Final IA Reflection

On April 2nd, I watched Layla Kahlid’s presentation about preparing for law school via Zoom. As someone who has recently begun studying for the LSAT, I thought it would be a great way for me to get some more information about the process that I am just beginning. I found Layla’s information about the LSAT particularly helpful, as we actually used the same study materials. After watching the lecture, I reached out to her to ask some more specific questions about her study plans and she was super helpful in providing tips for creating my own. 

My interests have only recently swayed towards law, yet I cannot pinpoint an exact moment or experience when I decided that this path was for me. It was a more gradual shift that I believe resulted from my growing awareness of the many inequities in both my community and those around the world. I was coming to realize that the issues that most lit a fire in me (such as voter suppression, inequitable access to higher education, and disproportionate racial incarceration rates) were ones that could be addressed through the law. Knowing that I would not be satisfied unless I devoted my life to these issues, I have since decided that law is the avenue that I would like to take in doing so. 

In writing this reflection it occurred to me that it was Sam Harris’ event “1L of a Ride” two semesters ago that first put law school on my radar, and it was Layla’s event this month that helped solidify my plans for law school. Not having family or friends in anything close to the legal field, it has been incredibly helpful to have support from other IA scholars while on a path that often feels incredibly murky and convoluted. 

SP20 Professional Development Reflection

On January 15th, 2020, I attended the “A Day in the Life of a Harvard Law Student” with Sam Harris in Hagerty 180 as a professional development event. 

 

As someone who is looking to go into law school after graduation, especially at a top-14 law school such as Harvard, I found it very interesting to hear Sam talk about her experiences during the first half of her 1L year. I was especially interested in hearing about the differences and similarities between her undergraduate and law school experiences. Leaving the event, my motivation to go to law school was reinforced, and I felt more confident about my plans going forward. 

 

My attention was first caught when Sam talked about the difference between the common beliefs of what law school course content is like and what she was actually experiencing at Harvard. I learned that a large portion of law students’ 1L year is not focused on social and legal issues such as criminal justice reform or housing policy. Instead, she told us that it is actually more focused on helping students understand the legal jargon and procedures that they will encounter in their later courses and legal careers. I liked hearing about how Sam maintains the motivation to endure this typically dry content by reading books about legal issues that she is passionate about.  

 

I was also surprised to hear about the more social aspects of Harvard Law. Before the event, I held the idea of law school being so academically intense that there was not enough time to maintain a healthy social atmosphere. That is why I was interested to hear that Harvard Law itself holds many events throughout the year in order to encourage their students to build lasting relationships with one another. As an institution that trains many of our nation’s/world’s leaders, I found it cool that they make an effort to establish connections between the students that will undoubtedly prove incredibly valuable in the future. 

 

One of the most valuable things I got out of Sam’s talk was the humanization of law school, especially with Harvard being one of the best law schools in the country. As someone who was not raised in a community that put a particular emphasis on education, schools like Harvard seemed almost mythical growing up. Not knowing much about institutions like these created an idea in my mind that often seemed unattainable. Hearing Sam say that “the word Harvard doesn’t mean anything to me anymore” helped me realize that it is not some mythical place, but simply an institution with incredibly high achieving and motivated students and faculty. Sam’s talk made me realize that if I keep on the path that I am currently on, one day I also may be able to FaceTime in to future IA scholars from my apartment in Cambridge. 

AU19 – Academic Reflection

On Wednesday, November 20, 2019, I attended the STEP Expo in the Ohio Union as an academic event. 

 

At the expo, I talked with Zack Meder, Juliette Kokernot, and Aaron Burleson, each third-year students who had applied their STEP funds to an experience abroad. I chose these students in particular because I believe that I will be putting my STEP funds towards a similar project (the Canadian Parliament Internship), and I wanted to hear about their experiences and thoughts on their programs. 

 

First I spoke with Zach who had spent a semester studying linguistics in San Jose, Costa Rica. His experience was particularly interesting to me as someone with a family history in Latin America. He had spent three months there learning about the evolution of the Spanish language, all the while living with a host family and traveling all over the continent. While I was particularly interested in his time abroad, I knew that I wanted a program with a different focus, one that would allow me to gain experience in the political and/or legal fields and would match my major area of study.

