My name is Emma Hofman and I’m incredibly excited to be participating in the politics, society & law scholars program this year. I’m from just outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, although I’ve been raised a buckeye baby for my whole life since my mom’s from Ohio. My major is business with a specialization in international business, as I feel that that bridges my interests in both business and international relations fairly well. I’m tentatively considering minoring in business analytics as well. I’m hoping to play club lacrosse here at Ohio State and am also in the process of rushing a business fraternity right now. Career-wise, I’m unsure right now of exactly where I want to end up, but I’m in the process of focusing my interests and trying to balance political interest with business engagement.

Throughout high school, a few activities I participated in included Best Buddies, DECA, Varsity Lacrosse, Junior Statesmen of America, and Rho Kappa. The experience I found most valuable in high school would have to be DECA. DECA gave me an outlet which merged my competitive nature with a passion for service and building relationships. It also introduced me to the breadth of opportunities available to apply my various other passions in an entrepreneurial environment. DECA also encouraged me to gain confidence in presenting my own ideas and instilled a level of professional competency that I feel will continue to benefit me throughout college. Additionally, Best Buddies also had a lasting impact on me as it opened my eyes to the diverse experiences, perspectives and life backgrounds each and every person I meet holds. It introduced me to the concept of advocacy for people who I hold close to my heart who themselves are unable to speak up for themselves, or are sometimes unfairly not taken seriously when they do.

I chose Ohio State because of the seemingly infinite opportunities and resources that such a big school has, in addition to the unrivaled sense of tradition and community that makes even a university of 45,000 students seem like home. I’m so excited to attend sports events like football games here and show off some crazy school spirit! Coming to a new city far away from home and my family seemed daunting at first but the chance to immerse myself in such an exciting new environment is something I’ve grown to recognize as a learning opportunity already. I can’t wait to explore Columbus and Ohio State!