Author: johnson.8050

STEP Reflection

For my STEP Signature Project, I travelled to Lexington, Virginia for a six day art workshop at Shenandoah Art Destination. During this endeavor, I learned valuable painting skills from professional artist Jan-Wilhelm Boer, formed friendships and exchanged tips with fellow artists, and discovered more about myself as I travelled alone.

 

In anticipation of my project, one aspect that excited me was the opportunity to learn and grow as I travelled alone for the first time. By driving six hours alone to a place where I knew no one, I really stepped out of my comfort zone. That time, along with hours of quiet time in nature and the studio daily, allowed for self-reflection. Additionally, I rediscovered my love for painting through this project. In the past, art has always been a hobby.  Now, I feel much more confident in my abilities and know that painting is something I want to prioritize in my free time more. My hope is to start selling my artwork and spend time this summer advertising my skills.

 

One of the largest transformational factors was the professional relationship I formed with Jan. As a professional artist, Jan was able to offer valuable experience and advice. I entered the project planning on working on landscape painting, which is something I was already comfortable with. Jan challenged me to stretch beyond what I knew and begin painting portraits. With his guidance, I was able to create a painting of my family that I am proud of.

 

The friendships I developed at Shenandoah Art Destination greatly influenced my time there. The other participants were much older than me which opened my eyes to new perspectives on art. One person in particular who impacted me was Martha. This older woman and I worked side by side in the studio each day. Through conversations during mealtime and working together in the studio, I was able to get to know her as an artist and as a friend. We exchanged tips as we worked on our paintings, and at the end of the trip she even offered to buy one of my paintings.

 

The location of the Art Destination was a factor in rediscovering my passion for art. The Shenandoah Valley provided a beautiful setting for painting. On my first day of painting, I painted outdoors at a location overlooking the valley. It was amazing to spend time outside while painting such beautiful scenery. Being in this atmosphere was one of the main things that rekindled my interest in painting. I hope to use this experience to improve my paintings at home and find subjects in nature around me.

 

Art has always been an important part of my life. In my current stage of life, I haven’t had time to put this much focus on art. Furthermore, I now realize that creating art is a way I take care of myself. Spending six days, eight hours per day painting, I felt more relaxed and happier than I had been in a while. I learned that taking care of myself through art is a priority and is something that I must pursue in the future. Instead of simply creating art in my limited free time, I am going to incorporate art into my daily life.

Resume

Addalyn Johnson Resume

My resume contains a summary of many skills and experiences that I have obtained.

One notable experience is Mount Leadership Society.  During 2020-2021, I served as a co-chair of the Summit Corps, a committee that plans Mount’s annual 300-person conference on leadership and the social change model.  This valuable leadership opportunity allowed me to grow as a leader and experience planning and executing a large event from start to finish.  It enhanced my time management skills and allowed me to lead a committee of peers to efficiently complete tasks.  Since the conference took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, I had to think on my feet and come up with creative solutions to reformat the conference to a virtual mode of delivery.

 

My Position as a Research Assistant

In February 2020, I applied for and received a position as a research assistant with The BabyTalk Project through The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.  Although it wasn’t in my original plans to work in this position virtually, I had to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Throughout this semester, I have been working from home to fulfill my position.  I spend about six hours per week coding audio files for the project and learning about what the project is researching.

This book, I Can Hear You Whisper by Lydia Denworth, has been a significant part of my semester.  Biweekly, I participate in a reading group with other research assistants involved with BabyTalk.  We read and discuss this book, which has taught me so much about sound and language.  I am thrilled to be learning about my future career, and my excitement continues to build.  I believe my experiences with BabyTalk are preparing me well for a career in Speech-Language Pathology.

G.O.A.L.S

Global Awareness:

I plan to take part in an education abroad experience at some point during my undergrad career.  Currently, I am in the STEP program, and I plan to create a project that will allow me to travel abroad and learn more about diversity and culture in another country.  While I am not yet sure where I will go, I am interested in studying in a European or African country.

Original Inquiry:

During the second semester of my first year, I applied for and received an undergraduate research assistant position with The OSU Wexner Medical Center Department of Otolaryngology.  I began working in this position during the Autumn 2020 semester and expect to continue until graduation.  I work with the BabyTalk Project, which studies language development in children.  Currently, I code audio files and meet with staff to discuss the project and language development in general.  I am excited to be learning about things that directly relate to my studies and future career.

