Artifacts

Through the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) at The Ohio State University, I am a member of the Morrill Scholarship Program (MSP). I was fortunate enough to be accepted into MSP upon acceptance into the university, and I was eager to engage in a culture of diversity throughout my time here at OSU. This program has provided an excellent outlet to engage in diverse opportunities.

The first meeting that took place for new scholars was held at the Union towards the beginning of the school year. Here, first-year Morrill Scholars were able to mingle and enjoy snacking on a nacho bar. I met many new students at this event, and I was pleased to reunite with a few familiar faces from summer orientation. It comes as no shock that a wide array of genders, ethnicities, and races were represented at this event. Later, towards the end of the presentation portion of the event, the mentors were introduced. We had been assigned to a mentor based on our answers to a survey before school started, and this was the night that we all put faces to names. My mentor, Lex, and our small group were all a part of the community service team for MSP. There are a total of six teams to choose from, ranging from leadership to academics to outreach and inclusion. These teams allow each individual in the program to work with others who share similar passions in the realm of diversity and inclusion.

Since this initial meeting, I have met with the entire community service team as a whole and with my mentor family. The community service team meets once every month to brainstorm new ways and opportunities we have to help our community. The meetings also foster stronger bonds with other MSP students and – specifically – with our mentor family. The six individuals in my mentor family – including me – have a wide range of experiences in the realm of community service. We have been able to contribute ideas to the group as a whole and support each other in our individual endeavors.

I was pleasantly surprised by how comfortable I feel in these diverse settings. I grew up attending an almost all-white, small, rural, public school. While the cornfield culture was far from diverse, I was fortunate to be a part of the Global Scholars Program through my high school. This program brought schools from around the state of Ohio together to discuss multiple perspectives of global issues and events. Through this opportunity, I became comfortable engaging in diverse environments and more efficient in communicating with those who have different perspectives.

I believe that the focus that the university has on diversity and inclusion is worthwhile. With such a broad spectrum of individuals on campus, it is important to foster a welcoming and safe environment for everyone. This is especially true within the STEM field. As a woman in STEM, I feel more confident knowing that the university is making a conscious effort to not discriminate against females in the field. In my fundamentals of engineering course, the instructor took the time to pull me aside and recognize my efforts in the class. They wanted me to know that if any of the men I was working with made me feel excluded, then he would not hesitate to take action. The support on campus for minorities is most definitely worthwhile, and it is a major benefit of attending a large university like Ohio State.

By connecting with the Student Wellness Center and the Office of Student Life, I have found multiple ways to fit exercise into my schedule. The initial transition to college put a significant dent in my physical activity levels. In high school, I was a varsity member of both the soccer team and the track and field teams. I was used to a regimented year round cycle of training, and I enjoyed the activity! I never had to set time aside specifically for exercising because that need was fulfilled by the practices and games scattered throughout my schedule. As I did not pursue athletics on the collegiate level, my physical activity levels are very different than what I am used to. With my class load, however, I struggled to find time to force myself to go on a run or lift weights. Even when I did build up the motivation to exercise, I did not get the same satisfaction as I did when I played sports. Looking to find opportunities that fit my schedule, I consulted the Student Wellness Center. In addition to other advice regarding healthy living, I was pointed towards the Office of Student Life to explore other opportunities to stay active. Two of these opportunities have become highlights of my week: intramural sports and fitness classes.

This semester I decided to play intramural sand volleyball. I never played volleyball in high school, and I was not very good by any means, but it was still incredibly enjoyable! I had the opportunity to play on a co-ed team for four games. The seemingly random jumble of individuals that made up my team bonded over our experiences together, and we are all now good friends. The games on Sunday afternoon were always something to look forward to; they forced me to take a break from homework. I hope to play other intramural sports in the future. I would highly recommend them to anyone who is interested!

