Year in Review

[ “Year in Review”  is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student.  You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year.  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.]

G.O.A.L.S.

Global Awareness-

I will develop my global awareness by participating in various study abroad programs. I plan on doing most of these my sophomore/junior year. I think far too often we are trapped in our Americanized mindset, and we fail to look at issues from the perspective of other cultures who have developed differently. And while learning about their views through books, articles, or perhaps even social media, nothing helps you to fully grasp the concepts more than actually being immersed in the culture. I also really want to become friends with someone who originates from a different country, and really hear their ideas and learn about what is going on currently from their eyes. 

 

Original Inquiry-

I never want to fall into a mold, especially due to my intended career being a creative writer. It is our job to change things up, to come with a fresh perspective and a fresh voice and talk about fresh ideas for us to stay relevant. But not only that, I am just a creative person by nature. I hate the idea of being a boring person, and hate even more humdrum procedures. Because of this, I will always try to think of creative ways to achieve particular goals/results and to approach certain projects, perhaps in ways even the professor had not considered. I also believe that one day I would like to do a research project on some social topics that interest me for example the concealment of human trafficking in corporate America, what it’s like being black in various countries, and something relating to analyzing how so many of our problems relating to men with toxic masculinity, just come back the idea of misogyny and how much our world just seems to hate women and femininity. 

 

Academic Enrichment-

My main goal for taking rigorous courses is to expand my knowledge beyond the standard. So to do this, I must be challenged, and I must receive my information from better sources. This craving for knowledge mostly pertains to my writing career, but as I mature, I am starting to see the benefit of knowledge in all areas, so perhaps I will begin expanding my quest for enrichment in areas that are not of particular interest to me. My main goal is, I want to be centered around passion, because I know that if I am not passionate about something, it is very hard to force myself to go through with it. 

 

Leadership Development-

I have always been a leader in my eyes, but due to my passive nature, I have often kept this part of me hidden. On the occasions in which I actually acknowledged myself as a leader, I bred the desired results and more. So I plan on coming out of my shell here, and really pursuing the roles of leadership that are available to me, because it may make an impression on the right people and get me a connection that I need for my future. I am a type of leader that understands what a groups problems are, or at least a part of them, and I think of ways to combat these problems, even if they are minor, as eventually they will hinder the group. I also am not a dictator, so I always ask for other ideas and opinions before making decisions to ensure everyone feels as though they were heard. 

 

Service Engagement-

I always promised myself that when I got to college I would volunteer any and everywhere, so I have to do so. This semester is a bit tricky due to my busy schedule, but next semester for sure, I want to be involved with the community and the world in any and every way possible. I have a lot of passionate opinions and a lot of human rights passions, so those areas will be where I focus my time the most. I also want to grow my own awareness about the environment, and then actively work to educate others, because it is a very pressing issue. 

Career

[“Career” is where you can collect information about your experiences and skills that will apply to your future career.  Like your resume, this is information that will evolve over time and should be continually updated.  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.]

Artifacts

[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.]

About Me

Hello world! My name is Shawn Gardner and I am a first-year English major with the intention of having a concentration in Creative Writing. I am from Dayton, Ohio, where I’ve spent all of my life, so I am extremely excited to be away from home and able to explore more of the world. My hobbies are writing–self-explanatory–and pretending I’m in a TV show/movie 95% of my life, so don’t be too alarmed if you happen to catch me talking to my audience (myself) every now and then. Outside of that, I am a sociable, kind, well-rounded individual, and more likely than not, one of the funniest people you’ll ever meet. I strive to become friends with any and everyone, and if not possible, at least gain a mutual respect.