My freshman year at Ohio State was similar to the sensation of wading into a large, cold pool; I was cautious and yet excited, slowly dipping my way into a vast expansion of possibilities, knowing that once I got through a period of discomfort, I would be having the time of my life. When I first entered OSU, I was certain that I would be graduating with a double major in International Studies and Political Science and a Spanish minor, hopefully moving on to law school and eventually a position in the US State Department.

As the year progressed, I realized that that was no longer what I wanted to do, and I became okay with that over time. Now, I am double majoring in International Studies and Spanish (my advisor helping me to realize that becoming fluent was one of my greatest ambitions) and doubling minoring in History of Art and Philosophy, with a legal focus. History of Art has been a passion of mine ever since taking AP Art History in high school, but I had always limited myself in pursing a degree in this field because of its lack of job prospects. I have decided to pursue a career in intellectual property and copyright law, with the eventual dream of working in art law. It took me quite some time to make these changes and ignore my inhibitions, but since making the switch, I have never felt more comfortable in my career path and have not looked back since.

I sat back and was less involved in extracurriculars this first year than I was during my high school career, and I have come to terms with this because I am now fully aware of what I want to spend my time on next year. I got a job in the Office of International Affairs as the Student Assistant for the East Asian Studies Center and was elected as the Social Media Manager for the Undergraduate Black Law Student Association. I will be continuing both of these endeavors in the coming year, as well as pursuing a History of Art organization and increasing my participation in the Black Student Association.

I choose to include a photo from the Women’s March on Washington, because I felt that this experience was one of the pinnacles of my freshman year. The devastation I felt on the night of election into the triumph I felt while marching alongside millions of American women, represents my conquering of my first year and reminds me that closed doors always precede opened windows. I am looking forward to my next three years at Ohio State and opening more windows on my journey.

At the Women’s March on Washington, January 21st 2017.

Artifact 2: Undergraduate Black Law Students Association

In the second semester of my freshman year, I joined the Undergraduate Black Law Student Association. As a pre-law student and future black attorney, I was in search of a community in which my aspirations and interests in the law field would be met with a cultural understanding and support network. I am now the 2017-2018 Social Media Chair for the organization, and plan on expanding our presence on campus in the year to come. I will be in charge of not only maintaining all social media platforms, but also encouraging prospective new members to join and contribute to a community of future black attorneys on Ohio State’s campus.

The 2017-2018 UBLSA Executive Board.

International Affairs Fall Break Trip: Toronto

IA Scholars showing OSU pride at the top of Casa Loma.

IA Scholars showing OSU pride at the top of Casa Loma.

This past fall, myself and 49 other lucky International Affairs Scholars traveled across the border to Toronto, Ontario. On this trip, we were able to visit the newly built Aga Khan museum, the Royal Ontario Museum, Casa Loma, CN Tower, and Niagra Falls. Having never been to Canada, everything was a new and exciting experience, but I would have to say that the trip up the CN Tower was my favorite venture. Despite a mild fear of heights, the view was spectacular. Toronto is such a beautiful and accessible city, and exploring the streets with my fellow Scholars was also a highlight. The trip to the beautiful Aga Khan Museum and adjoining Islamic Center was a very special experience; we all learned a great deal about Islamic culture and art through our private tours.I count myself very lucky to have been able to experience this mini-journey, and hope to be back in Toronto in the near future!

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.

[ “G.O.A.L.S.” is a place where students write about how their planned, current, and future activities may fit into the Honors & Scholars G.O.A.L.S.: Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement. For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.

Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences. For example, consider course work, study abroad, involvement in cultural organizations or activities, etc .
Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community. For example, consider research, creative productions or performances, advanced course work, etc.
Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom.
Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society.
Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community.]

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.]

About Me

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Hello OSU Community!

My name is Vanessa Moore and I  was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio before migrating and hour and a half up the road to attend The Ohio State University as an International Affairs Scholar. I plan to also major in International Affairs and Political Science, with a Spanish minor.

It was not until late into my high school career that I refined my interests in traveling, writing, and language and decided to pursue an international and culturally based career. My interest in world affairs  began at home; my grandparents are avid travelers-devoting most of their time and resources into exploring the globe and bringing back treasures and stories from far off places. I have always been fascinated with the thought of being able to experience that as an adult. The Robert Louis Stevenson quote: “For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move,” wholly encompasses my wish to see the world and also my inability to sit still. Although I know not yet of a major that will allow me to succumb to my wanderlust as a career, I believe that it is the understanding and appreciation of different cultures and languages that leads to better global communication and cooperation; that the study of divergent beliefs allows states to coexist and evolve. It is my desire to use the tools available to me as both an IA Scholar and an Ohio State student to improve my own understanding of world affairs and be at the forefront of improving international affairs.

As a student of international studies, I plan is to use my experiences working with other students in my IA Scholars group to enhance my academic ventures, and vice versa. One of the reasons why I opted for the IA program, was to develop a community of individuals here at Ohio State who also value international relations’ role in our environment, and who wish to be a part of the discussion on how to improve this environment. Utilizing the plethora of resources and guidance available to me through the Office of International Studies, I plan on earning a duel Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies, with a specialization in either Diplomacy & Relations or Latin American Studies, and Political Science, on the pre-law route. As part of my B.A program, I wish to continue my high school education in Spanish and pursue a minor. Upon graduation, I plan on entering into law school to pursue my J.D. in either International Law or Citizenship and Immigration law.