 

Next, I talked with Juliette who had spent a few weeks over the summer at Oxford learning about English law with other Ohio State students. As someone who is considering law school, I found it helpful to talk with a fellow pre-law student who was older and had more experience than I. One of my biggest takeaways from our conversation was the increase of her international knowledge and awareness that she described gaining from studying abroad. Juliette emphasized that she had gained new perspectives on both law and the legal system that she would not have gained had she simply studied in the United States. While I do not believe that the Oxford Pre-Law program is the exact fit for me, hearing Juliette talk about the importance of learning overseas made me more confident in my decision to work for the Canadian Parliament this summer. 

 

Lastly, in speaking with Aaron about his two-week trip to Paris, I was able to gain some insight into what it was like to be immersed in the French culture. I made sure to take note of his tips as I will have to navigate a similar culture during my time in Canada this summer. What I liked most about Aaron’s presentation was his experience in interacting with the locals and throwing himself into the Parisian way of life. Being that I will be participating in a program where I will be living with other American students, I will try to follow in Aaron’s footsteps by getting out of my comfort zone and truly getting absorbed into the culture I am living in. 

 

Each presenter that I talked with gave me different viewpoints that will help me get the most out of my time with the Canadian Parliament. I learned how to immerse myself in the program and reap as much as I can from the experience. Speaking with these students at the STEP Expo helped me picture myself in my program and only made me more excited to head to Canada in the summer.

AU19 Campus Event Reflection

On Tuesday, October 15th, I attended the Global Engagement Night on the topic of Indigenous Peoples in fulfillment of my Campus event requirement. 

 

I thought that the event was perfectly scheduled, as it occurred the day after Indigenous People’s Day on October 14th. The juxtaposition of Columbus Day and Indigenous People’s day formed the basis of our discussions. I liked how the event was not just a lecture, but we held small group discussions where we talked about our perceptions and previous educational experiences on Christopher Columbus and Indigenous People. This set a scope for us to analyze what we had learned, and how that differed from reality. From there we talked about the obstacles and oppression that Indigenous people face, here in America and around the world. I was particularly intrigued by this portion as we learned about the similarities and differences between indigenous populations all over the world. Normally in America, most discourse related to native peoples is focused on those within our borders. However, broadening our scope helped us to connect topics and experiences to populations all over the Earth. 

 

In many of my public affairs classes, we discuss social injustices and how we can work to solve those issues in the future. One of the most prevalent topics that we learn about in this realm is how we can tangibly increase material and non-material equity in our country, and one of the most commonly mentioned solutions is that of reparations. Reparations for native people was something we had mentioned in my small group at the Global Engagement Night, so it was nice to be able to bring in the perspectives and information that I had learned in my classes. 

 

This event was particularly eye-opening when we discussed how these issues affect students at Ohio State. Despite its status as a predominately white institution, Ohio State likes to brag about its diversity of students, especially as it relates to race. However, the presenters from this event told us that out of the 61,000 students here at Ohio State, only 60 identify as Native American. That means that roughly 1 out of every 1,000 students at our school is indigenous, which is something I was totally unaware of. This became concerning when the presenters also told us that around 2% of the United States population is indigenous. That means that we have a severe underrepresentation of minority students, and the problem is much larger than I had previously thought. This disparity sparked my interest in diversity in enrollment and motivated me to look into opportunities that would allow me to work on this issue. After doing some research, I am beginning to consider applying to sit on the Council on Enrollment and Student Progress (CESP), which is a committee in the University Senate. It is here where I believe that I would be able to push for diversity in a way that can positively impact the student demographics here at Ohio State. 

AU19 Academic Event Reflection – Make up

On Thursday, September 12th, I attended the seminar on the Genocide in Rwanda put on by former International Affairs Scholar Jacob Caponi. It was an academic event that took place in the Smith-Steeb Glass Classroom. 

 

Coming into the session, Rwanda and the Rwandan Genocide were topics that I knew little to nothing about. In history classes, I had learned about the conflict between the Tutsis and the Hutus, but beyond that, I could not tell you much. Jacob’s presentation truly opened my eyes to the causes, events, and consequences of the colonial invasion that sparked the conflict. 

 

I was particularly intrigued by the topic of Jacob’s research. Studying the measurement and impact of gender during the genocide is a fascinating topic. Part of the reason this interested me so much was the overlap that I saw with the rise of feminism in recent decades/centuries. Today, we are all advocating for equality between the sexes, but I saw Jacob’s work as a form of retroactive feminism. Put another way, we are currently focused on equity in our modern society and ensuring it for the future. However, looking into the effects of gender back in the ’90s when the Rwandan genocide occurred is crucial to bridging the gap between modern feminism and the advocacy that occurred in the past. 

