This year I have worked to increase my sense of global awareness, and Ohio State’s diverse opportunities have made it easy to learn about different countries, ideas, languages, and cultures.

Living in Morrill Tower, three of my suite-mates are international students from China. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them and hear about their stories. They even made hot pot for dinner for us one time, so it was neat getting to try food that they regularly eat back home.

One of the coolest events I’ve been to all year was Taste of OSU. There were many dance performances and tons of delicious food! I got to see my friend Lauren perform with the Japanese Student Organization, and my friend Lisa performed with the Irish Dance Team. The best dish I sampled was traditional Polish pierogis!

Recently I attended the Japanese Student Organization’s 13th annual Spring Festival. I tried mochi, a Japanese dessert similar to ice cream. My roommate Lauren showed me how to write Japanese characters in traditional calligraphy.

Through these experiences– and many others– I have been able to learn so much more about the diverse world around me!

My roommate Lauren & I at the Japanese Student Organization Spring Festival!

One of the most enriching service activities I’ve been involved in this year is through the Catholic church on campus, the Newman Center.

I’m very involved in the Catholic ministry on campus and loved getting to go on the fall retreat, Buckeye Awakening 17. I applied to help staff for the next retreat, Buckeye Awakening 18, which took place recently.

Being a volunteer on this retreat, I think I got more out of it than when I was a retreater. It helped me appreciate how much work goes into putting together an event like this. I enjoyed getting to serve even in the small ways like setting up PVC pipes to display our banners and directing retreaters where to go.

I can’t wait to volunteer on more Buckeye Awakening retreats and serving in many other ways through the Newman Center.

Even though it’s only my first year at Ohio State, I’ve had many opportunities to grow and develop as a leader, and I’m excited to continue these opportunities and build on them in the next couple years!

MMC FLO: As a member of Media, Marketing, and Communications Scholars, I am also a part of our freshmen leadership team (FLO). I’ve learned a lot about working as a team, planning events, and managing a budget through this experience. My favorite event from this year was our Professional Development evening when we had two faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences Career Services. They helped us with resume editing, interviewing skills, and navigating LinkedIn. I look forward to continuing to plan social and professional events for MMC sophomores next year.

The PRactice Account Executive: The PRactice is Ohio State’s student-run public relations firm that gets to work with real clients. Spring semester I’ve been serving as an Account Associate for our client Car, the Center for Automotive Research at Ohio State. They are also known as the Midwest Hydrogen Fuel Cell Collaborative and are dedicated to researching and developing sources of clean energy using hydrogen. Through this experience I have learned a lot about interpreting social media analytics, creating content calendars, and working on a team. Next year I am excited to take on a leadership role as Account Executive with the Youth and Technology Minor.

PRSSA Alumni Relations Subcommittee Chair: I joined PRSSA (The Public Relations Student Society of America) fall semester and have loved the opportunities this student organization has offered. Since I’m a freshman who is only in intro-level Communication classes, PRSSA has helped give me a good idea of what the field of Communication looks like and what potential job opportunities I might have in the future. I have personally gotten a lot out of PRSSA’s professional mentorship program and wanted to get more involved with the club and their connections to alumni. I am excited to serve as the Alumni Relations Subcommittee Chair next semester!

One of the ways I am challenging myself to grow academically is by adding two minors in addition to my major in Strategic Communication: Social Psychology & Personality and Professional Writing.

After taking AP Psychology in high school, I enjoyed learning about the reasons humans think and operate in the ways that they do. I love studying humans and their social interactions. Knowing  I wanted to dive into this more in college, I decided to pick up a minor in Social Psychology and Personality. I’m looking forward to taking upper-level classes like Psychology of Emotion and Interpersonal Relationships.

Since I have a love for writing, I have also decided to pursue a minor in Professional Writing. I think this minor will go well with my major in Strategic Communication, and I am always looking for ways to challenge myself to become a better writer. I look forward to participating in an internship, which is a requirement in for this minor.

I’ve always been a student who prefers studying English and history over math and science. In high school I didn’t even take any math or science AP courses.

Once I came to college I knew I’d have science GE’s to fulfill, and I have actually enjoyed taking science classes a lot more than I expected!

This semester I’m in Physics of Sports with Dr. Richard Hughes and Extreme Weather and Climate with Dr. Montenegro. I chose to take the physics class because I love sports, and I enjoyed taking physics in high school. As for the class about weather, I’ve always been fascinated by weather.

I love how practical these classes are in that they explain real-world everyday phenomena. For example, I can now tell you why the sky is blue or how a baseball’s speed changes when it’s thrown with spin.

Keeping an open mind this semester despite knowing I had to take science classes was super important, and I’m so glad I’ve been able to take these classes because I have learned so very much and thoroughly enjoyed it along the way!

I love the H&S G.O.A.L.S. because they are meant to challenge students inside and outside of the classroom in order to grow as better students and overall citizens of the world.

This year I am excited to cultivate my appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences. I look forward to taking classes about different cultures and hope to study abroad next May through one of Ohio State’s “May-mester” programs.

I hope to gain a better understanding of the research process by engaging in scholarly endeavors, creative inquiry projects, and  independent experiences. I look forward to taking a Research Methods course for my psychology minor and will participate as a study participant in the School of Communication’s research program, C-REP.

I look forward to developing as a leader in the classroom, community, and in co-curricular activities to better prepare me for my future role in society. I’m excited to get involved in activities around campus and hope to devote my energy to student organizations that have an impact on campus.

Service is important to me, and I am excited to give my time to causes that benefit the community. Specifically I hope to be able to go on a mission trip, perhaps through Buck-I-Serv, in order to give back and help make the world a better place.