I attended a seminar on ‘Shakespeare Among the Suicide Bombers: The Turmoil of Theater in Modern Afghanistan’ seminar with one of my STEM friends. The lecture was held at the Thompson library and featured coffee and Baklava. I was surprised by the diverse crowd at the lecture. Many of the students were undergraduates who were studying the lecture for an intro to theatre class. Many of the other attendees were professors and faculty from the Middle East Studies Center. The speaker, Nushin Arbabzadah, was really amazing. She is an afghan play-write that travels to universities and educates people about the history of theater in Afghanistan. Her list of accomplishments is extensive and highlights her passion for the arts and education. Many of her accolades involve her work as a translator and journalist. Previously she delivered the Lawrence and Lee Theatre Research Institute Annual Lecture on contemporary Afghan theatre from its humble origins on the dusty streets of ancient towns to its elevation at the court to its devastation under the Taliban to its current recovery through international efforts. The content of her lecture was very new to me. Having never been very involved with the arts, I was blown away by the sheer beauty of Afghan theatre. Not only did I learn about theatre in Afghanistan, but I also learned about the history of the country, the politics, and the culture of the people there. I gained insight into the impact of theatre on women in society. By becoming involved in theatre, women have more opportunities to grow and achieve their dreams. This fabulous lecture kept me engaged and made me eager to learn more.  

While this lecture did not relate to research in my major, I still found it was a meaningful and insightful experience. As a student, I want to have a wide breadth of knowledge and work to learn about topics outside of my department. As an medical anthropology major, I am focused on the study of humans which is a vast and diverse topic. By learning more about the human experience through theatre, literature, and political struggle, I am further enriching my studies. Furthermore, by attending lectures outside of me specialty, I can make new connections with people I wouldn’t have met otherwise. Events like seminars are perfect opportunities to network with new people and become more acquainted with different areas of study. 

I truly enjoyed the lecture and felt that I gained valuable knowledge and insights into a very unique culture. I am met amazing people including an Afghani film critique who was seated next to me during the presentation. I plan on attending more seminars that are outside of my area of study as well as ones that relate to my major and research interests. I am grateful that I have so many amazing opportunities on campus to learn the world around me. I would encourage more undergraduate students to branch out and take time to attend lectures like these because they are great opportunities to learn from experts and prominent researchers. There were many great things about this experience and I’m excited to continue to educate myself outside of the classroom at Ohio State.

During my survey class last week, a representative from The Arts and Sciences Center for Career and Professional Success came to speak about the resources available to help students become career ready. Her presentation was very informative and insightful so I decided to make an appointment with the Career Coach for Undergraduates interested in Healthcare and Wellness. I made an appointment  for the next week through my Handshake account which is an amazing tool that is available to all Ohio State students. 

At first I was nervous about the appointment because I haven’t had any career development before and I do not have a professional resume yet. I had also never had much exposure to career building in high school because resources focused more on college admissions but not beyond that. When I arrived at my appointment, my career coach began by asking me a few questions about my career goals and how I’ve begun to develop my resume thus far. Next we discussed possible research opportunities I could pursue and other volunteer organizations I could become involved with during my time at Ohio State. We also discussed plans for the summer and how I could go about finding opportunities in Cleveland by creating a LinkedIn profile. I found the Center for Career and Professional Success to be a very valuable resource even for first semester freshman who feel they are no where near beginning their careers. I felt that the reassurance and guidance provided to the students is very helpful in keeping students focused and engaged with their education. I also felt that I had gained a better understanding of the timeline for pursuing research positions and internships. 

While I had a very pleasant experience with my career coach, I felt that they were not as helpful as I had hoped. When I talked about being a STEM Scholar and how that might help me build my resume, she admitted that she was unfamiliar with Scholars its benefits for students career wise. I also asked for recommendations for volunteer opportunities geared towards pre-med students that would be educational and worthwhile but they just told me to do some research online. I had hoped to be directed to other resources but this was not the case. If I were to suggest a change for The Arts and Sciences Center for Career and Professional Success, it would be to support the staff in becoming more up to date with what students are involved in on campus and how these opportunities could benefit students in the long run. By being knowledgeable about Honors & Scholars, student run organizations, and volunteer opportunities, the staff could better help students become more involved and help them make decisions that will assist them in finding a job in the future.  

The Ohio State University has countless opportunities and resources for its students and I am excited to explore more of them during my time on campus. My next appointment will be at the Dennis Learning Center so I can develop my study habits to be more effective and efficient.