 

I found interesting the connection that Jacob was able to make between the research he was doing and his study abroad experience. I have heard from many of my friends who have studied abroad that while it was an incredible and life-changing trip, they did not gain the most from it professionally. Being able to see Jacob talk about the study abroad trip he took to Rwanda during his undergraduate career, only to graduate and study concepts in Rwanda full time was super intriguing. As someone who is looking to study abroad in the near future, it made me think deeper about the particular programs I am researching, and how each one may have an impact on the work I do after I graduate. 

 

I enjoyed getting to hear his insights on research in general. I am currently looking into doing research at Ohio State on topics relating to race and ethnicity, so learning about his experiences proved incredibly valuable. Also, because my roommate Kaleb Baldwin is one of his research assistants, I have the unique ability to get a glimpse into the kind of work that I would be doing as a research assistant under a professor. This helped me solidify my desire for research and fuel my search to get working on topics that interest me. 

 

Overall, Jacob’s session on the Rwandan Genocide was not only incredibly interesting, but it gave me the chance to educate myself on something I was not super knowledgable about, all the while getting an insiders-view of the type of work I may be doing in the near future. The presentation helped me become a better Ohio State student, international affairs scholar, and world citizen. 

AU19 Professional Development Reflection

On Monday, September 9th, I attended the International Affairs Internship Panel in the Smith-Steeb Glass Classroom as a professional development event. I found the panel very interesting and thought-provoking, as international internships are something that I had never previously considered. In the past, I had mostly thought of international travel as something that is associated with vacation or leisure, so getting the chance to hear about Eyako’s, Genna’s, and Lauren’s experiences working abroad was incredibly insightful. 

 

I also found it very valuable to listen to Elena talk about her internship in DC. While she did not work abroad, she was an intern at the State Department directly working on foreign policy in Central Europe. I thought this was particularly intriguing because her daily tasks involved many of the themes that we discuss as international affairs scholars, yet she did not have to leave the country. Her internship was a good example of the magnitude of opportunities that are available to students in the United States who are trying to gain experience in this field.

 

For the three panelists who worked abroad, I liked hearing their stories about their attempts to assimilate into the culture in which they were living. Going back to my earlier point of traditionally associating travel with short-term, “touristy” experiences, their anecdotes of intermingling with the locals and their culture was fascinating. They told us of the local friends they had made, the trips they had taken, the families they had lived with, and the languages that they had learned. It made me realize that the impact of interning abroad is two-fold. Not only do you get the benefits of work experience in your related field, but you also get the chance to learn about a new place and culture.

 

The diversity in application processes also proved to be packed with helpful information. Elena’s process with the State Department was intense and intimidating, Lauren’s and Genna’s were work heavy but seemed surmountable, and Eyako’s appeared to be easiest, as it was done through the political science department here at Ohio State. These differences again showed us the truly staggering amount of positions and internships that exist in the international affairs world. Also, I appreciated how each of the panelists explained their timeline and steps taken in order to get their respective internships. It was nice to have a simple step-by-step outline given to us so that we could work towards doing what they each had done. 

Going into my second year of college with the prospect of internships weighing on my mind, I found this panel to be incredibly useful in helping to guide me towards finding a position that would fit my majors and interests. It opened my eyes to the world of interning abroad, something that had never previously been on my radar. This year I will use the information that I learned at this panel to narrow my internship search towards something that will help me grow as a student and an international affairs scholar.

Non-IA Reflection Spring 2019

On Monday, April 8th, I attended the showing of the Film “From The Land To Your Table” as part of the Center for Latin American Studies’ 2019 Brazilian Film Series in Hagerty Hall 180 to satisfy my Non-IA requirement.

 

It was an interesting experience to get an inside view of the markets in these South American countries. This film was unique in the fact that there was no main plot or narration. It was simply a camera placed in marketplaces to film the lives of the people there. This allowed for a true representation of what the markets are actually like. While I was admittedly against this idea at first, the concept grew on me quickly. Being that the film was ‘unbiased,’ for a lack of a better term, I felt as if I was actually there in the market and not sitting at a screening in Hagerty Hall.

 

While normal travel films only show the nice parts of the countries, this movie did not shy away from showing the less attractive parts. This was cool because it gave it an authentic quality that is not present in many movies these days.

 

I particularly enjoyed this film because it gave me an inside look into life in South America. As someone with family in Brazil but who has never been to Brazil, I am always trying to learn more about the country because it is very personal to me. That is why I am now taking Portuguese classes here at Ohio State.

