Reflection on G.O.A.L.S.

Global Awareness: Honors students will examine what it means to be global citizens and will cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and everyone’s unique differences. Students will examine the world’s complex, interdependent systems, as well as their own cultural backgrounds.

In May of 2017, I volunteered in Panama though the student organization Volunteers Around the World. We set up mobile free clinics in the country, shadowed local doctors, lead an education day with local school children, and spent some time in a local nursing home. In May of 2018, I went to the Dominican Republic with this same organization.

I am considering a French minor because I have a genuine interest in learning about new cultures around the world – especially those that are francophone. I also plan to use my STEP funding to go on a month-long study abroad to France and Morocco in order to learn more about culture in both nations and use/expand my knowledge of French.

Since I am a Morrill Scholar, I will participate in Morrill Scholar diversity programs that will allow me to meet people who come from a variety of different backgrounds. Through these experiences, I hope to gain a new appreciation for diversity.

Original Inquiry: Honors students will 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.

I have and will continue to take many courses that involve a laboratory component. In General Chemistry 1920H we were tasked with creating and running our own experiment regarding solar cell efficiency. This experience with creativity and inquiry has led me to want to pursue a research position in the near future. While I do plan to wait until my junior year, I hope to reach out and find an available research position with a professor at OSU. I would like to do research in biological fields with professors at OSU during my junior and senior years. I also hope to shadow doctors in hospitals as well as outpatient centers in Columbus and central Ohio in order to familiarize myself with procedure as well as to solidify my career interests.

Academic Enrichment: Honors students will pursue academic excellence both in and out of the classroom. Students will use the Honors Contract to construct purposeful and intellectually stimulating programs of study.

I will use my Honors Contract to plan out a draft of the courses I need to take during my undergraduate career. I plan on going to medical school, so there are a lot of requirements that I need to take into account, and writing it all out makes scheduling more manageable. I will continue to take honors courses in order to feel sufficiently challenged academically. I will select courses that interest me and that meet the requirements that I need for my major, medical schools I want to apply to, and that prepare me sufficiently for the MCAT. I chose a Biology major because I am very interested in biology and its courses cover many of the courses that will both prepare me for the MCAT and that are required for many of the medical schools to which I want to apply.

Leadership Development: Honors students will build on their educational experiences to become leaders in society and the world. Students will pursue co-curricular activities that allow the students to cultivate leadership skills and competencies.

It is important to me to be a leader at OSU. I have already gotten involved in some student organizations with the hope of one day holding a leadership position in some of those clubs. I am currently a mentor to high school juniors (who are preparing to apply to colleges) through the RecSports program Buckeyes Inspire. I am currently involved in my residence hall through an Office Assistant position, and I have been hired as a Resident Advisor for the next year. I also hope to utilize my position as a Morrill Scholar to participate in their externship program in order to work with companies in the healthcare industry. Through the Tri-P post-baccalaureate program, I hope to become a mentor to first-year undergraduates at OSU. Additionally, I will shadow doctors in the community during breaks and obtain research positions. All of these opportunities will help me to grow my accountability and responsibility.

Service Engagement: Honors students will build on their educational experiences to serve society and the world. Students will pursue service-oriented activities that are socially beneficial to the community and that contribute to the students’ own learning and development.

I want to get involved around Columbus by participating in clean-up efforts, volunteering in food banks, and volunteering in schools. I hope to become an HIV/STI test counselor in the next year. As a mentor in Buckeyes Inspire, I volunteer in a local Columbus high school to help students plan out and prepare for applying to colleges.

I have already joined global service-oriented clubs like Global Health Initiative and Volunteers Around the World. I hope to continue to get more involved in both of those student organizations in the next few years. As I already mentioned, I have traveled to Panama and the Dominican Republic with Volunteers Around the World. Both trips combined my desire to get involved in community service with my desire to learn more about medical and patient-care skills.