IA Reflection #1: Non-IA

I attended the Education Abroad Expo on September 4th. When walking into the event, the expo was a little overwhelming. I did not know which booth to approach at first, but I was able to direct myself to the tables beneficial to me according to the signs. I was a little skeptical, thinking that this wouldn’t help me that much, but I actually gained a lot of knowledge and encouraged me to research more opportunities regarding education abroad.

Even though I was able to obtain useful information, one thing that discouraged me during the event was the limited opportunities I have access to due to my major. There were various opportunities for language and humanities majors, but there weren’t booths specifically for STEM majors. There were a few research opportunities, but the only credits I could use from the experience were GE credits as a biomedical engineering major. However, since I was thinking about adding a humanities minor like human rights or peace studies, this was helpful for me in some way. I could kill two birds with one stone by fulfilling majority of the courses for the minor and studying abroad.

Also, there were some short-term opportunities like the Global May Program, which was the most realistic program for me if I don’t want it to interfere with my projected graduation date. Even though there’s a very slim chance that I’ll be able to pursue these, there were other programs that caught my eye as well. There was a program where you get on a boat and travel around the world. You spend a couple months on a boat while taking classes. The boat stops by more than 10 spots around the world, letting students travel and explore while taking their courses for school. I thought this was unique and fun even though I would be a little worried about getting sea sick. If I could fit this program into my schedule and find a course I can use for my studies, I would definitely consider this opportunity.

Studying abroad is something I really want to pursue. It’s an exceptional opportunity that you can only experience during your collegiate time. It would broaden my views, let me interact wider range of people, experience other cultures, and overall be a fun experience. Out of all the programs, the Global May Program is what caught my interest. I think the time might be a little too short, but would be enough for me to get a good insight in the country. It would be enough time to let me adjust to the new environment while not allowing me to get homesick.

Something else I started thinking about after the expo is how I can incorporate the study abroad experience with internships or co-ops. If I can work for a company outside of US, I would be able to take some components of the study abroad experience to the internship/co-op experience. I want to look more into these opportunities by researching online, attending other expos, or asking my adviser and friends.

Year in Review

[ “Year in Review”  is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student.  You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

G.O.A.L.S.

[ “G.O.A.L.S.” is a place where students write about how their planned, current, and future activities may fit into the Honors & Scholars G.O.A.L.S.: Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement. For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.

  • Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences. For example, consider course work, study abroad, involvement in cultural organizations or activities, etc.
  • Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community. For example, consider research, creative productions or performances, advanced course work, etc.
  • Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom.
  • Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society.
  • Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community.]

Career

[“Career” is where you can collect information about your experiences and skills that will apply to your future career.  Like your resume, this is information that will evolve over time and should be continually updated.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

Artifacts

[Artifacts are the items you consider to be representative of your academic interests and achievements. For each entry, include both an artifact and a detailed annotation.  An annotation includes both a description of the artifact and a reflection on why it is important to you, what you learned, and what it means for your next steps.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

About Me

[Your “About Me” is a brief biographical statement that might include your intended major, your academic interests, your goals, as well as the things that make you unique.  Definitely include a picture! Also, remember that you can always update this post at any point. For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]