Global Awareness:

I began to truly develop my Global Awareness my first semester at OSU. I had always wanted to join UNICEF after working with them in high school. Every meeting I continue to learn about various situations around the world, what I personally can do to help, and what UNICEF is doing as a global organization. I also took a class my second semester to learn about the culture and history of Iceland in order to prepare for my study abroad in the summer. It was extremely beneficial to learn about a culture before experiencing it because I could identify unique cultural practices once abroad and understand why and how the culture developed the way it did. I also took a Russian Literature course that taught me a lot about the history of Russia, censorship, and the importance of literature in various cultures. I also took a course that focused on the Black visual artist population in Columbus. Although a very specific group, it showed me that Global Awareness is not just about countries and cultures unfamiliar to the United States. I plan to continue to develop my Global Awareness by remaining in UNICEF and learning more myself while also advocating for the women and children we are trying to help and educating students about what they can do to be aware of a situation and make a meaningful difference.

Original Inquiry:

Two major experiences have contributed to my understanding of both research and the creative process. I was in a strongly community-based research writing course. My group and I had to do extensive research about literacy, how it connects to the Black community, specifically the visual artists in Columbus, and the influence of formal (education) and informal (life) experiences on literacy. We then had to recruit Black visual artists based in Columbus to interview and then compile those interviews into a meaningful film that demonstrated the over-arching narrative present among the interviews. It was an awesome experience that really made me appreciate what goes into community-based research and then turning your findings into something entertaining and informative. It also gave me a lot of insight into the creative process for various forms of creative expression such as, among others, painting, film making, sculpting, and digital design. My second experience is on-going: undergraduate research! I plan to continue developing my understanding of the research process by continuing to work in my current lab. I have already learned that years of experiments, days long tests, and writing and rewriting reviews is only a portion of what goes into research. It has been a very insightful process that showed me research is more than just the stereotype vision I had in my mind.

Academic Enrichment:

My Honors Contract shows a commitment to Academic Enrichment because it demonstrates what I have already accomplished and what I plan to accomplish by the time I graduate. It demonstrates that I have taken my experiences in and outside of the classroom to make myself a more aware and focused student who plans to continue engaging in interesting and challenging courses and experiences. My curriculum relates heavily to the health field, which I plan to become a part of once I graduate. I chose Microbiology as a major because it will provide me with a solid foundation for medical school as well as relating to my general interests in what happens in our environment and bodies that allows us to work the way we do. I also am minoring in Environmental Science because everyone has a hobby! I enjoy learning about the microorganisms and processes that make up our world, but I am also interested in the larger processes that are possible because of said microorganisms and processes. I think it is very important to not only be aware of how the earth is the way it is but also what we can do to help it. Basically, I chose my major and minor because they compliment each other and heavily furnishes my ability to become a contributing and aware citizen.

Leadership Development:

I am involved in undergraduate research, UNICEF, Students Supporting People with Downs Syndrome, volunteering at CAMC (hospital), and volunteering at a gym to teach children with disabilities how to do gymnastics. Everything I am involved in has contributed to my development as a leader because they have given and continue to provide me with new experiences and skills that allow me to be effective in numerous environments with various problems. My involvement relates to my career goals by informing me about how research really works and what I can expect in a hospital environment. They relate to my personal goals of just acquiring new experiences and making a meaningful impact in the communities that need it the most. I plan to join Doctors Without Borders after I finish medical school and practice for a few years. Being a part of UNICEF has made me more aware of the areas I am likely to work in and everything preparing me for medical school is helping me get to a place where I can help in the best and most effective way I know how.

Service Engagement:

Currently, I volunteer at a gym to teach children (2-8 years) how to do gymnastics. I also volunteer at a hospital during breaks, and I engage in the service days at OSU. I plan to start volunteering at hospital in Columbus instead of my hometown in order to volunteer more frequently, and I will also continue volunteering at the gymnasium and the service days throughout my time at OSU. SSPDS and UNICEF also host various events that, respectively,  involve providing people with disabilities a safe and inclusive environment and fundraising and advocating within the community to support populations abroad.