G.O.A.L.S.

Global Awareness: Through my study of German as my foreign language, I learned a great deal about not only the language but German culture. My father was born and raised in Germany, so I am always excited to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for my heritage. I continued this study in my literature course, which discussed the Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Although the focus of the course was stories intended for children, the class explored the evolution of fairy tale stories through time and many cultures. The cultural and historical significance of these stories is complex and it was a fun and engaging way to discuss challenging historical issues in German and European culture. I’m not sure that I will be able to make studying abroad a part of my time at Ohio State, I intend to travel and explore more places and cultures during and after my time at Ohio State, and the knowledge that I gained through my studies and experiences in  diverse environment will no doubt serve me in those adventures.

Original Inquiry: Starting in the Spring 2020 semester, I have been working as a Research Assistant in the Cardiopulmonary Behavioral Medicine Lab in the Psychology Department with principle investigator Dr. Charles Emery and graduate student Jake Landers. I have been involved in the Pain and Acetaminophen in Women Study (PAWS), which is investigating the effects of acetaminophen on inflammation and pain response with a specific focus on emotional pain. I have been trained to run participants, and I have been luck enough to be very hands on with this research. In my courses, I have learned about experimental design statistics in behavioral science, research methods in behavioral science, and I have been exposed to a wide variety of scientific literature. Some of the most exciting research that I have been exposed to has been in the Biological Psychiatry course that I am taking this semester. There are so many frontiers in the understanding of psychiatric illness and in developing new and more effective treatments. This course has exposed me to the newest ideas and paradigms of psychiatric research, and it has affirmed the career path that I intend to pursue.

Academic Excellence: Through all of my course work, but especially my honors courses, I feel that I have grown tremendously as a student while I have been at Ohio State. This semester is the first that I have taken almost exclusively honors course work, and I feel challenged and inspired by the content that I learning. Biological Psychiatry is a cross-listed course that both undergraduates and graduate students are able to take, which has exposed me to new levels of rigor. Graduate students give presentations throughout the course, and I have really enjoyed learning from my peers who are more advanced in their academic careers. Because I intend to pursue a graduate degree, the increased rigor of my honors course work makes me feel secure and know that I am preparing myself  for the next phase of my education. The ability to work in smaller groups with faculty members has allowed for valuable and deeper intellectual engagement in my courses, which has been motivating and allowed for my connection to my studies.

Leadership Development: I have been fortunate enough to have multiple leadership opportunities in my time at Ohio State. In my role as a Psychology Student Ambassador this year, I have been able to grow as a leader and a professional. I was able to serve as a course assistant in the Transfer Student Survey course for new psychology majors this fall, serve as a representative of the department at our Career Fair, plan an event in conjunction with a faculty member, and participate in two professional development workshops. I have been and will continue to be a part of the executive board for the Psychology Club. My current position is as the Marketing Chair. In this role, I have been able to expand my communication skills and social media techniques. The leadership board works very closely together, so it has also given me a rich collaborative experience and improved my abilities to work as a cohesive team.

Service Engagement: As a Biological Sciences scholar, I have had the opportunity to give back to the Columbus community in diverse ways. I was able to prepare meals for the residents at the Huckleberry House, Faith Mission, and I have frequently participated in service at Wesley Glenn Retirement and Nursing Community. This past summer, I volunteered weekly at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center. I had the privilege to visit patients receiving in-patient cancer treatment and deliver them comfort items and activities to make their stay more comfortable. I had many extremely rewarding moments being able to meet with and talk to patients, and I gained a lot of professional experience working with the hospital staff. I plan to return to this role this upcoming summer, and I look forward to being able to continue working with patients and the staff at UH.

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