Academic Enrichment:

I am very excited about both my major and minor.  I chose to major in Speech and Hearing Science with the intention to continue to grad school to become a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP).  The more I learn, the more I find the science of speech and hearing to be fascinating.  There are many exciting developments in research which have the potential to make huge impacts on many lives.  As an SLP, I will work with people who have difficulties with language and speech.  I enjoy serving others and interacting with people, and I believe I am on a wonderful path to a career that will allow me to do just that.

Additionally, I am working towards a minor in Studio Art.  Art has always been a hobby of mine, and I enjoy the opportunity to be able to learn more and incorporate it into my coursework.  The creativeness of studio art contrasts with the science of speech and hearing, which I think will result in well-roundedness.  I also believe that studio art will have interesting uses within speech therapy, and I am excited to look into these.

Leadership Development:

Mount Leadership Society gives me wonderful opportunities to develop my leadership skills.  During my second year, I took on a role as a Co-Chair of the Summit Corps Committee within Mount.  In this committee, I planned and executed Mount’s annual leadership conference, where Mount Scholars had the opportunity to learn about leadership according to the Social Change Model.

I am also a leader in Cru, which is a Christian organization on campus.  My second year, I took on a position of a small group leader, where I connect with other students, organize and lead Bible studies within my small group.  This has been a rewarding experience so far, and I look forward to continuing to lead in Cru over the next few years.

Service Engagement:

Within Mount Leadership Society, there are many opportunities to participate in service.  Throughout my first year, I participated in a variety of volunteer opportunities to serve others.  During Mount’s Legacy Week, I was on a team that worked with agencies in Columbus to create service projects that addressed the social justice issue of health.  In my second year, I am completing a Year of Service through Mount, where I am serving with an after school program for students in Columbus.

Artifact 2

One of the most significant events of my first semester of college actually happened off-campus.  On November 10-11, 2019, I attended Mount Retreat with my fellow first year Mount Scholars.  The weekend was filled with valuable activities that helped me develop my leadership style and deepen relationships.  It was at Mount Retreat that some of my greatest college friendships formed.  I learned a lot about myself as a person and a leader, and I returned to campus refreshed and rejuvenated.

Months later, I still reflect on Mount Retreat.  The details I learned about myself still apply to me now, and I continue to work on bettering myself and growing as a leader.  Most important to me, however, are the relationships.  Many of the friendships I now have within my scholars program began because of Mount Retreat.  I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to attend this turning point in my first semester.  Ever since the retreat, Mount feels like my second family, and I know that we are truly together for good.

Service

My biggest passion is helping others.  Throughout everything I do in my life, I want to put others before myself and serve them.  This photo is from a service activity that I participated in with Mount Leadership Society in September 2019.  I, along with other members of Mount, filled boxes of food to be distributed to underprivileged students in the Columbus area so that they would have healthy food options over the weekends.  This program is called the Buddy Box Program through the Family Mentor Foundation.  As a group, we filled over 3,000 boxes of food, which will help children get the nutrition they need at home.

About Me

My name is Addalyn (Addy) Johnson, and I am a first year Speech and Hearing Science major at The Ohio State University, where I am also a member of Mount Leadership Society.  My hometown is West Liberty, Ohio, a small town about an hour west of Columbus.  After I graduate, I plan to pursue graduate school to become a Speech Pathologist.

I graduated from West Liberty-Salem High School in May 2019, where I was involved in many activities.  From athletics (soccer and track & field), to arts (choir, musicals, art), to academics (National Honor Society, French Club), to leadership and service (Key Club, Link Crew, class Vice President, student council), I enjoyed being involved and upholding a full, well-rounded schedule.

Outside of school, I was involved in 4-H and my church.  In 4-H, I showed horses, participated in a variety of projects, and held many leadership roles.  I love interacting with people, and serving others is one of my greatest passions.  I volunteered with different groups on both a local and global scale, including the Salvation Army, Central Ohio Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and El Amor de Patricia (an orphanage in Antigua, Guatemala).

 

 

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.]