Honors Contract G.O.A.L.S. Reflection

Global Awareness:

In terms of global awareness, I have extensively paid attention to issues of economics policy on the global scale as they unfold, and I’ve also taken classes on the history of the global economy, the history of the economy of the americas, and the current economic issues that affect both the US and the global community. Although I have not and do not plan to travel abroad, this does not in any way mean that I have ignored the importance of the global community.

 

Original Inquiry:

Currently I am seeking to perform research in two distinct economic areas, The first is to look at a wide range of factors in state universities in the Midwest to see if mental health spending per student has an impact on suicide rates. The second is more experimental, and focuses on how depression symptoms impact economic behavior in a laboratory setting. The goal of both of these studies is to provide motivation for both the field of economics and universities to take notice of the impact of mental illness on people’s behaviors, and the necessity of actually committing resources to ensure mental health issues are properly addressed.

Academic Enrichment:

I have currently taken far more 4000+ level classes than required for the honors program, and I intend to take more as I further develop my understanding of the field of economics. Although I have not pursued a minor, I have spent the time that has afforded me taking classes that have given me a broad and deep understanding of the current state of economics as a scientific field, and this has helped me to see how each area of economics aligns with my strengths, weaknesses, and preferences.

 

Leadership Development:

During my time here, I have primarily developed and demonstrated my leadership talents through my involvement with Moneything and my job as a tutor from the economics department. Moneythink is, put briefly, a club through which OSU students go out into high schools in the local community and mentor high school students about financial literacy, college/job readiness, and other vital life skills that aren’t taught in schools. Both of my leadership roles have centered around the ability to get along with and communicate vital information to people of vastly varying backgrounds, experience levels, levels of interest, and degrees of academic ability, which is a vital skills for any leader to have. In addition, I have been promoted to Lead Tutor, which adds the responsibility of ensuring that all of the other Econ tutors are performing their jobs well, as well as organizing the tutoring schedule and proposing changes to improve the tutoring center.

 

Service Engagement:

As previously mentioned, I have been involved extensively with Moneythink’s goal to provide high school students a more solid grounding in financial literacy, a topic that is often left out of a typical high school education. In addition, through Moneythink’s partnerships with other organizations, I have also taken part in information campaigns against sex trafficking, cleaned streets of columbus, and collected water for Flint, Michigan (they may be That State Up North, but the right thing to do is the right thing to do). Overall I have found no shortage of opportunities to serve my community on a local and national level, and I have had no shortage of desire to do so.

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 information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

G.O.A.L.S.

Global Awareness:

In all honesty, it seems that I am an outlier in that I have no particular desire to study abroad. This does not, however, mean that I plan to simply ignore Global Awareness. Instead, I plan to achieve understanding of global affairs through my coursework, specifically in macroeconomics. Because macroeconomics focuses on large-scale interactions between markets and governments, the area lends itself quite well to the study of how international trade is conducted, and how firms, governments, and individuals around the world compete and interact in the global economy.

Original Inquiry:

For me, Original Inquiry will come in the form of research. Because research is so important in economics, specifically in graduate economic work, pursuing research in the field is a necessity. Whether that research will be my own, or if I will participate in a professor’s research, I have not determined, though ideally I would do both. I also plan on taking a class called Experimental Economics, which will prepare me for research by teaching the basic tools of economic research and experimentation. If possible, I would also like to graduate with research distinction, but I also realize that it would be naïve to assume that will be possible years in advance. Therefore, It remains a goal to strive for, while I also realize the possibility that it won’t be feasible in my schedule.

Academic Enrichment:

Academic Enrichment may be the easiest of the G.O.A.L.S. for me to fulfill, as I already plan to take a full range of high-level courses. In addition, I have chosen to minor in math, which is no small feat when one considers the extra rigor required for an honors math minor. I also plan to take multiple 5000-level Econ courses to fulfill my major electives requirements. It is my hope that taking rigorous classes in math and econ will prepare me to potentially pursue graduate studies in economics. Although I don’t necessarily plan on going to grad school, I want to ensure that grad school is an option.

 

Leadership Development:

One major way I plan to engage in Leadership Development is through the Moneythink student organization, in which OSU students go out into Columbus high schools and teach students about financial literacy. Not only does this relate directly to my major, but it is a fantastic way of building leadership and mentorship skills. Additionally, I intend to take a leadership role in my church community at OSU, though I am not yet certain in what capacity.

 

Service Engagement:

While at OSU, I plan to engage in service through my church community, which provides many opportunities for service through the Newman Center. In addition, I plan to become very involved with Moneythink, as it relates directly to economics and applies that knowledge to a service opportunity. While unfortunately I am not entirely certain which specific other service projects I will engage in, I know that there are a multitude of opportunities to choose from.

 

 

Career

[“Career” is where you can collect information about your experiences and skills that will apply to your future career.  Like your resume, this is information that will evolve over time and should be continually updated.   For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

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 is a reflective description of the artifact that attempts to communicate its significance.  For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

About Me

[Your “About Me” is an introduction and should provide insight into who you are as a person and a learner.  This should include a picture of you that is appropriate in a professional/academic context. This information should be continually updated.  For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio.  Delete these instructions and add your own post.]