Year in Review

Sophomore year in review

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I didn’t realize how much I missed out my freshman year until I became a sophomore. From in-person club meetings and classes to concerts and OUAB events, I finally got out of my dorm room. Speaking of dorm rooms, I ended up rooming with three girls from the Eminence program: Seyan, Natalie, and Devi. It was a wonderful experience, especially coming from living in a single room last year. I felt so much more connected to campus this year.

I kept up Fisher Ink, and we finally published our first actual print issue! It was so fun to hand it out to students around the business school. Even as an editor, I managed to write a few opinion articles and one about a girl who does Soapbox Derby! My passion for journalism is still alive and kicking.

Another continued involvement? The SOAR Initiative. I have learned so much about harm reduction and the overdose crisis since my time joining the org. It has come so far even in the past year. We are expanding the alert system outside Ohio and have reached almost all counties within the state. It’s been extremely fulfilling work and I look forward to a more involved role next year.

EcoSpace has been doing well, too. I attended an event called GiveBackHack and won our org $500! We used it to launch a survey that would validate our assumptions about the product and received some very good insights. We are continuing to work on the map and marketing it to others. I’m using my connections through my Research Assistant position to get a bigger test audience for our work.

But besides all that, there are so many new things I’ve started that have brought an incredible amount of joy into my life. Firstly, after years of singing 24/7, I finally got accepted into an a cappella group called Scarlet Fever. This group has been one of the best parts of my sophomore year. Singing with people who are equally as passionate about music has been the highlight of my week. We’ve had a few performances, and hearing it all come together is always so rewarding!

I also started taking Korean classes. This was by far the most unexpected thing to happen this year. I do not listen to k-pop, and I have never watched a k-drama in my life. It came out of taekwondo, which I began last summer as a way to stay active. I became interested in the brief bits of the language interspersed throughout the classes. So much so that I dropped a class to start learning Korean. No better time to become trilingual like the present! It was the best decision I could have made. The Korean program is incredible here and all of my classmates have become like family.

Another unexpected occurrence is my foray into Greek life. Lambda Theta Alpha is a sorority for LatinX femmes. I became aware of this org at a LatinX ball and was interested in joining. Apparently, there was no established chapter at Ohio State yet–it was just an idea. So I joined the other interested members in pitching the establishment of a chapter at Ohio State. They accepted the proposal, and if all goes as planned, I’ll be a founding member of LTA, connecting with my Hispanic heritage and creating a LatinX community.

I almost forgot about my radio show! My high school friend and I decided to get a slot for OSU’s radio station, and we had a blast. From talking about Met gala flops to ranking OSU bathrooms, our weekly Timothee Chalamet fangirling sessions were honestly such a break from the business of everything else. I will be back next semester for sure!

I also was accepted into the Honors Cohort program this year. A group of 35 business students, it is an MBA-like experience where we develop a service project, take classes together, and go on business trips to learn about industry. It kicks off this summer and I can’t wait to get started. Everyone I’ve met is so accomplished and driven, and I know we’ll take each other to great places.

The best part of the year came at the end, when I spent the summer in London (longer post on this to come later). I took a May class there and it was honestly life-changing. I made lifelong friends and learned so much about the city. Needless to say, I’m putting all my efforts into finding my way back.

Besides all that, I just had fun! OUAB had a ball that made up for senior prom, and I went with my best friend, who skipped junior prom back when we were in high school. There was a showing of Spider-man: Far From Home on the oval, which was a perfect start to finals season. I went roller skating with some of my friends and visited museums with others. The year couldn’t have gone better.

Freshman Year in Review

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This year was not what anyone expected. Getting adjusted to college was difficult enough, but COVID increased the learning curve tenfold. Despite it all, I still managed to get involved and have an unforgettable freshman year! I joined three clubs this year–Design ThinkTank, Pen PALS, and Fisher Ink.

Design ThinkTank helped me apply what I learned in my classes for my minor, Design Thinking. Through the club, I participated in a Design Thinking workshop. Currently, we’re working with a client, Three Tree. Their service is an app that enables consumers to reduce their environmental footprint through daily habits. Using the Design Thinking process, we are coming up with a viable business strategy to keep the organization financially sustainable.

Through PenPALS, I was paired with a 4th grade student from a local school to be my pen pal. By writing letters to him, I helped improve his literacy skills. I even got to meet him (virtually) at the end of the year event!

Fisher Ink Magazine was the final club I joined this year, and by far my favorite (though I love them all!). I wrote a news article, an opinion piece, and a music review. I also took pictures for my article that were featured in the issue. I am thrilled that I could share people’s stories and express myself through Fisher College of Business’ official magazine. Next year, I am excited to continue my work as the Co Vice President of Writing.

Alongside clubs, I began to explore research opportunities as well. I networked with many marketing professors, including those I met during Eminence Finalist Friday. Through that, I was invited to Marketing Research Brownbags. These weekly events are an opportunity for graduate students and faculty to present their research. Because of this, I’ve learned about the many avenues of marketing research. Additionally, I have reached out to the presenters to have one on one conversations about their work.

Currently, I am helping Marketing professor Selin Malkoc compile data on vaccination ad campaigns across several states. She plans to use this data for a paper that aims to form a connection between the wording of said ads and the turnout for vaccines. This project is what I anticipate to be the beginning of many years of consumer behavior research for me.

I also took on some longer-term projects this year. Five other Eminence members and I started EcoSpace, an organization utilizing ArcGIS software to hold corporations accountable for environmental regulations. Since the beginning of the semester, we have worked to develop a website, get trained in ArcGIS, and connect with faculty to make this vision a reality. Next semester, we are taking a class with Dr. Bartow Elmore to continue work on this project. We anticipate expanding this project over our four years.

Another project I became involved in is The SOAR Initiative, an upperclassmen Eminence project focused on harm-reduction. The organization is now a nonprofit. I’ve used my marketing and design skills to create promotional materials and recreate current informational flyers. I’m enjoying it a lot, and hope to remain involved throughout my time in college!

As an Eminence Fellow, I also helped develop another service project. A few cohort members and I met with the Ohio Prison Exchange Program (OPEEP) and learned about the lack of a college education in the prison system. Through our conversations, we decided we wanted to bring our resources to prisons and share them with whomever wanted the opportunity.  We presented this idea to faculty in April and are moving forward with the project over the next three years.

I became more involved in my faith life during this time, as well. I found a flourishing Catholic community at Ohio State, and started going to the Newman Center. Through the church and an organization called Saint Paul’s Outreach, I joined a weekly Bible study where I learned more about God’s word and grew in sisterhood with several other young women. Next year, I am going to be leading a Bible study group, and helping women become closer to God.

After all that, I still had time to make friends and enjoy the beautiful campus. I think I’ve explored 60% of the buildings on campus so far, and will definitely hit the other 40% in the next three years! I got to know the other Eminence Fellows, and I’m rooming with 3 of them next year. Over the summer, I’ll be an apprentice at Procter & Gamble–after that, fall semester will be right around the corner. I can’t wait to see what next semester will be like (hopefully more normal!) and am so happy about the year I’ve had!