My mentee, Alex Criss, and I decided to pair this second semester interview along with our spring semester Explore Columbus event. So, while sitting in the Northstar Restaurant Short North location, Alex and I discussed how our semesters had been going. I asked Alex five questions so I could better understand her experience at Ohio State and as an Advocates for Communities and Education Scholar. The questions, as well as her answers, are discussed below…
- Are you enjoying your major? Why or why not?
- I asked Alex this question again because when we first met she discussed possibly switching her major to Social Work, so I wanted to see how she was liking her Elementary Education major. She responded saying she thoroughly enjoys this major this semester due to her experience in the First Education Experience Program (FEEP) during the spring semester. In this program, Alex has been placed in a second grade classroom at Carson Elementary School to gain experience applicable to her future in education. She goes to the school three days a week in the morning to help with classroom activities. Alex described how FEEP has made her confident she chose the right major, and she may even minor in American Sign Language (ASL) to promote inclusivity in her future classroom.
- Have your career plans changed since your first semester? Why or why not?
- To follow up from the previous question, Alex described that while her career plans have not changed exponentially she does now want to teach older elementary-aged children. Originally, Alex wanted to teach Kindergarten, but after her experience in FEEP, she thinks she would be a better teacher among an older age-group.
- Do you think you will keep your same involvement next year? Why or why not?
- I wanted to hear any updates on Alex’s involvement in campus organizations since first semester, as I know she had plans to join a few. In the spring, Alex rushed the Tri-Delta Sorority because all her friends also went through the rushing process. I then asked her a bit about the rushing process to which she explained how it was all online, and a stressful few days, but everyone she encountered was incredibly nice. Alex will be continuing involvement in the sorority next year because she is living in the sorority house on 15th. Otherwise, Alex has not gotten involved in any other organizations, but does want to join the Rotaract Service Club in the fall if events are once again held in-person.
- How was your first semester in ACES? What has surprised you about the program?
- Overall, Alex had positive things to say about her time in ACES. However, she described how she hasn’t met nearly as many people as she expected coming into the program at Ohio State. But, Alex said everyone she did meet was always inclusive and friendly, something she very much appreciated. Her favorite events included the Inclusivity in the Classroom academic speaker event and the Bob Ross Painting Nights. Alex said she has made a solid group of friends in ACES and she expects that friendship to persist throughout college.
- What has surprised you about Ohio State since arriving on campus?
- Alex detailed that she was surprised by how small Ohio State can feel describing that she has found many ways to handle the campus’s exponential size. One of these ways is through the organizations she is in such as ACES and Tri-Delta, and another is through creating relationships with others within her major courses.
Overall, I feel as though I learned so much about Alex during this interview, and am excited to see what she does not only in the ACES program next year, but also in her education major.