G.O.A.L.S.

Global Awareness:

Since starting my freshman year at Ohio State, I’ve had a few great opportunities to expand my global awareness, in and out of the classroom. My first semester at Ohio State, I participated in the London Honors program, in which I learned about British history and culture prior to traveling to London during Winter Break. This was my first (but hopefully not my last) time participating in a Study Abroad program at Ohio State. The program was wonderful and helped me grow in my knowledge, not just of London but of the world as well. We were able to visit many historical and cultural sites/museums, such as the Churchill War Rooms, which helped us gain perspective of where our world has been and where we are now. We also had a lot of free time to explore food, art, music, and daily life in London, as well as having time to take some side trips to Oxford, Stonehenge, the Roman Baths, and Windsor Castle. Apart from this experience, I have discovered that there are so many ways to explore diversity and global awareness here in Columbus/on campus. I’ve gotten to attend events, like Taste of OSU and the TedX conference, which showed me an abundance of new cultures and ideas. I’ve also taken coursework,  such as History of Zionism and Modern Israel or Religion and Law in Comparative Perspectives, that have given me opportunities to learn about places, cultures, and religions I had never learned about before. One of the biggest ways I plan to continue to expand my global awareness and appreciation for diversity is by studying abroad in San José, Costa Rica for Spring Semester next year.

Original Inquiry:

I have yet to engage in research, beyond small projects and papers, but hope to be able to do research in the humanities field. I’m really interested in linguistic research, especially sociolinguistics and language discrimination of Spanish speakers in the United States. For a group project I’m currently working on in my Introduction to Spanish Literature and Cultures class, we are investigating Mock Spanish and White Public Space, as described in an article called, “Language, Race, and White Public Space” by Jane Hill. My group interviewed a PhD candidate about a study she did regarding Mock Spanish and its strategies. After reading the Jane Hill article and conducting the interview, I was really intrigued by this topic and would love to do more formal research on it. I’m also really interested in historical research, but I’m not sure what topic I would be most interested in. Right now, I’m really intrigued by comparative religious history and also Middle Eastern Conflict history.

Academic Enrichment: 

My academic journey has been a bit all over the place, as I came to OSU as a Spanish major (Pre-Med) and have now dropped the pre-med, in exchange for pre-education. However, this change in direction, has allowed me to have a breadth of academic experience, even beyond the breadth required by the general education requirements. These classes have been very challenging, at times, but also offered a chance to explore different fields, gain different kinds of knowledge/skills, and find new passions. Because of being pre-med, I have taken Physics and Organic Chemistry, classes that really challenged me to work hard to gain understanding. I explored the idea of a Global Public Health minor, and took Introduction to Global Public Health, which reminded me of my passion for health equity and my interest in Social Determinants of Health and their role in health inequity. The class introduced a lot of new ideas that helped me formulate opinions on important topics around the world, but in the end Public Health wasn’t for me. I’ve taken General Education courses in different disciplines, such as an English Bible as Literature Class and Religion and Law in Comparative Perspectives, that allowed me to learn more about my non-major interests, like religion and law. Also, after taking my History GE (Religion and Law in Comparative Perspectives), I rediscovered a love for History/Social Sciences that I had forgotten or never realized. This inspired me to enroll in more history classes and declare a minor in History. The breadth and rigor of courses I’ve been able to take has given me a good foundation of knowledge and skills to support both my career goals in becoming and educator and my desire to be a life-long learner for the sake of learning.

Leadership Development:

At Ohio State, I’ve gotten to develop my leadership skills in several ways. First, I was an alternate to be an Resident Advisor (RA) this year, so last year I took a leadership class for RAs. Although, I never became an RA, I learned a lot from the class about how to be a better leader, including embracing diversity, being a better listener, practicing empathy over sympathy, etc. I’ve gotten to put those skills to practice in different roles and ways in the past year. One way is through Hall Council Executive Board. I’m the Service-Learning Committee Chair on the Taylor Tower Hall Council Executive Board, so I am in charge of a committee that plans service-learning opportunities for residents. Additionally, along with the rest of the Executive Board, I help set goals for the semester, plan larger-scale events, and execute our ideas. I also am a bible study leader through a ministry organization called, Saint Paul’s Outreach (SPO), and my church, St. Thomas More Newman Center. In that role, I have to meet and plan with my bible study co-lead, invite others to be a part of our group, facilitate group discussions, create a community atmosphere, etc. We also have training nights to support our development as bible study leaders.  Being a bible study leader has shaped my ability to communicate well, taught me to empathize and listen better, and developed my planning and organizational skills. I hope to continue to develop my leadership skills through workshops offered at Ohio State and through evolving positions. Next year, I will be part of the Bible Study Oversight Team for SPO and the Newman Center to provide one-on-one support to other bible study leaders, organize contact information, plan bible study leader training meetings, etc.

