Hello, my name is Jaylon Grimes. Welcome to my e-Portfolio!
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Year in Review: 2017-2018
My freshman year at Ohio State feels as if it started just a few weeks ago, and yet I’ve already spent a total of almost 8 months on campus. Despite the feeling that little time has passed, I feel that I have learned a great deal during my first year and matured as both a student and a person. While not all experiences were entirely positive, I believe that I have grown from them and learned from my mistakes.
Academically, my freshman has been very informative, despite the fact that I am not officially into the actuarial science major yet. While, I only took one or two classes each semester that actually pertained to my major, I also picked up some useful skills in other classes that pertained to my Spanish and statistics minors. The two Spanish courses that I took on advanced grammar this year have vastly improved both my speaking ability and my understanding of the language and its many rules and intricacies. I also picked up a few technological tricks, as I gained tons of experience with Microsoft Excel and Access, and had some exposure to R Studio and Matlab. This knowledge could eventually come in handy moving forward into the advanced stages of the Technological Literacy service project curriculum. A key lesson that I learned regarding my studies (especially during the spring semester) was how to balance my time studying for each class. If I get overwhelmed trying to study every subject periodically, I have found that working ahead helps to balance the workload and makes learning the material in class easier. Regarding my math classes, Calculus I was a bit difficult at first, but once I re-evaluated my approach to studying and grasped the concepts better, the course became easier. On the other hand, Calculus II could be equated to medieval torture in my mind. The course has been my most difficult at OSU thus far, and constantly seems to catch me off guard with its fluctuating content. However, despite the difficulty spike coming out of Calculus I, I think that this course has prepared me well for both my future calculus courses and the actuarial exams I plan to take in the near future. While I may not have prepared for some of the quizzes and exams as much as I should have, I have learned my lesson heading into the final.
Speaking of actuarial exams, my summer plan heavily revolves around beginning to study for the Theory of Interest exam, which I plan to take in early December. While I am taking a course in the fall semester to help me prepare, over 300 hours of studying are recommended in order to be adequately prepared. Thus, I plan to start studying on my family vacation in late June/early July. I am also in the process of trying to find a business/insurance-related internship in my hometown. Finally, as part of the summer plan for the technological literacy service project, I plan to frequently correspond with the other members of my group to help design a cohesive technological curriculum that can be put into action once the fall semester begins.
Overall, freshman year has been a great experience, and while (like any teenager) I am excited for the summer, I am also somewhat sad to see the year come to a close. I plan to manage my time better and be more productive on off/slow days, as well as contribute to the service project at Star House in my free time. I also want to apply for either Eminence class representative or Eminence ambassador. I think that sophomore year will be even better!
G.O.A.L.S.
Below are my objectives relating to my four years at the Ohio State University, which have been categorized by university goals for students in the Honors Program:
Global Awareness: I am currently in the process of improving my Spanish-speaking skills, and spent the Spring 2019 semester learning about Latin American culture through the Spanish 4560H course. I plan to finish my Spanish minor in the fall with a course that explores the cultural impact of Spanish film. I also plan to explore my cultural background more thoroughly via Civil Rights Movement and African religion historical study courses in the African American and African Studies field.
Original Inquiry: I plan to complete Economics research during the 2019-2020 academic year, preferably in areas involving wage disparities of some form or youth development. I am also involved in the creative process behind the Right Click service project with part of my Eminence Fellows class. On a smaller scale, I will submit a research proposal for my Latin American culture course that explores the impact of the Soviet Union’s collapse on Cuban literature at the end of the semester.
Academic Enrichment: I have continued to take a balanced combination of courses, including those that I find personally interesting and those in areas which I find difficult, like Calculus and literature. I also plan to take several SOA Actuarial Exams during my time here, starting in summer 2019.
Leadership Development: Through the Eminence Fellows program, I have been involved in both the creation and implementation of a service-based organization (The Right Click), of which I am currently the Vice President. Through the Eminence program and others, I hope to improve my cooperative skills, and eliminate undesirable habits like procrastination and poor reaction to criticism.
Service Engagement: I am currently serving as the Vice President of the Right Click service organization, which is working to distribute technology to the populations in need here in Columbus. I also work in-depth with the OSU Kids’ Running Club, which serves the dual purpose of helping Columbus kids to enjoy exercise and illustrate the importance of a healthy lifestyle. I also plan to work with the Akron-based youth education program Junior Achievement when I am home on breaks.
Career
This summer, I had the pleasure of working on the Corporate Insurance/Risk Management team at FirstEnergy’s General Office. Despite being an actuarial science major, I found working in Corporate Insurance to be an incredibly valuable experience nonetheless. At work, one of my daily duties consisted of both validated that companies who do business with FirstEnergy hold sufficient insurance liability policies (should something happen during the business deal), and renewing said policies and their respective amounts/expiration dates in the company database. I also assisted with the calculations on a long-term project that analyzes the growth of different departments of the company over the past decade, and what to expect in the near future.
I was also lucky enough to chosen to participate in the 2018 Humana Early ID Shadowing and Career Development Program in Louisville, Kentucky. For a week at the beginning of August, I flew to Louisville and learned about how Humana is trying to make a difference in the health insurance field. I was also able to frequently interact with the current interns, and even got to shadow them for a short period and see the kind of projects they spent the summer working on.
Overall, this summer was a great learning experience. I enjoyed my work at FirstEnergy quite a bit, and knowing that I enjoy what I plan to do with my life has calmed some personal fears of mine. Humana’s program offered me a glimpse into the health insurance side of things, so time will tell which track of actuarial I intend to pursue.
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About Me
My name is Jaylon Grimes, and I am an Honors student in my senior year at The Ohio State University. I am also a member of the Eminence Fellows Class of 2021. I plan to obtain bachelor’s degrees in actuarial science and economics with minors in Spanish and statistics. I plan to balance my education with exercise and community service by serving as the president of the student organizations The Right Click and the Ohio State Kids’ Running Club. I see myself as a logical and analytical individual, which contributes to my choice to focus on mathematics and economics. I have passed two SOA exams and am currently preparing for a third.