With the North Recreation Center located so conveniently close to Houston House, I was pleased to learn that they offered fitness classes! The free classes offered to students at Ohio State are a great resource. My favorite class to attend is STRONG by Zumba on Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm. The instructors have high energy, the music is uplifting, and the friends that I attend with make the class exciting and fun! Wednesdays are now one of my favorite days of the week. Next semester, I want to look in to training to be an instructor for the following fall!

I was pleased to find that making appointments to meet with campus resources and the opportunities they provided were able to fit in my schedule. Appointments were made over the phone, and the only wait was a the brief time I was put on hold. I hoped that the Student Wellness Center would help personalize a schedule for my physical activity, and the options they brought to my attention have exceeded my expectations. At this point, I am very impressed by the plethora of resources that OSU offers students. I have not yet had an issue that was not addressed by one of the support services!

Attending a STEM Seminar on campus was definitely a memorable experience! I attended a biochemistry seminar titled “Mechanisms and specificity of Cas 10 mediated interference”. Going into the seminar, I knew that I did not have a very deep understanding of Cas 10, but I was familiar with CRISPR. I was thankful to have two other STEM scholars – Brianna Mallare and Trey Zeiger – attend this event with me. We were the only undergraduate students in the room! I was not expecting to feel so out of place. Brianna’s chemistry TA was even there to listen. From the free cookies to the meticulous references on each slide of the presentation, to the sign-language translators at the front of the room, there was a lot to take in. I felt inferior to those around me, and I was intimidated by the expertise. The only time I talked to other audience members was when I asked about the sign-in sheet. Apparently, graduate students are required to attend seminars, and the sign-in sheet was for their benefit. This interaction did nothing but make me feel more out of place. Still, I was proud to represent underclassmen and worked hard to stay engaged for the duration of the presentation.

To my surprise, I was able to comprehend bits and pieces of the lecture. I knew that there was no way I would be able to grasp the entirety of the presentation, but familiar terms stood out and I was able to connect them with real-world applications in the lab setting. For example, the speaker discussed their use of chromatography, base pairs, ATP, DNA, RNA, and how parts of experimentation impacted equilibrium constants. He even discussed how they used MATLAB for data analysis, which was very neat considering that I am learning how to use MATLAB this semester in my Fundamentals of Engineering class. I also found the discussion of the different mechanisms interesting. I learned that types 1 and 3 are used for bacteria physiology while Cas 10 is used for genome editing. For his work involving the human skin microbiome, the speaker was focused on the application of Cas 10.

Overall, the research presented was what I would expect for someone studying biochemistry. While being in the lab interests me, I do not think I want to pursue a career in this area of study. I am glad that this seminar allowed me to experience a professional presentation in a very low-pressure environment. I took note of the presenter’s ability to flow naturally between topics, and there was no question of his expertise. He had traveled to Ohio State all the way from the University of Alabama! I also took note of the structure of his presentation. He introduced himself and presented background information before explaining the research done in his lab and the conclusions drawn as a result. I was impressed by how knowledgable he was regarding the similar research that is currently going on all around the world. I had considered that anyone of his level should be an expert in their lab, but I had not grasped the importance of being aware of all the research in the field. It made me feel motivated to look in to research on my own! I would say that this experience was not a waste of time by any means. I’ll admit it: I enjoyed it!

During the past few weeks, I have visited the Learning Resource Center (LRC) for general chemistry in Celeste Laboratory many times. This help center provides tutoring and assistance from TAs who teach varying levels of chemistry courses. As a freshman in general chemistry 2 during their first semester, I definitely have found the extra assistance useful. It was difficult to make connections during the first few weeks of class as many of the students are in their second year and the lecture hall is not a conducive environment for developing new friendships. Fortunately, I was able to foster new relationships in my lab and recitation that have carried over into lecture. I have also been able to make friends with students from different sections while at the LRC!