Service Engagement:

Below are some of the ways I’ve engaged in community service in my first two years at Ohio State:

  • Service-Learning Committee Chair for Taylor Tower Hall Council (2017-2018): organizing and coordinating the details of service events ( gratitude letters to military members, encouraging notes to students on Reading Day, volunteering at NNEMAP Food Pantry, Nursing Home Pen Pal Program with Willow Brook Christian Home, and a blanket making event).
  • Weekly volunteering at St. Thomas More Newman Catholic Church as an aide in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) youth program.
  • First Educational Experience Program: FEEP has a service-learning component, in which we participate in a project that helps the classroom and our coordinating professional in some way. This semester I have been assisting an individual, struggling student during class.
  • Two-time BuckeyeThon Team Member
  • Events, like MLK Day of Service and Community Commitment- One time, I stuffed envelopes at the Columbus Metropolitan Library and the other I volunteered at an animal shelter.

I hope to continue to volunteer with CGS and find new ways to engage in meaningful service in my next two years at Ohio State. While I’m abroad in Costa Rica, I will be participating in Service-Learning through the program I’m hoping to do. If I get accepted to this program, I will be spending 5-10 hours a week with a local organization volunteering. I’m also interested in doing a service trip, either through Buck-I-Serv or through the Newman Center.

 

 

London Honors

Over Winter Break this year, I got the opportunity to travel to London as part of the London Honors program, a program for first-year honors students. After spending a semester attending a weekly lecture class studying British Culture and history, ranging from British politics/history to British food, we spent ten days in London experiencing the culture first-hand. Going into the program I knew no one else, and even once I reached the airport I still really only knew a handful of people and even less in my group. This turned out to be such a blessing because I met and got to know (very well) some wonderful people throughout our time in London. During our time in London, we frequently traveled with a blue badge tour guide named Richard, who we absolutely adored. Richard taught us so much about London history and culture and was so patient with us, even when we couldn’t remember which monarch served during a particular time or forgot Christopher Wren’s name for the millionth time. We visited the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, The Churchill War Rooms (one of my personal favorites), The Imperial War Museum, Buckingham Palace/St. James’ Park, The British Museum, several museums in Kensington, University of Oxford(also a personal favorite), St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Globe Theatre, and many other locations. In addition to our planned events, we had free time to explore London on our own. The group I usually traveled with enjoyed seeing different neighborhoods and trying different food around London, especially the pastries. We also were in London for New Year’s Eve, so we got to see the fireworks and enjoy the festivities. We learned a lot about the public transit system, as we navigated buses and tubes to get around the city, which was particularly difficult over the New Year’s holiday weekend. We also got the opportunity to experience parts of London culture, like afternoon tea (which I’m still trying to like) and theater productions. Overall, the trip was a beautiful first look into studying abroad at Ohio State, a great way to get involved with the Honors community, and above all a great opportunity to learn first-hand

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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: As a Spanish major, I’ll be taking courses about Latin American and Spanish culture, which will allow me to examine, understand, and appreciate diverse people and cultures. Additionally, I plan on studying abroad more than once. In order to complete my immersion requirement as a Spanish major, I plan on studying abroad in a Spanish-speaking country. The program I am most interested in right now is a summer program that combines coursework and service learning in Peru. Apart from the service, the most attractive aspect of the program to me was the opportunity to stay in a homestay. When I traveled to Guatemala in high school, I had the opportunity to stay with a host family, which I thought was the most valuable and authentic insight into the culture, language, and traditions. I hope to gain this same language and cultural experience, when I go abroad.  This winter I am travelling to London for eleven days, as part of the London Honors Program to observe the differences in British and American culture that we have been studying throughout Autumn term.  These opportunities to travel and interact with people across the globe will allow me to not only learn about but actually experience diversity and extend my understanding of the world around us.

