My first semester here at OSU has been a learning process both academically and for me as an individual. Throughout the semester I have become increasingly comfortable with myself and have learned much through the new experience of living away from home. Coming into college, I had fears of not making friends that I could pursue my passions with. This fear quickly dissolved after getting involved with Art Scholars and the student radio organization on campus.

Art Scholars has provided a supportive community from the start of this semester. By organizing group activities revolving around the arts on campus and in Columbus, there was the ability to get engaged with fellow Buckeyes and the local geographical surroundings. I have been engaged with Art Scholars as student this semester by exploring as many opportunities as possible that are offered by the program. It has been a great way to have new experiences that revolve around art forms/mediums that I have not previously dove into before coming to OSU.

In the upcoming semester, I see myself becoming more involved in Art Scholars by being a more active member in my Art Scholars family. I strive to become closer to my family and bond through attending family nights, off-campus adventures, gallery-hops, and spending time together outside of Art Scholars.

I felt a connection with the work of Maya Lin immediately as I saw it displayed in the Wexner Center for the HERE exhibition due to the symbolism created by making complexity from simple objects. Her piece that moved me most was a work of marbles arranged to depict a rural Ohio flood zone. This work resonated with me because it was communicating the importance of environmental justice by fully utilizing a space. Filling a space with a tangible creation makes the purpose and meaning of the art much more tangible for the viewers of the work.

I would like to create a similar piece to communicate the pressing social issues of segregation and housing inequality by using a tabletop space. I will use small balls paper to represent people’s individuality and possibility for transience. Then I plan to glue these balls on a cardboard slab, keeping the balls on one side a particular color and the balls at the other side a particular color. This is meant to symbolize the deep segregation within our society. An elevated region of the slab containing both paper balls together will be symbolism for the ideal of integration that has not yet been realized in our country.

My first impression of Ohio State was through the lens of the Wilderness Welcome program. This camping trip for incoming freshman gave me the first impression that OSU is a place that can be made small and feel like home through getting involved in activities that I am passionate about. My first impression of Baker West was seeing the front desk with Starry Night painted on it. It made me feel at home and excited for the upcoming year as an Art Scholar. Throughout the following Welcome Week experience I met many OSU students. It was fun but very overwhelming at times. My adjustment socially has been very enjoyable so far and I feel like I fit in here more than I did at high school. My adjustment to being away from my family has been challenging at times because I have been facing health issues by myself since arriving at campus. While it’s been difficult, my first week at OSU has offered what I have been hoping to find at college. I have been able to get involved on campus, in the local music community, and make new friends who share similar interests.

[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.]