In hindsight, it seems like sophomore year flew by even quicker than freshman year. But in reality, both semesters this year felt like they would never end and challenged me more than I ever have been before. What I have learned, however, is that long days and hard work do pay off.
I took on the daunting accounting, stats, finance, and other business core classes this semester. I excelled in some, survived others, and am hoping to finish out on at least a decent note. At the same time, I was involved in the Business Scholars program as a peer mentor, served as an Honors & Scholars Ambassador, and continued to work as a barista at the Ohio Union’s Espress-OH. But probably the most impactful experience I had was serving as Park-Stradley Hall’s Hall Council President. I led an 8-person executive board along with 22 more general body members to serve the 1,100 residents of Park-Stradley Hall. We planned events to educate our residents about sustainability, inclusion, and community service, while building a community in our residence hall. This role taught me so much about leadership and has definitely prepared me to be a better leader in the future.
In addition to serving as Hall Council President, I was promoted to Student Manager at Espress-OH. It was rewarding and exciting to see that my hard work at the coffee shop did pay off, and that the managers noticed my efforts. This spring, I feel like I really stepped up at Espress-OH in delegation and understanding everything that makes the shop run. I thoroughly enjoy working, so the pay raise and increased trust place in me is just an added bonus!
The positives from this year don’t stop there though. After a struggle of a career fair in the fall, I can tell you I was ready to fall back on my last summer plans and return to Cypress Benefits Group at home. But, on a whim one night over winter break, I filled out a Sophomore Leaders Conference application for Wells Fargo. After a phone interview, I was selected to travel to Charlotte, North Carolina, with 50 other talented sophomores. The conference split into a LONG two days (I woke up at 3am on day 1 and went to sleep after midnight) with day 1 being networking and learning about the company culture and day 2 being purely interviews. It was a grueling process, but I am excited that this summer I will be working as a Summer Financial Analyst Intern for Middle Markets at Wells Fargo in Orlando, Florida.
This May, I am traveling to Auckland, New Zealand, through the Fisher Global Projects Program. I am on a team with three other Fisher students who will be completing a consulting project with Auckland Transport. Another four students will also be in Auckland with us completing a different project. We have already planned a trip to Queenstown, and are trying to explore the beautiful country as much as possible while abroad. I am so grateful for the STEP program for making this trip a reality!
Finally, this spring I applied for the Honors Cohort program through the Fisher College of Business. It is a highly selective program that accepts 30 motivated business students who challenge themselves both academically and professionally, and seek to do good in the world. The application process included creating a video, writing an essay, completing a 20-minute timed essay, and an interview. I am happy to say I was accepted into the 22ndHonors Cohort and am excited to see how this will enhance my education and encourage personal growth in my next two years at Fisher.
Though sophomore was challenging, it shaped my life more than I could ever have imagined. I had countless opportunities that I know would only be possible at Ohio State. More than anything, I learned that hard work does pay off, and I am excited to see what my next two years at The Ohio State University will bring.
Me with my exec board (and advisor) for hall council
View from the 41st floor of One Wells Fargo in Charlotte, NC
And last, me and my future roommates on the Brooklyn Bridge over winter break!