Artifacts

As my first semester as a second year comes to a close, one experience that I feel has contributed to my growth as a leader as well as a Mount Scholar is my service at the Northern Lights Library. I was placed at Northern Lights via my leadership and community service class, and I have chosen to continue serving there as my Year of Service progresses. I travel to the library once a week for 3 hours per week, and there I am a volunteer in the Homework Help Center. The Homework Help program provides students in grades K-12 resources that promote successful achievements in academics. Volunteers and employees of the library dedicate their time and efforts 5 days a week to help many students of various cultures and backgrounds with their homework.  Additional assets of this program include resume building workshops, college application guidance, computers/printers, and materials necessary to complete schoolwork such as books and calculators. Prior to beginning my service experience, my expectations were limited as I had little knowledge of the environment that I would soon be a part of. I now realize the dire need for the work I have done and appreciate this opportunity that I have been given. The students that I have continuously worked with are mainly of Somalian culture, and many of these students are either unable to speak English or struggle with the language. This has been a challenge for me as a volunteer; however, I have taken advantage of my abilities and have helped these students as much as I can. Serving as a guide for these students has further developed my leadership skills and character. I have gained an appreciation for not only the opportunity to help others but also the work that is being done at Northern Lights and other libraries around the country that instill a desire for success in many young children’s lives. Through my experience at the Homework Help Center, I have built connections with students of all ages, and I can only hope that these connections have served as a sort of driving force for the students’ academic success. I look forward to continuing my service at the library, and I am very grateful for this experience as a second year Mount Scholar.

Artifacts

Spring break: swimsuits, sunshine, the beach, and friends. I had always pictured that I would spend my college spring breaks in the south with my feet in the sand. While many of my fellow peers were lucky enough to travel to warmer places, I headed home for a week and found my own paradise with my friends and family. Did I even check my email over break? No. Did I take one look at the endless amount of homework I have to complete? Nope. I took this week to relax and enjoy the company from the people I love the most, and I am so glad I did. My best friends and I were able to get together one night and hang out like we used to do in high school. We are all scattered around the state of Ohio attending college and pursuing our own dreams, hours away from each other, yet when we are able to reunite it’s like we never left each other. My heart is so happy when I am with my friends, and I am so glad that part of my break was spent with them. I also got to spend quality time with my family, which was difficult being that my parents had to work and my siblings had school and sports practices during the week. Regardless of their busy schedules, it was still so great to be in the comfort of my own home and relax with my family by my side. Additionally, my spring break consisted of a lot of baseball, which is nothing short of perfect. My boyfriend pitches for Sinclair Community College, and I was able to catch a lot of his games throughout the week. I also spent lots of time with him while I was home and able to since we hardly see one another while we’re at school. Being apart is definitely hard and it’s even harder now that he is traveling throughout the season; however, distance makes the heart grow fonder, and we are so happy when we finally get to see each other after a long time apart. While I would have loved to be at the beach, I still had such a wonderful spring break with my favorite people. I was able to see my family, friends, and my boyfriend…. my very own paradise. Home is wherever they are.

Artifacts

One of the most memorable and exciting moments of my freshman year at OSU thus far has been the Penn State vs. Ohio State football game. It’s been a week since this game took place, and I still cannot believe how amazing the experience was watching the Buckeyes come out on top with just minutes left in the 4th quarter. Pre-game, I was a very happy girl due to my boyfriend’s arrival on campus. I bought him a ticket for his birthday, and we were both anxious and ready to watch the highly anticipated Big Ten match up. Post-game, on the other hand, I had never been happier. Not only did I have my boyfriend with me, but I also shared the experience with two of my best friends. Despite standing in the freezing cold, my heart was so full of love that day. The game itself was an absolute dream; the Shoe was blacked out, the crowd was louder than ever, and each and every Buckeye fan in that stadium knew that somehow the team would find a way to win in the final seconds of the last quarter. When we scored that touchdown to win the game 39-38, the entire stadium erupted. I felt so lucky to be in the Shoe at that moment. As soon as that scoreboard hit zero, fans flooded the field in excitement. Unfortunately, by the time I made it down closer to the field, it was so crowded that I wasn’t able to make my way into the mass of black, scarlet, and gray. I will forever remember that night and how great it felt to celebrate with thousands of my fellow Buckeyes. The game is a constant reminder of how proud I am to call myself a Buckeye, forever and always.

Artifacts

For my October service project for the Mount Leadership Society Scholars Program, I served as a volunteer at the Fall Harvest Jamboree held at Smith Family Farm. At the event, I was able to give my time and effort to those working hard to make sure the day ran smoothly. I wrapped hot dogs in the concession stand, and I also packaged candy corn and popcorn at a sweets and treats booth. Throughout the day, there were multiple times when someone said to me, “Thank you so much for helping us out today”. It’s simple things like this that make it all worth it. I felt so blessed to be there making a difference. There were so many families that came to the farm to enjoy the day together, and I am very happy to have witnessed them all having a good time. It was an absolutely beautiful day and I am so thankful that I was able to contribute to such a great event next to my fellow Mounties. The whole day was a great experience, and I am looking forward to my next service project in Mount.

