ACES Mentor/Mentee Interview
Maria DiFrancesco: Animal Sciences Major
- How did you decide on the major you have chosen?
- How do you plan to get involved on campus?
- What are you most looking forward to in the ACES program?
- What do you plan to do with your major after graduation? Graduate or professional school? Enter the workforce?
- What is one of the most important things that you have learned so far at Ohio State?
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve looked forward to meeting my mentee. As a mentee from last year, I really appreciated having someone to guide me through my first year. I was able to ask my mentor questions, get her advice, and etc. This year, I hope to do the same for my mentee.
My mentee’s name is Maria DiFrancesco. Her major at the Ohio State University is Animal Sciences. After the speed dating event, and mentorship retreat, Maria and I met up over lunch to discuss how her first year is going so far.
Maria grew up being watching the animal planet pretty much 24/7. She remembers loving animals and wanting to be around them any chance that she got. As she grew older, her love for animals grew as well, and she found an interest in watching Veterinary TV shows. For as long as she can remember, she has always aspired to be a Veterinary. So far, her interests have remained the same. Maria is in an Animal Sciences class right now, and the only thing that has affected her was handling blood. She believes that it’s due to the fact that it’s new to her but as she becomes familiar with the lab, she’ll get used to it.
When it comes to studying, Maria likes to study 100% alone with no distractions. She loves to study outside, especially when it’s warm with the sun shining bright. There are instances where she enjoys studying with friends. Her academics really mean a lot to her. Fortunately for Maria, she finds all of her classes this semester extremely easy. Although she finds her classes easy, she still works hard to make sure that she doesn’t make silly mistakes and continues to stay on top of her grades.
Unfortunately, Maria was sick at the beginning of the semester, so she hasn’t been able to join the organizations she’s interested in, or participate fully in the ones’ that she’s already in. She’s currently in Pre-Vets club, Behavior and Wellness club, and Four Paws Club. She looks forward to joining Charge and participating in Yoga on the Oval.
Maria looks forward to the community service events in ACES. She looks forward to giving back to the community and just serving. She plans to go to Veterinary school after graduation and pursue being a Veterinarian. One of the most important thing that she’s learned so far is how important it is to balance her academics and social life. She’s also learned that a strong support system is very beneficial, and I agreed with her. Both of us discussed how important it is to have a group of people that would help whenever needed.
This interview helped me in getting to Maria well. I learned about her goals, viewpoints, character, and personality. I learned that we both dislike cold weather, but we love the fall and winter fashion. We bonded over our dislike for Mathematics, and our love and passion for our careers. Although we both enjoy the company of our friend and loved ones, we agreed on the fact that sometimes, it’s necessary to stop being social to focus on academics. I believe that Maria has great ambitions, and with hard work and persistence, she can accomplish all of her goals. The similarities in our personalities and major will make it easy to communicate and provide resources. I plan on sharing information about buildings to study in, resources for tutoring, organizations about physical activities, and etc.
I hope to get to know Maria a little more during the semester, and I look forward to catching up with her in the Spring to discuss her progress in school!