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.