Hello, my name is Courtney Sanderson, I was born in Santa Clarita, California where I lived my whole life till coming to attend The Ohio State University.  I went to high school at West Ranch and graduated with a class of about 600.  Here at Ohio State I am majoring in Physics and Astronomy with goals of attending graduate school for Physics.  Also, I am proudly part of the Morrill’s Scholars Program, the STEM Exploration and Engagement Scholars, and a member of the Jiu Jitsu club.

My high school was very large and it gave me a lot of opportunities to explore many types of fields, which I took advantage of by taking numerous math and science classes.  Also, my school’s size encouraged me to take rigorous courses and engage in clubs to compete with my just as ambitious classmates.  I ended up taking the majority of the AP classes my high school offered while being a part of NHS, Kiwanis Club, and running for my school’s cross country and track teams.

My entire life I have a deep love for the sciences in particular I have always had a passion for astronomy.  Growing up, I spent a lot of time camping where I spent a lot of time learning about constellations, and as I grew older I started teaching myself about black holes.  This lead into an interest in physics, more specifically theoretical physics, when I took an AP Physics class my junior year of high school it just solidified my love for physics and astronomy.

So far high school has been the place where I have been challenged the most, yet despite many setbacks I have grown immensely.  I learned in high school what it was like to feel completely lost in classes and how to ask for help from teachers and my peers.  Also, it taught me how to be a good leader through club officer positions and being a good example for the underclassmen that were on my sports teams.  Hopefully, college will challenge me just as much as high school and help me to grow as well.

In the next few years here at Ohio State I plan on focusing on my academics, but I plan on taking a few alternative science classes to experience all my school has to offer.  I hope to become a tutor or participate in undergraduate research next year.  All in all, I am excited to begin my journey in college no matter where it takes me and happy to learn as much as I can.