 

While I was definitely unable to understand everything that they were saying (when they showed the Brazilian markets), I was able to make out a good amount of the conversations. This was cool as I was able to apply what I had learned in my language classes while learning more about the country where my family is from. I am at a good point in my Portuguese career to watch this film because I understood enough to the point where my I wasn’t discouraged from my lack of understanding, yet my inability to completely follow all of the conversations only motivated me to further my Portuguese studies and improve my language abilities.

 

In International Affairs scholars, we often learn about other countries as they relate to war or diplomacy as opposed to language and culture. Therefore, I really enjoyed this film where I got an insider’s view of life in South America. Being able to learn about the daily lives of those in other countries was a refreshing change of pace from focusing on specifically international relations.

Service Event Reflection SP19

I attended the card making event for students for the Columbus Global Academy as a service event in the Smith-Steeb Basement on Monday, February 11th.  

 

While it was nice knowing that the Valentine’s cards I was writing were going to help children in the area, this event also had a big impact on me. My learning experience came after I had made the cards when I took some time to research the school. I was blown away to learn that it is a purely ESL school (especially being the biggest of its kind in the nation!), which is something I had never heard of before.

 

Growing up, I only had experiences with peers who were in small ESL classes. Looking back, it is easy to see how students in those environments may have felt isolated or left out of the general student body. That’s why I think it is a great idea to have an ESL only school, as it must foster a very tight-knit community.

 

When I lived abroad, I was the only non-German speaker for dozens of miles in any given direction. At times it felt difficult to assimilate into the culture and truly make friends. Having had this experience, it’s not hard for me to empathize with these students who have immigrated to America. Having experienced what I did, I am glad to know that the students of Columbus Global Academy have the foundation to foster a close community which they can rely on.

 

Making these cards was a cool experience because it allowed me to better connect with the international issues that I learn about in IA and in my classes. It’s one thing to listen to a lecture about conflicts and issues in other countries, but to get to connect with people from other places, be it even only through Valentine’s Day cards, is a much more immersive and impactful experience.

 

While I have yet to take any international studies courses, it was not too hard to find some similar concepts that were covered in my public affairs courses. For example, in my civic engagement and public participation course, we are currently discussing the immigration and emigration of citizens as it relates to housing policy. Specifically, how policies created by the Department of Housing and Urban Development have historically discriminated against non-white tenants and ways in which we can solve this issue going forward. Learning about concepts like this have opened my eyes to the myriad of social obstacles that immigrants face when moving to this country: housing insecurity, lack of transportation, diminished employment opportunities, etc. After learning about these barriers, it is nice to see a program like the Columbus Global Academy that is working hard to alleviate the difficulty of the life-changing transition that is changing countries.

 

All in all, making the Valentine’s Day cards for the students at the Columbus Global Academy was a unique experience that resulted in me learning a lot about the issues that immigrants face in our country. And as is with any issue, learning is the first step on the path towards resolution.

Akademische Anforderung SP 19

Am 31.01.19 bin ich zum deutschen Haus gegangen, um in “All Things Germany” mitzuteilen. Die Veranstaltung war eine akademische Anforderung für die International Affairs Scholars.

Ehrlich gesagt war ich anwesend um meine Erinnerungen von meinem Austauschjahr in Österreich wiederzuerleben. Ich bin aber froh zu berichten, dass ich viel gelernt hab, und die Nacht auch wirklich genossen hab. Als ich in Österreich gewohnt hab, hab ich nicht viel über die Politik, die Regierung, oder die politische Klima gewusst, aber das ist nicht mehr so! Weil ich mich fuer Deutschland/Oesterreich und Politik so interessiere, hab ich das ganze Referat von Kate wirklich genossen.

Was in meiner Meinung der interessanteste Teil des Referats war, war die Abteilung den Parteien Deutschlands. Ich hab gewusst dass das Staatswesen Deutschlands ist anders als das amerikanische, aber das Ausmaß hab ich nicht erkannt. Ich hab die Gemeinsamkeit zwischen den amerikanischen Konservativen und die deutschen Konservativen auch unangenehm gefunden. Jetzt frage ich mich ob das etwas mit der Wahl Donald Trumps zu tun hat.

Das Thema der Nacht ist sehr wichtig in der heutigen Welt-Politik. Deutschland ist eine große Weltmacht, die Einfluss mit anderen Ländern hat. In der Nachrichten hören wir viel über Europa, und man kann nicht über diesen Kontinent sprechen, ohne Deutschland zu erwähnen. Das Land hat die groesste Wirtschaft Europas und eine der wichtigsten Führerinnen der Welt.

