Freshman Year

My first year at OSU has gone by so quickly! I was so glad to learn more about my major and to explore all the different opportunities that the Ohio State University has to offer. OSU has truly become my second home this year, in many ways that I would not have expected. I met so many new friends this year, and am so glad to have had the opportunity to live with the members of my Scholars program. Having a roommate, not to mention a whole floor, of people who share your interests is an incredible experience that one cannot truly imagine until they have experienced it. I was very lucky to be able to meet many students who play important leadership roles at the university, and their example has inspired me to get more involved in student organizations on campus in the coming year. While I’ll be sad to leave campus for the summer, I look forward to returning in the fall to explore the amazing opportunities the university continues to provide its students with.

The year’s gone by so quickly! It seems like only yesterday we were sitting down for our first ever IA meeting, but this past week we celebrated our last meeting of the year. While this meeting was decidedly more of a party than a discussion of international affairs, I can’t overstate the amount of influence that being part of the International Affairs Scholars program has had on my freshman year here at OSU. Through IA, I attended many events and joined several organizations that, without IA, I’m almost sure I never would have had the chance to hear about. I’m a little sad the year is ending, but I’m looking forward to reconnecting with my fellow IAers next fall, and to seeing where next year will take us!

Hillary Clinton Rally

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On October 10th,  2016, I attended my first political rally. It seemed almost obligatory, since it was being held on the South Oval, which is basically my front lawn. Still, I was nervous. This was my first real experience with politics on a college campus (unless you count the angry preachers who sometimes appeared on the Oval), and I wasn’t sure what to expect – I’m planning on going into politics, and I was worried that it wouldn’t turn out to be as interesting as I had expected. However, I was not disappointed. The rally was dynamic, inspiring and informative, and plenty of my fellow IA-ers turned out to see Hillary Clinton speak (even those who did not support her, which I found impressive). Overall, the experience left me more sure than ever that I want to pursue a career in politics , and with hope for more good experiences to come.

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.]

About Me

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Erin Patrick is currently a freshman at OSU, majoring in Public Affairs and Economics, with a possible minor in Russian. Her eventual goal is to attend law school, and from there to pursue a career either in civil law, or to work for the State Department as a Foreign Service Officer. Erin is passionate about standing up for others and finding solutions to problems within her community. Throughout high school, she participated in programs like NHS and Speech and Debate, which helped her to develop a commitment to service and to learn more about issues that affect society on both a local and international level. Erin is hoping her experience here will allow her to become more involved in her community, and is excited to begin her freshman year at OSU!