Meeting With My Mentor
My mentor, Brietta Latham is a sophomore majoring in Animal Science. We met and discussed a multitude of questions geared toward her experience so far here at The Ohio State University.
She had always wanted to be an entomologist, and study bugs, until her junior year of high school. After doing a lab with crickets, she decided that wasn’t something she wanted to do for the rest of her life. Using her sister as her own mentor, she decided to follow her sister’s footsteps and major in Animal Science, but take her own path and not go into veterinary science. Brietta told me of her love for animals as well, raising sheep for about ten years. Her experience through 4-H and on her family farm made it clear to her that Animal Science was the right decision. Brietta is currently very involved in ENR Scholars on the leadership council and as a mentor. Outside of ENR, she is involved in the Animal Welfare and Behavior Club and the Club Field Hockey Team, and is currently looking for more ways to get involved. She finds it most helpful with balancing her academics by being so involved. When she has such a set schedule to do things, she is less likely to procrastinate, and more likely to keep her focus and get things done before club activities and such. Brietta gave me the advice to get as involved as possible while in ENR. She encourages it because getting out of your comfort zone is how you grow as a person. She was able to gain leadership experience through her involvement by planning events and mentoring us underclassmen. After she graduates, she is still up in the air about what career path she is going to take, but knows for sure she is at least going to grad school. In the meantime, she has a job lined up if she hasn’t figured out her ultimate goal by the time she graduates grad school.
I found a lot of similarities between myself and Brietta. We grew up in similar environments, with our 4-H participation and dedication to animals throughout our lives, and her work tactic was extremely similar to mine as well. Both of us were very involved in high school and it has carried over into our college life. I, too, find it easiest to accomplish what needs to get done when I have lots of other commitments. An abundance of time allows me to procrastinate. Hearing how Brietta is able to accomplish her goals and be successful is very motivating, and I am going to use her advice to my advantage, getting involved wherever I can.