Als IA Scholars ist es notwendig, auf dem neuesten Stand der Neuigkeiten anderen Ländern zu sein. “All Things Germany” war fuer uns eine gute Gelegenheit, das zu erreichen. Auch ist es wichtig, vertraut mit der Geschichte von solchen Orten zu sein. Für die Geschichte der Welt interessiere mich ehrlich nicht, aber die Bedeutung davon merke ich sicher. Kate besitzt ein grosses Wissen über die Geschichte von Deutschland, und ich hab schnell erkannt, dass ich fast nichts darüber weiss.

Nach dem “All Things Germany” hab ich mehr an meine “deutsche Zukunft” gedacht. Ich will öfter Deutsch sprechen und hören, weil mein Deutsch schlimmer geworden ist, seitdem ich wieder nach Amerika gekommen bin. Wenn ich ein bisschen Freizeit hab, werde ich sicher zur Kaffeestunde gehen, um neue Leute zu treffen, und meine Sprachfähigkeiten zu verbessern.

Letzte Woche hab ich mit meiner Beraterin getroffen, um meine “vierjähriger Plan” zu diskutieren. Wir haben rausgefunden dass ich ein paar zusätzliche Kurse machen kann, und noch pünktlich abstufen. Deshalb bedenke ich gerade ein Minor in Deutsch.

Schlussendlich will ich wieder betonen, wie nötig es ist, die Weltnachrichten zu verfolgen. Die Welt wird nicht verbessern wenn ihre Leute nicht gewahr über ihre Neuigkeiten sind. Die Veranstaltung “All Things Germany” war ein Schritt in die richtige Richtung. Alle die Mitglieder sind jetzt schlauer und bessere Bürger der Welt.

Service Event Reflection 1st Semester

I attended the Wild Lights exhibition at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium with my fellow IA scholars on Friday, November 16th, 2018. In order to gain free admission to the park, we had to donate five canned goods. While this was not the most strenuous of service events, it led to my deeper appreciation for my own food security and it got me thinking about the different kinds of service opportunities both here on campus and in the Columbus area.

The zoo is partnering with the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, an organization with the sole mission of ending hunger in central and eastern Ohio. With just under two million Ohioans struggling with hunger, the agency has a lot of work to do. However, they are up for the task, distributing over 69 million pounds of food annually.

While the night at the zoo was a lot of fun, after dropping off our food donations I could not help but think about the thousands of kids who struggle with hunger in our community. While food insecurity is a major international issue and is one that we have discussed as International Affairs scholars, it is also one that is prevalent on our own campus. After returning from the short trip, I did some research into different ways that I could potentially get involved in fighting hunger on campus. Some of the opportunities I found were through organizations like Buckeye Food Alliance, Food Rescue US at The Ohio State University, and Best Food Forward.

The Buckeye Food Alliance opened a food pantry in Lincoln tower in 2016 to ensure that their fellow Buckeyes had access to affordable and nutritious food. This was a big step for the group, as they listed one of their main motivations for the pantry as a 2014 study of Ohio State students which claimed that approximately 15% of Ohio State students (around 7,000) struggle with food security.

Food Rescue US at The Ohio State University has found their cause in the resolve of the issue of some foods being thrown out at groceries stores once they are deemed “unsellable.” To combat this, they have volunteers pick up excess the food that would have been discarded and bring it back into the Columbus community to distribute.  

In Best Food Forward’s attempt to ease the pain of high produce prices, they gather their members and bulk order produce and distribute it among themselves. Doing this, they save around 50% on their purchases, which has saved them over $20,000 to date.

Researching these groups helped me to significantly narrow the scope of this issue. However, it is also important to step back and assess the problem on a larger scale. Food insecurity truly is an international crisis, and it is one that has been around for centuries. It is one that affects people from every country and continent. To be more specific, around 795 million in the world lack sufficient nourishment.

This is a topic that we have touched on throughout the semester, as it plays a major role in many international crises. It can be seen either as a byproduct of another issue (for example homelessness) or as its own public health problem. While there have been many actions taken to combat this issue, it is one that will be incredibly difficult to completely eradicate.

Learning more about food insecurity not only opened my eyes to the seriousness of the situation, but also to how I can do my part to fix it. Because I am going into a career in politics, food insecurity is a topic that I should be knowledgeable about, due to its presence in many other social issues. Getting more involved with this issue will also make me think deeper about different policy solutions that could be enacted to fix the issue. With food insecurity and hunger being one of our world’s largest problems, it is only right that I play a role in its resolve.