Hello! I am Leah Kessler, a first year student here at The Ohio State University! I am an ENR Scholar whose passion for the environment and all living things flows freely. In high school, some of my environmental activities included: taking AP Environmental Science; writing a short research paper on the value of saving the oceans as well as a much longer paper on the viability of assisted translocation as a conservation method for endangered species; attending a weekend lab program at the Duke University marine laboratory in Beaufort; and volunteering with the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I am also an avid pet sitter and foster parent for kittens (well, up until my family became “foster failures” and adopted two of our kittens). I hope to learn how to live more sustainably as well as how to articulate my knowledge in this area. I was born in Colorado and moved to the Cleveland area about 17 years ago. My hobbies include, but are not limited to, backstage work in theatre, singing, and service projects. I play the flute, piccolo, piano, and am interested in learning guitar. As far as athletics are concerned, I used to be a gymnast, swimmer, and diver. Trying new activities excites me, and I am open to learning about different and opposing viewpoints to my own. Balance, in my opinion, is the key to true happiness in life; I pursue academia with the same enthusiasm that I approach my extracurriculars. While balance is central to my beliefs, choosing my workload is a challenge; I am still learning the nuances of not overloading myself and my schedule. Ohio State was my final choice in high education due to its diversity, not only in ethnic backgrounds, sexual identities and orientations, but in ideas. I seek to live beyond my comfort zone, and I plan to do exactly that through my studies and activities here!