So far, I have a lot planned to make my second year at Ohio State memorable.

I recently applied to study abroad in Italy through my participation with the STEP program. Traveling to Italy has always been one of my lifelong dreams and I know that it will be a very transformative experience for me. I will get to live in a place and culture different from my own. While I already know about some of the diversity between Italian and American culture from my Italian studies, actually traveling to Italy will increase my awareness of other unique things happening in another part of the world.

Looking from an academic perspective, I finally feel that I am on the right track with my degree plan. I was previously on the Math Honors Track. While this track was challenging and intellectually stimulating, I felt that the type of work done in these classes was not advancing me in my career towards being a teacher. In order to be a good teacher, I need to not only understand the math, but also be able to explain it. That it why I switched over to the Math Education Track. I have also officially declared a minor in Clinical Psychology and Individual Differences. I am excited by the classes I am currently taking and I feel that they will be very beneficial for me in my career.

Finally, I am a part of the Sophomore Class Honorary, Romophos. I have taken on a leadership position as the Service Chair where I am given the responsibility to coordinate service events with our chosen charity, Star House. Star House is a local organization that provides help and resources for the homeless youth. Taking on a leadership position in my organization is a good experience for me and being the Service Chair allows me to work on something that I am passionate about. Currently in Romophos, our main focus is a music festival that we put on at the end of the year to raise money for Star House. My goal is to fundraise as much as I can so that we will make a positive impact on the Star House community. I am excited to see how much we are able to raise.

The first semester of my second year, I was very stressed with my major track and getting organized with everything that I am involved in. Now, I feel that I am finally in the right place and have locked in my goals for the rest of my time at Ohio State. I am excited for how I will develop as a person through my different leadership and service positions, classes I am taking to move forward in my career, and the new things I will see in a new country.

Global Awareness: I would like to expand my understanding of diversity and make friendships with many different people.  One of my main goals is to study abroad in Italy to practice the language and learn more about the culture.
Original Inquiry: As a student currently in Psych 1100, we are required to participate in at least seven hours of experiments with researchers at Ohio State.  So far, I have done things like take surveys, learn HTML, and rigorous problem solving.  My experiences with this program and my psychology class overall have inspired me to declare a psychology minor.  I am interested in clinical psychology, and learning about abnormal disorders and how people adapt into society.  I am also hoping to get some type of internship in the future possibly involving research.
Academic Enrichment: I always strive to challenge myself both in and out of the classroom.  I am currently on the Math Honors Track and plan on applying to Ohio State’s Honors program soon.
Leadership Development: Through my involvement with Mount Leadership Society Scholars, I am continually developing my leadership skills.  I have taken on a role in our service committee, where we brainstorm, plan, and advertise for all of our great service events.  I am also a member of First Year Leadership Initiative.  With this organization, we have weekly meetings where we are encouraged to get involved and grow into extraordinary leaders at Ohio State.
Service Engagement: Not only am I involved in numerous community service projects with my scholars group, but I am also involved in a service organization called Smiles with Style.  Smiles with Style goes to Ronald McDonald Houses and allows the children to play in costumes and get makeovers.  I really like this group because I am passionate about helping others and also working with children.  I am excited for the other service-like opportunities I will be involved in in the future, such as Mount’s Legacy Week and Buckeyethon.