One of the best things about going to a large school like The Ohio State University is the numerous opportunities to get involved. Currently, I am involved in the Mount Leadership Society, Pets for Vets, and A Kid Again. Specifically, I would like to discuss my experience with Pets for Vets thus far.

Pets for Vets is a club at OSU that tries to raise money to fund matching a dog with a veteran who may suffer from PTSD. The training and care that goes into each match can be pretty expensive, so we spend the whole semester trying to raise money for a match. Recently, Pets for Vets and another club on campus, 4 Paws for Ability, put on an event at the Ohio Union called Howl-O-Ween. Through the event, people could donate a dollar or two and get their picture taken with a couple dogs dressed up in Halloween costumes. I had the opportunity to volunteer at this event and it was a blast. We had a great turn out and both organizations raised a lot of money.

I look forward to fostering a Pets for Vets dog during my junior and senior year. Unfortunately, since I live on campus, I am unable to now. However, I plan to stay very involved in the club and I am very excited to see what else this club has in store.

As a sophomore at Ohio State, I am participating in the Second-year Transformational Experience Program, or STEP. Through the program, students are supposed to develop a project plan and submit a proposal for funding from Ohio State to complete this project. The project could be focused on research, and internship, study abroad, service-learning, etc., as long as it is a transformational experience. For my project, I chose to study abroad through the MUNDO Multicultural Histories and Legacies of Rome & London. Through the program, I will get to explore both cities and participate in service-learning projects while abroad. Through the Mount Leadership Society Scholars Program, I have spent my sophomore year doing a Year of Service volunteering almost 60 hours at the Boys & Girls Club of Columbus. Through the Year of Service and other leadership courses I have taken, I have explored how social justice issues such as power and privilege affect different members of our community. The MUNDO program focuses on these same issues but on an international level. I think it will be the perfect way to end my year of service and really broaden my perspectives and awareness of the issues.