Original Inquiry: Prior to attending medical school, I hope to acquire some experience with biological or medical research. Currently, I am looking to apply to a summer program called SURF (Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship), through Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and University of Cincinnati. The program is a ten week long, paid internship, which allows participants to research, in a variety of medicine related fields, with a factulty member mentor at Cincinnati Children’s. Additionally, the program includes courses in scientific writing, seminars, and an opportunity to create and present a poster at the culmination of the internship. Apart from this specific research program, I hope to pursue undergraduate research in a lab here at Ohio State. I am particularly interested in medical research in Alzheimer’s and Cancer, as well as Public Health research in the disparities of health care. I also intend to look into doing an Honors Thesis, potentially within the context of language barriers in health care, to combine my interests in the Spanish language and in medicine.

Academic Enrichment: My dad, as I went into college, continously asked me why, I, who aspires to be a physician, would major in Spanish. While in part I chose Spanish because I wanted to study something I absolutely loved, I also saw it as very complementary to the pursuits of medical school. The hispanic population in the United Staes has been growing steadily, especially in the last several years, and language barriers can often become an issue in medical care. The need for doctors, who can clearly communicate with patients, and thus care for them better is always present. Additionally, like many others, I hope to participate in Doctors Without Borders or medical mission brigades; fluency in another language will not only make me able to communicate in more countries, but also give me flexibility and confidence to attempt other languages. I’m also considering a major in Biology and a minor in Global Public Health to give myself a more well-rounded approach to medicine, since Public Health is such a crucial aspect of our health care system. Apart from the practicality of my academic choices, I enjoy learning for the sake of learning, as well as taking challenges to push and prepare myself for future experiences. I’m excited to take my GE literature course, which is the study of the English Bible as literature, next semester. I love to read and analyze literature, and I’m intereseted in Religion. I’m looking forward to seeing how a different perspective changes my experience reading the bible.

Leadership Development: On Friday, I submitted my application to be an RA for next year. Throughout high school, I was strongly involved with leadership within my school and the organizations of which I was a part. I loved participating in leadership in high school, so I’d enjoy the chance to continue to grow in leadership through an RA position. So far this semester, I’ve served as a floor representative on Taylor Tower’s Hall Council, which has helped me develop communication and organization skills. Earlier this semester, during Leadership Week, I attended a networking workshop, which was really helpful in learning how to navigate various networking events, such as career fairs. I hope to look into similar opportunities in the future, as well as potential conferences or retreats with the goal of improving my leadership competencies.

Service Engagement: At the beginning of the semester, I participated in Community Commitment, OSU’s day of service on Labor Day. During the event, I stuffed letters for the Columbus Metropolitan Library. While this was a good experience, I want to find more regular ways to participate in service. I really enjoy working with kids, so I want to look into helping out in my church’s Sunday School classes or in a mentoring program with elementary students. Additionally, I would really like to volunteer either at the Wexner Medical Center, James Cancer Hospital, or Nationwide Hospital for at least a semester to care for others who are sick and also to gain experience for medical school. This year I’m participating as a team member in Buckeyethon. I’m very excited to be participating in this movement because of my love for kids and passion for the Nationwide cause. Finally, I anticipate applying to a mission/service trip, either through Buck-I-Serv, Cru, or my church. I love to travel, experience different cultures, love/care for others, so I think a service trip would be the perfect fit.

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

Bonnie LaGrange is a first year student, majoring in Spanish with a pre-med track. After Ohio State, she aspires to work as a pediatrician, either in a foreign country with Doctors Without Borders, or locally with patients with language barriers. Her interest in working locally was partially inspired by time spent volunteering at Crossroad, a local health center, which interacts heavily with patients dealing with severe health care barriers, such as language, poverty, and lack of education.  Throughout high school, Bonnie enjoyed involvement in several, diverse extracurricular and co-curricular activities, such as competing as an attorney on her high school’s mock trial team, serving as Co-Captain of the Oak Hills Swim Team, attending Model United Nations Conferences, and attending a bi-weekly bible study. Bonnie also participated in an exchange program between her school and two schools in Guatemala; through the organization her family hosted two students, Miguel and Mishell, for three weeks each. She also got the opportunity to travel to Guatemala to experience and study the culture and language, while staying with Mishell’s family for three weeks. Outside of school, Bonnie  volunteered as an aide in her mom’s fourth grade PREP ( Sunday School) class, throughout the school year, since sixth grade. Bonnie loves learning about new cultures, and hopes to become an avid traveler. When she’s at home, she loves to read anything she can find; spend time outdoors, especially hiking or kayaking; and spend time with family and friends.