As I work towards my goals throughout my college career, I hope to learn more about the surrounding world.  Through my coursework in political science, I hope to achieve a greater understanding of the various groups that shape our society.  I strongly believe that in order to understand the nuances of a culture, one must spend a significant amount of time with people of that culture.  Therefore, I wish to study abroad in the Middle East during one of my summers at Ohio State for the purpose of gaining a greater perspective on how members of Arabic societies interact with each other.  Additionally, I hope to study and possibly research aspects of these societies to assess how interactions between different groups of individuals can lead to productive results.

Essential to any college education is a student’s ability to formulate their own ideas about topics in their chosen subject area.  In this spirit, I hope to take advantage of the many research opportunities at Ohio State which would allow me to take a hands on approach to my areas of interest.  I would like to research topics in political science—particularly voting patterns in elections—and relate my hypotheses to their impact on the field of economics.  However, I recognize that I will require a solid foundation in these fields to be able to form these hypotheses.  Therefore, I have geared my academic plan to reflect a rigorous curriculum that will prepare me for the research I hope to conduct.

By preparing an economic plan, I have hopefully set myself on a productive path towards achieving my collegiate goals.  I will use my detailed academic plan to guide my future class scheduling decisions to create a rigorous and fulfilling background for law school.  I chose my majors in political science and economics because their interconnectedness uniquely interests me.  I have chosen classes in these majors that interest me and I hope to use my new knowledge to conduct further research on pertinent topics.  Even so, I have also chosen my required GE based upon interests beyond my majors.  I am especially excited about my natural science courses because they will provide me with information beyond a cursory review of the subject.  By building a greater depth in my coursework, I hope to gain an understanding and subsequent appreciation for various areas of coursework.

As an honors student, excellence outside of the classroom is just as important as inside of the classroom.  Therefore, I will pursue co-curricular enrichment programs that enhance my experiences at the university.  I have already involved myself in the Alexander Hamilton Society, a discussion group featuring current events and occasional guest speakers.  As I continue my academic career, I would also like to explore further opportunities across the university.  I would like to explore opportunities in student government and service organizations on campus.  Additionally, I hope to assume a leadership role in one of these organizations in order to guide the group’s future goals.  Finally, I will seek internships in my field of study to gain work experience as an undergraduate student.

The final aspect of my collegiate goals involves service engagement in the community.  In addition to on campus service work, I would like to involve myself in global organizations whose resources and logistics allow them to service a wide breadth of groups.  I not only hope to support these groups domestically as I am open to the idea of a foreign service trip.  I would like to engage in these groups hands-on rather than through raising funding for their efforts.  I recognize that service opportunities in addition to co-curricular activities enhance one’s understanding of the world around them.  I hope to use my knowledge gained from other aspects of my goals program to better understand and connect with individuals through my service work.  Overall, I would like these service opportunities as a way to become a more productive member of society once I leave Ohio State.