Chapter 2 – New Beginnings
Going into my sophomore year, I didn’t know what to think. I knew that it wouldn’t be the same as freshman year, but I never could have expected what Autumn 2016 would hold.
The first new beginning was my internship with the Senate Minority Caucus. For years I had contemplated working in the government. Finally, I got the chance to see what a job in the field might hold. I was hooked. Immediately, I knew that I had made the correct choice adding my second major in public affairs. That experience, combined with STEP led me to apply for Ohio State’s Canadian Parliamentary Internship program. At the end of the semester, I learned that I had been accepted into the program. I was thrilled!
At the beginning of the semester, I also began my role as one of the High School Outreach Committee Co-Chairs for the Ohio State Global Health Initiative. This position has given me the opportunity to work with a partner to plan and do outreach to local high schools and other organizations that work with youth. The purpose of this committee is to introduce youth to public health and the way that it impacts their world at a young age. I love the opportunity to educate others on something as important as public health. Unfortunately, we struggled to create a long lasting partnership with any high school teachers in the area. Consequently, moving into the Spring 2017 semester, my partner and I knew we would have to get creative to meet the mission of High School Outreach.
The final – and biggest – new beginning was my employment by the Ohio State Office of Student Life. In my freshman year, I had applied to be an Office Assistant in the residence hall where I lived but did not receive the position. I decided to apply again at the beginning of the autumn semester after volunteering during move-in weekend as an Ohio State Welcome Leader Coordinator (OWL-C). As an OWL-C, I got to work with the Senior Staff in my residence hall and realized that I enjoyed helping to create a great atmosphere for students in their new home. I was incredibly excited when I learned that I was hired as an Office Assistant in the Houston-Houck Residence Halls. My positive experience working at the front desk motivated me to apply to be a Resident Advisor. Originally, I had intended to apply to become an RA starting in the Fall 2017 semester. Instead, I was hired to begin immediately as an RA in Morrison Tower. In a whirlwind, I accepted the position on a Saturday, met my new Hall Director on Tuesday, moved on Friday, and began working on Sunday. While it was a challenge to take on this huge responsibility in the middle of a semester, I could not be happier with my decision.