Deciding to use the credit I earned on the AP Chemistry test was a gamble, and I was very anxious for this semester. I do not regret choosing the extra challenge, but I am grateful for the many helpful resources available. I have no shame asking for help. An upperclassman once told me that asking for help when you need it does not have to mean the difference between failing and passing, but it can be the difference between a B and an A. I do not have much experience seeking help, but I can already see the benefits of getting some extra explanation. Visiting the LRC makes an hour of studying more productive than it would be if I was just trying to study on my own. By optimizing my time spent on chemistry-related work, I have more time to spend on other classes and – ultimately – more free time.

Gaining the confidence to ask questions and better one’s chance for success is not only helpful in class, but it is also a great life skill to develop. Plenty of people are smart, but not everyone has the soft skills they need to successfully interact in a professional environment. Practicing collaboration and becoming comfortable with not always knowing the answer to every problem are effective ways to prepare for future careers. It also helps to build friendships and make connections with people who have similar interests and motivation. By collaborating with other students, I get to hear explanations from different perspectives and increase my understanding as a whole. In addition to personal knowledge increasing, my input helps those around me gain a better understanding.

In my multiple visits, I have found some TAs more helpful than others. I have found that Mondays and Fridays between my classes are great times to visit! In the future, I could see myself being a TA. I feel that teaching and mentoring other students would be fulfilling. The best TA’s are those who are effective at communicating course material and also make an effort to connect to their students. Not only do I learn best by explaining things to others, but I love the idea of making an impact on students lives beyond the classroom. I think I would enjoy being a TA, and I hope to find an opportunity to do so for a subject that I am passionate about.

In the past few weeks, I decided to attend two meetings for the club Engineers Without Borders. The first of these was for the international division of the club. This group focuses on improving the community of Njau in The Gambia. I went with a few other friends – who are also studying engineering – and we all thought the humanitarian aspect of the club was incredible. Membership in Engineers Without Borders would give us a amazing opportunity not only to gain real-world experience that would look great on a resume, but it would also be a great way to volunteer. It was inspiring to think that we could use what we are learning at OSU to help people on the other side of the world! The student leaders were personal, passionate, and definitely the kind of upperclassmen that I hope to emulate. I could see myself as a leader somewhere down the line, but I need to build more confidence and get my hands dirty in the work aspect first! While this club seems to be an awesome organization, the level of time commitment needed to fully engage may be too much for me this semester. Many of the international projects require a large commitment, as there are hard deadlines set by the travel dates. While I would love to be able to travel with Engineers Without Borders, I think I will have to peruse that experience at a later time. For this reason, I attended the club’s meeting that focused on local endeavors the following week.

I attended the meeting for the local sect of Engineers Without Borders on my own. Without friends alongside me, I was more nervous and timid. I was pleased to find that the group was welcoming! Once more, the leaders were engaging and organized. After quick introductions and ice-breakers, we went straight to work. We were given the opportunity to select from a handful of projects, and I chose to help the group that will be building bat houses for a local park. I did not have the chance to build much of a network as of yet, but I anticipate that the small team of people I will be working with will eventually become my friends! We researched, posed questions, and began to make a plan to execute our findings. It was refreshing to know that the efforts I put forth would lead to physical results! I believe that this division of the club is where I can make the most of my time at this point of my college career. I will need to make sure to utilize the breaks I have between classes on Mondays so I have availability in the evening for meetings. I look forward to attending the club meeting next week!

Overall, I think that Engineers Without Borders and many other clubs fit my interests and have the ability to connect me with communities of individuals with similar interests. I have nothing against starting a new organizations, but I feel as though there are plenty of clubs that catch my attention. Because of this, I do not plan to start a new organization. I think it is wonderful that Ohio State has such a plethora a diverse students and student organizations. In my opinion, going to college should be a time to dive into your interests and to forge new pathways. Ironically, making new personal connections is one of the best ways to become more independent. Clubs allow these relationships to develop alongside our passions.

[Artifacts are the items you consider to be representative of your academic interests and achievements. For each entry, include both an artifact and a detailed annotation.  An annotation includes both a description of the artifact and a reflection on why it is important to you, what you learned, and what it means for your next steps.  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.]