This year has been very productive for my personal and academic growth. Not only has IA offered me a myriad of events to help me develop more as a proud OSU student.
During this year, I have made many new friends from the Tzu Chi Foundation where I volunteer. I have been able to talk to people of all ages from little kids to the elderly. This has helped me develop my social skills which will help me when I graduate and enter the business world. Also, I will continue to volunteer with this group for the betterment of the Columbus community. My involvement in the Kendo Club will also help me deepen my understanding and appreciation of the Japanese culture. I think this will allow me to be able to connect with and even greater range of people. Being a Chinese major, it is good to branch out and meet people of other nationalities besides Chinese/Taiwanese.
Moving forward, I expect to still be a productive member of the International Affairs Scholars and to help in any way I can. The IA Scholars program given me so much help and support that I feel it only necessary that I give back. As for volunteering, I hope to branch out and volunteer on campus. Helping the Columbus community is great, but I also want to help the OSU community become an even better place for every one. I hope to become a great kendo practitioner and help get the club more publicity. I was referred to the club by a friend who happened to see a random list of clubs to join. I hope to change this and make kendo a more popular sport here at OSU.
Being involved with IA has truly changed me for the better. OSU is such a big school and IA has given me a tight-knit community to be a part of. It has given me the confidence and the support needed to be a great student. It has also given me a chance to meet so many professors that I would not normally get to meet with my current curriculum. When I first got accepted into OSU, I wanted to be in the Business Scholars group. When I found out I was placed in IA, I was disappointed but now I’m glad that I got placed here. IA is like a second home to me and I would not trade it for any other organization here at OSU. I hope to help IA grow and become the best Scholars program here at OSU and I proudly represent myself as an International Affairs Scholar. I look forward to seeing what IA has in store for next year.