Considering everything that I have experienced in my 1st year and this past summer 2018, my GOALS one year ago were quite different from my GOALS today. Initially, I thought that my future would involve making a decent amount of money while working in the medical field, perhaps a nurse. I was quite set on this and had my classes all scheduled and ready to. To a certain extent, I believe in the signs from my gut, and I started to realize that maybe I didn’t want to go into the medical field anymore. From this point, I found my way to the University Exploration Program. Through “exploration”, I was then able to find my interest in the School of Environment & Natural Resources. With my environmental background and the professional I had met from it, I thought working in conservation efforts at a local/state level in Natural Resource work was for me. I have since then declared a Natural Resource Management major in SENR and am still passionate about the subject.
While I am passionate about NRM, I don’t necessarily think it’s going to point me to my direct career path. I have considered going into the peace corp as this would be enriching to use Natural Resource management to help people. With one of the GOALS being Global Engagement, I can definitely align with this and being globally aware in the 21st century. I have always wanted to “do something with my life”, something that is entirely selfless, yet would have a great impact on the world.”. Now, I know I’m not going to go to another country and be their “American Savior”, but I think I believe I can be a tool utilized amongst other nations and communities.
Beyond the peace corp, I would have interests in pursuing a degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs. I have been striving for the Academic Enrichment side of GOALS and I have had some different campus jobs that have taught me about some higher education operations. I would like to work at a college or university working in efforts of access among schools with students who are in greater need of services to achieve admission and financing of a higher education degree. I think this could tie into my passion for multi-cultural work, diversity work, and my long-term goal of reforming the Eurocentric/US-centric environmental curriculum taught in schools and at universities.
By the end of my second year, I hope that I will have completed my STEP program, as I have an interest in doing research or studies in that of environmental access to food and nutrition. I would like to have some sort of proposal or academic connection to someone at the university to learn more about things such as food deserts, specifically in the Columbus metropolitan area!