philanthropies we have developed strong relationships with. Through this sisterhood, I have been able to improve upon my communication and creativity skills through collaborating with of a diversity of minds and ideas.

 

Ohio State’s STEP Program 

Within the STEP program offered at Ohio State, I was able to apply for a 2,000 grant towards funding my STNA training to obtain my CNA license. Throughout this journey, I wrote a proposal and created a budget plan to organize spending costs. Through this program, I was fortunate to be able to take STNA classes at Premier Choice Health Center to prepare me for the state test. With this license, I have the knowledge and tools needed to work in a professional clinical setting.

Philanthropy

Continuing my passion for philanthropy, this past year I was an active member at the MidOhio Food Bank in Columbus. This nonprofit organization has provided me the experience of working with individuals whose authenticity reminded me of the power and true meaning of philanthropy. Working at The MidOhio Foodbank allowed me to acknowledge the ongoing global issue of world hunger and how my efforts of sorting and distributing meals have helped make a change.

 

Hostess at Paladar Restaurant  

Over the summer of 2021, I acquired a position as a hostess at a Cleveland restaurant, Paladar. This experience was new to me, but allowed me to recognize the importance of familiarizing yourself in the work industry. This position helped me improve on my communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills necessary to work in a professional environment.

Vision Statement

 

As I enter young adulthood, I hold a multitude of goals that I wish to accomplish in the upcoming years: some of which are too unrealistic and I need to scrap, but also some that are achievable. With these attainable goals, scribbled down over time in a worn-out notebook, I understand the amount of work and motivation necessary for achievement. With that, I must carry a resilient mindset that is open-minded and flexible for change, yet hungry for success.

 

G.O.A.L.S

Global Awareness:

Coming from a high school that continuously preached values of individuality, culture, and acceptance, I aim to carry my knowledge and experience with diversity into my educational experiences and future aspirations. Currently, attending a university with over 66,000 students, there is no doubt that I will meet and connect with new people coming from different ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. I aspire to utilize my ten years of experience with the Spanish language to potentially fulfill my mastery of the language in which I can later utilize through communicating with Spanish natives/locals.

 

Additionally, my experience abroad in Cusco, Peru has allowed me to gain new perspectives and a greater appreciation for indigenous customs and culture. During this trip, I participated in a service project in which we constructed an irrigation system through their town to help distribute water throughout the mountainous region. Through this eye-opening experience, we camped in their town and were able to learn more about their lifestyle, language, and customs while developing strong relations over thousands and thousands of miles.

Original Inquiry:

My recent experience with experimental research and data collection in both school and research projects have prepped me to further participate in research projects and overall experiences at Ohio State. Through the BioSci program, I will be granted the opportunity to work independently in a professional research setting to further master my research skills.  While I currently cannot enter any labs as of right now (due to COVID), I have been practicing many research techniques through my lab classes in GenChem.

 

Academic Enrichment:

After attending a very prestigious high school in which I excelled in many academic, athletic, and community-enrichment activities, I aim to carry the same mindset and confidence towards my life as a student at Ohio State, striving for academic success, development in leadership, and individual growth. In preparation for this success, I have enrolled in the University’s Honors Program to push myself and my academic abilities at a more competitive level.

 

Leadership Development:

While I held a few leadership positions in high school (communal events/clubs/organizations), I find this as an opportunity to find growth upon. In high school, I was a leader of The Race, an annual philanthropic Mother’s Day event, in which participants participated in a 5K race to fund breast cancer research. Upon obtaining this position, I took leadership classes through ELA (Effective Leadership Academy) in learning to become a stronger, more effective leader. These classes prepared me for the actual event in which I successfully led an event with over 900 participants. For the future, in aiming to develop more leadership skills, confidence, and individuality, I am currently seeking opportunities in which I can to further develop my leadership experience.

The Race

 

Service Engagement:

I firmly believe one cannot obtain success without the support of their community. As a Biological Sciences Scholar and a member of Kappa Delta, I am fortunate to have a community that supports me and my academic goals. As I was heavily involved in service in my high school, I aim to bring my passion for philanthropy in my years at Ohio State. Through high school, I was an active volunteer at many organizations Cleveland Foodbank, MedWish, along with events, like The Race. So far in my semester at Ohio State, I have actively volunteered at the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, and for the organizations Prevent Child Abuse America and the Girl Scouts Foundation. I hold a great passion for philanthropy and continue to engage with more community service in the future.

Scientific Research

Throughout the duration of my high school career, I participated in Hathaway Brown School’s Science Research and Engineering Program. This STEM program offered me the opportunity to conduct scientific research in a professional lab. For 4 years, I worked in the Department of Dermatology at Case Western University. In my specific study, I determined whether specific endotypes had an influence on skin disease, Psoriasis, and analyzed blood samples through cool machinery and optics, like flow cytometry.  I learned how to operate the laboratory machines, perform and record specific data calculations, and even analyzed human DNA under a microscope. I participated in the poster session annually in which I presented my research to family, friends, alumni, and guest scientists.

Towards the end of my experience, I wrote a 20-page scientific manuscript that compiled the background and data of my research. With this manuscript, I entered two prestigious competitions, Regeneron and STS. Throughout this long, extended process and experience, I developed a passion for science and research that influenced me to develop an interest in dermatology, a potential career path I have in mind now.

About Me

 

 

Elizabeth Fedro 

@fedro.2@osu.edu

 

My name is Elizabeth Fedro and I am a senior at The Ohio State University. I am apart of both Ohio State’s Biological Sciences Scholars and Honors program with a major in Health Sciences and minor in Biology on the pre-PA track. With my involvement in the sciences, I aspire become a Physician’s Assistant as a profession.

Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, I attended Hathaway Brown, an all-girls school that offered endless opportunities for educational development and women empowerment. My involvement in STEM first initiated with my involvement in scientific research. I spent 3/4 summers of my high school career working in a lab at Case Western University where I conducted and presented multiple research projects. My interest in dermatology originated my senior year when working on a project that focused on the analysis of specific endotypes in patients with Psoriasis.

Over the past 19 years, I have developed a great appreciation for Cleveland: the city, the sports, and most importantly, the community. I worked as an active volunteer at the Cleveland Foodbank, Medwish (a warehouse in which I sorted medical supplies), and a leader of The Race (an annual Mother’s Day race supporting breast cancer research). Ohio State’s Biological Sciences Scholars program has encouraged me to continue my engagement in philanthropy in the Columbus region; currently, I am working at the Mid-Ohio Foodbank. These various opportunities have led me to develop the communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills needed to succeed in the future.

Continuing my passion for philanthropy, my role as a member of Kappa Delta serves active community engagement with local non-profit organizations, The Columbus Center for Family Safety and Healing and the local Girl Scouts organization. Additionally, we make efforts towards funding the national organization, Prevent Child Abuse America, spreading awareness for child safety and protection. As a member of Kappa Delta, I have developed endless connections and the confidence needed to prosper as I enter young adulthood. An annual event that I love to help coordinate, Confidence Coagulation, is a week of activities and awareness towards uplifting and empowering women on campus.

While many of my values reside in education, I firmly believe in achieving stability with the various aspects of my everyday life. I aim to balance my studies with an active, healthy lifestyle while also maintaining strong relationships with family and friends. With this active mindset, I carry passion and diligence towards the things I wish to accomplish, aiming to carry this dedication towards my academic studies and professional aspirations.