About Me

Hi there! I’m Alayna Jones, a first year undergraduate student majoring in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. I am a member of both the Health Sciences Scholars, as well and the Morrill Scholars. My plan is to continue on to the Respiratory Therapy track within the college of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, and to then go on to Physician Assistant school thereafter. As a member of MedLife and Doctors Without Borders here at OSU, it has been possible to help serve the community whilst gaining knowledge in the field of medicine simultaneously. I have also been granted the opportunity to become a part of the Women’s Leadership Development and Mentorship program, which allows me to cultivate my strengths to persevere through personal and professional success.

In high school I created ‘Culture Club”, focused on teaching students about the traditions, environment, and history of cultures around the world. I also helped form my city’s first young adult group advocating for racial justice, called ‘Troy Freedom Chasers’. So far we have made many strides towards excellence by registering individuals to vote, fundraising for body cams, and working with the council to bring awareness in the community. When I am not studying, working out, or participating in volunteer work, I love to cook or watch The Vampire Diaries. I also enjoy watching movies, some of my favorites include ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,’ and ‘Mockingjay Part 2.’

Year in Review

As my first year at The Ohio State comes to a close, I realize the extent to which I learned and changed as a person over the two semesters. The biggest thing I learned was how to manage my time better, as that was something I needed while taking 16 credit hours of classes, 20 hours per week at my job, and maintaining a social life. I learned to spend my free time working on upcoming assignments rather than wasting time on social media. I also learned to stop wasting money on things that would not benefit me long term, especially on things that were not essential. These two things singlehandedly prepared me for my adulthood and have made me confident that I will succeed throughout the rest of my time at Ohio State.  

Going into my first year, my goal was to have a 4.0 gpa, join 4 clubs, volunteer every week, AND have fun with friends. I quickly realized that what came to me naturally in high school would have to be worked harder for here in college. Instead, I became proud of myself for ending the year with a 3.8 gpa, and set plans for getting volunteer and service experience to work on during my second year. I spent time with my friends while simultaneously working on myself. Overall, I learned that you cannot predict everything that will happen to you, and that life is all about adapting to the changes. My revised goals for next year are to learn, rather than focus on grades. I want to participate in leadership and volunteer experiences that excite me, while finding friends who uplift and support me for who I am.  

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.]

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.]