I have had many opportunities for service during my time at Ohio State. As a Freshman, I volunteered for the Wexner Medical Center, serving at both the Martha Morehouse Outpatient Care Center and the Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital. Also, being a part of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, a service based organization, has allowed me to serve the Columbus community through clothing, food, or school supply drives. These experiences have shaped me into a better community member and have showed me the impact giving back can have on groups of people.

In my second year at Ohio State, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Columbus Free Clinic. The Columbus Free Clinic aims to provide healthcare services to those who do not have or cannot afford health care. The patient population seen at the Columbus Free Clinic, and many other free clinics alike, is very diverse. When I first started volunteering, I was surprised at the number of patients that spoke a different language and at how many did not know English. Volunteering at the Columbus free Clinic, I learned so much about different cultures right in my own university community. Volunteering at the Columbus Free Clinic was also a great opportunity for me as a student interested in a health related career because I was able to gain a better understanding of disparities in health. I valued this experience because I realized how expensive health care is in the United States. Witnessing the demographic of patients at the Columbus Free Clinic has inspired me to one day become an advocate for people living in the United States who do not have access to health care. All people have the right to live a healthy life, but not all people have the resources to do so.

As a Pre-medical Student, I have many experiences with research and creative thinking through my sciences classes. In my Biology 1114 lab, we completed a research project called SEA-PHAGES. SEA-PHAGES (Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science) is a semester long, discovery-based undergraduate research course. The lab focuses on the investigation of the diverse bacteriophage genome and the exploration of the dynamic mechanisms that produce and sustain the bacteriophage population. In the course, the bacteriophage genome was characterized via the isolation, purification, and application of phages from environmental samples using a specific host, Arthrobacter sp. By doing this, we were able to extract and carefully analyze the genetic material of these organisms. The SEA-PHAGES program equips students with a variety of microbiology techniques and aims to increase undergraduate interest in the biological sciences through research. 

In the Fall of 2020, I will begin my undergraduate research within the Kopp Laboratory at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The Kopp laboratory focuses on the impact host-pathogen interactions have on chronic respiratory diseases, specifically cystic fibrosis (CF), as well as lung diseases related to sickle cell. As an undergraduate researcher in this lab, my responsibility will be to not only develop and perform my independent research on the role of macrophage health and non-genetic influences on Cystic Fibrosis outcomes but to collect appropriate information for statistical analysis of the research at large. Through this experience, I not only hope to enrich my experiences of original inquiry, but develop myself professional and learn more about the research aspect of medicine.

I have developed my Global Awareness so far at Ohio State Primarily trough my classwork. With an intended Spanish minor, I have given myself the best opportunities to excel in the language and find appreciation in the culture. Having been educated in the language from a young age, the decision to continue learning Spanish in my undergraduate studies was instantaneous. At Ohio State, I have been able to take a Spanish Art History Class and a Spanish Literature Class. Both of these course has not only taught me about the incredibly histories of hispanic and latino cultures, but about the origins of their customs and beliefs. I have found a new appreciation for these groups of people, and I deeper love for the language. However, the next step in my journey– and possibly the most important one– will be to study abroad and indulge myself in the Hispanic culture. I believe studying abroad will likely be the most significant experience of my undergraduate career, in that it will give me the opportunity to not only learn more about others but about myself and what I value in the process. Having recently been approved for the OSU STEP fellowship, I hope to be able to have a study abroad experience in the near future.