I think this year has been an insightful and fun one. I went more into my major, discovered the stress of taking 18 credit hours, had an internship at a refugee resettlement agency, and dealt with trying to discover who I am. The time of college, at times is difficult to deal with and overcome, I thought I was confident until spring semester where I felt so overwhelmed and unsuccessful. I started to see what the bad side of college seems to be hidden when people say “college is great”- while an incredible opportunity I am happy to have now- it can also be over the top when you aren’t caring for yourself. Taking a break, chatting with someone, or even praying can make it much easier to get through. I’ve realized I can’t do everything, can’t control everything, and shouldn’t try. School may get to be alot, but it is important to value your work, and not be too hard on yourself. I will try to remember this going forward, and give myself a break when its needed.
Interest in Photojournalism
While I love studying world politics I have found more greater interest instudying the forms of political activism that people use. I think it’s so interesting to see the differences in ways people protest. Sometimes camerawork can influence a society more than a long essay or paper. I have met people who are successful in work related to humanitarian photojournalism, and I’d like to work or explore this new field. I want to talk to professors at OSU who know about these fields. I’d like to use the resources we have here. Over time I hope to explore the importance of activism in many forms. I think this could turn into work that I can publish. I’d like to work on a research project and I’d like to do this with support from OSU ideally!!
Updates on Career and future plans
I hope to study abroad this upcoming semester, this will hopefully have an impact on what direction I am able to go after graduation (grad school vs travel), and I also want to see what aspects of my major I enjoy more than others. It is important to gain an international perspective before making decisions like future career. I hope to have nice proffesors who are willing and able to help me make decisions about what type of political activism interests me most and I’d like!
I also hope to go into internship after I come back. I’d like to intern in Washington, D.C.- either over the summer or through the Glenn school- at least once!
I want to go into international humanitarian law but I’d like to explore the different avenues to get where I wanna go.
UNICEF Student Summit
Hi All!
It’s been one year since my last UNICEF Student Summit and this year I was blessed to be able to go to again this year in Washington DC. It was incredible this year however, because a Hill Day component was added to the summit. As I was accepted, through an application, to be the Ohio state leader, I was able to lead college students from my state in congressional meetings with Senate and House of Representative offices in Congress which was so exicting. I learned more about how the Congressional process works and as this year is monumental for the budget allocation for the new administration; it was crucial we got our voice heard by our representatives that day on the Capital Hill.
EESO
I joined the Ethiopian-Eritrean Student Organization (EESO) in August of 2014 during my first year at OSU, after finding it on OSU’s website in the list of cultural organizations. I knew I wanted to take advantage of such a big school like OSU, and meet other people who shared different and similar cultural backgrounds as me. What I did not know going in, however, was how many great, funny, and hardworking people I would meet and become friends with as a result. I have made so many memories just in the past two years, and have been able to connect on a different label with the place I consider my true home. Through events like Taste of OSU 2014, African Night 2014 & 2015, Coffee Night, Bowling, Group Dinners, Potluck 2014&15, Cookout 2015, Ethiopian New Years (Enkutatash), Involvement Fair, Difret Movie Premiere, and Educate the Horn, I have been involved in encouraging acknowledgement of my culture on campus. Although I have only spent three months in Ethiopia while in elementary school, I have always hung tight to my language, my culture, and my pride in the country of warriors (as cheesy as that is). I have gained so much from EESO, and hope to give back this upcoming year.
UNICEF Student Summit 2016 – Washington, D.C.!
During the UNICEF Student Summit 2016, I had such an amazing time learning from students all over the country on how they implement different strategies at their schools, and how insightful UNICEF members really are. I learned so much about how UNICEF implements its policies worldwide, and gained amazing skills through the guest speakers (the power of using local religious leaders as a contradiction to FGM practices, for example). I plan to continue being involved with this wonderful organization which I’ve gained so much from, and hope to begin giving back in a leadership position during 2016-2017.
UNICEF-OSU
At the beginning of the 2014-15 school year- my first year at OSU- I decided I wanted to join UNICEF-OSU. Knowing what UNICEF was already, and the great things its involved in from water accessibility to ending of child marriage, I wanted to be a part of this great organization in any way I could. I came to the first meeting that year – the scavenger hunt- and immediately found an additional benefit of this club- the amazing people. I made friends that day that I still talk to for academic, social, and personal issues and I have found this to be an unexpected blessing of being a part of UNICEF-OSU. Although I was unable to attend every meeting last year due to a demanding work schedule, when I decided that this was an organization I wanted to commit to, I then made my class and work schedule around our meetings and events. Last year and this year, I volunteered at and attended many of our events- Mile of Change, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF on campus (my personal favorite), Homecoming Parade, Campus Parc, Dine and Donate Fundraiser, and Bake Sale on the Oval.
This year, I had the amazing opportunity to hold a leadership position as elected Head of Committee for our first ever Masquerade Ball. From finding a DJ through a friend, making the playlist, making/editing the flyer, posting around campus/advertising to friends/dorms, recruiting many of the volunteers who helped make the event a success, and other tasks, I feel I’ve gained many important skills and seen a sliver of what goes in to event planning and what makes events successful – we raised over $4,800, which doubled was incredible to have helped contributed to. I feel many of my leadership skills that I could bring to UNICEF-OSU board come from this role and the experiences that came with it. I had to work not only with a committee of people to bring together their best ideas and what they could contribute, but also relay this information back to board to make the event run smoothly and efficiently. I also worked along other exec members this year to host a Hunger Banquet at Bowen dorm, which was fun and helped me see what leading an event for people unfamiliar with UNICEF was like, and how best to present for these events. I love working to bring everyone’s’ individual talents and capabilities together to make the best events and activities that we can make as a group. I’m super excited to be elected as the Director of Recruitment & Outreach for 2016-2017!!! 🙂
UN Millenium Goal – Environmental Sustainability
This artifact is my group’s United Nations Millennium Goals project. The topic is Environmental Sustainability, with a focus on the goal in Brazil. Based on our paper, the presentation was made reviewing the major points of our research. The focus of our paper was on the objectives of the goal and the importance of the goal. We also hit the major points of our topic – starting with the background of Brazil’s environmental issues and the repercussions to leaving these issues unsolved, to the changes that Brazil’s government has already made and what more needs to be done. Overall, our presentation taught our group and our class about the importance of caring for the environment and the impact that has on many lives.
Welcome to my Honors & Scholars e-Portfolio
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Year in Review
I am excited about the leadership experience I’ve gained over the past year at OSU, and especially with group teamwork involvement. Through the orgs I’m involved with, I have had to learn to deal with and plan large scale events and meetings with many differring people, backgrounds, and ideas. I love the talent I’ve gained of bringing the best out of everyone (team member, collaborating org, etc) to make the strengths stronger and build upon what individuals can do even better as a team. I am excited about my leadership potential for next year and the opportunities I’ll have to continue building on this skill.