About Me

 

Grace Miller is a first year student at The Ohio State University majoring in Health Sciences. Upon graduation, she plans to attend  graduate school in hopes of becoming a Physician Assistant. Grace has a passion for serving others and giving back to her community. and she is ecstatic that she has the opportunity to continue her service while at Ohio State. Grace is a member of the Mount Leadership Society Scholars Program, a program designed to enhance leadership skills and inspire students to make a difference. Throughout high school, Grace was President of her class, President of Tri-Hi-Y, a member of National Honor Society, and a varsity softball athlete. Additionally, she was a Freshman Mentor and Peer Leader. Grace is most proud of her work with Jacob’s Ladder, an organization native to her hometown that fills backpacks of food for children who are unable to eat on the weekends due to lack of food in their homes. The impact that Grace had on so many children in her community will always be dear to her heart, and she intends to continue her history of service to benefit the lives of others during her time at Ohio State. Grace enjoys spending time with friends and family, shopping, and reading. She is an avid ocean lover and an extreme Buckeye fan, and she is super excited to be a Buckeye and experience all the wonderful opportunities that Ohio State has to offer.

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.

During my time thus far as a Buckeye, there is no doubt that it’s been one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of my entire life. I have laughed, cried, loved, struggled, smiled, and most of all, I’ve learned. I’ve learned about myself and who I want to become. I’ve learned about my strengths and weaknesses as a student at the Ohio State University. I’ve learned how to become a better leader and how to engage with my community through my service opportunities and through Mount. If there is one thing I can say about my journey thus far, it’s that I have a long way to go and my mind and heart are oh so full of goals for my second year as a Buckeye. Leadership development is a big one. As a second year Mount scholar, my entire year is dedicated to independent service. I have started serving at the Northern Lights Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library as a Homework Helper. This opportunity has truly opened my eyes to the educational disparities that are present in the Columbus area, and I have been exposed to multiple different perspectives through this program. I hope that this experience will further develop my leadership skills and expand my mindset as I am working with children that come from many different backgrounds and cultures. My service site will play a major role in developing my global awareness as I am able to appreciate the uniqueness of the individuals I work with and expose myself to a heavy concentration of diversity. In addition, my academics are by far the most important part of my life as a college student, so one of my primary goals for the year is to really challenge myself and enroll in necessary coursework that will enrich my work ethic and mind. I aim to earn a 3.8 or higher GPA this year which is completely doable and something that I continue to work tirelessly to achieve. In hopes of attending graduate school to become a Physician Assistant, I also plan on gaining direct patient care experience this year by working as a patient care assistant in the Wexner Medical Center. This experience will be beneficial to not only my career but also my academic enrichment as I am challenged daily by the needs of the patients and myself. While these external goals are heavy on my mind, the main thing I want to focus on this year is myself. My first year at Ohio State was honestly a very hard time for me. I went through ups and downs and never truly found what I was looking for here. Like everyone, I had good days and bad days, but the bad ones outweighed the good most of the time. One day, though, I realized that I am a Buckeye and I am SO lucky to be attending the best school in the country regardless of what I am going through. I have grown more in the past year than I ever thought possible, and for that I am so grateful. My ever-present goal is to focus on myself and continue to grow mentally, physically, academically, spiritually, and emotionally. I am so excited to see what my future has in store for me, and I can’t wait to accomplish my goals throughout my time here at Ohio State.

 

Career

As I pursue a career in the medical field as a Physician Assistant, I feel that both my academic and volunteer experiences here at Ohio State have most definitely contributed to my overall development as a person, a leader, and a student. I am currently a volunteer at the James Cancer Hospital Brain and Spine Clinic as well as the Northern Lights Library Homework Help Center. These opportunities have further developed my communication skills as I have exchanged conversation with many different people. In addition, I have met individuals of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds. My constant exposure to diverse cultures and demographics has allowed me to expand upon my ability to relate to different people. These experiences have also given me a newfound appreciation for diversity. This is extremely important as I will soon be a professional in the medical field and will encounter many different types of people. As a volunteer, I have had the amazing opportunity to help those in need, including cancer patients and children of refugee families. My time as a volunteer has definitely advanced my passion for helping people, and this passion will for sure thrive throughout my career as a medical professional. Academically, I have maintained a high GPA while taking many science-based courses, being involved in Mount Leadership Society, volunteering, and working 12 hours a week. My strong work ethic and time management skills have contributed to my success as I am quite busy on a weekly basis, and I think these skills are extremely significant and will be applied in my future career.