My step project allowed me to continue my training towards basic flight instruction. I am trying to earn a pilot slot in the Air Force through the AFROTC program here on campus, so my project allowed me to earn some flight hours and understand the basics of flight. My project helped me to improve my test scores in AFROTC to give me the best chance to continue my leadership growth as a pilot.

My project gave me confidence to do what I have always dreamed of doing. Before my project, my pilot test scores were so low that I was told to start looking towards other career paths. I was often told I did not have what it takes to become a pilot, as many women entering aviation are told. I took that and transformed it into motivation to work hard to accomplish my goals. My perspective has totally changed, and I encourage all women interested in male dominated STEM careers to do whatever it takes to find your confidence in those roles. My confidence has developed through the competence I developed throughout my project. Without this project, I would not have had the motivation or means to push myself past the obstacles I had faced before my project. Now, I know that I can and will be an amazing leader and pilot in the future.

The relationships I had built with my flight instructors are really what made me realize my full potential in my future career path. My first instructor really started to develop my mentality switch because he believed in me. From my very first introductory flight, he saw my potential and recognized the areas that were difficult for me and personalized my training to improve those weak areas. Even though we were working on things that may not have been my strong suit, he made sure to motivate me and inspire me by recognizing the fast growth I was accomplishing. He knew how far I had to go to make it to where I wanted to be, and he pushed me to overcome any fears or hesitations I had. He developed me as a person, not just a pilot. He taught me valuable leadership skills I will use for the rest of my life. The resiliency that comes from pilot training will benefit me in all my future endeavors.

My second flight instructor who assisted me most of my project, worked with my first instructor to really know how to best help me and tailor my training specifically to my goals. He really understood what I wanted to gain from this experience and helped me to really work on my technical flight abilities. One of the tests I am required to take if I want to be considered for a pilot slot, I had originally scored in the 6^th percentile. After working with my instructors and developing my technical abilities, I am now in the 71^st percentile. That is a huge improvement! This large of a jump is not often seen in this type of testing, and I do not think it would have been possible without my instructors support and belief in me to succeed.

The biggest lesson I had learned from the relationship with my instructors was the benefit women in aviation has on the community. They were both fully supportive in encouraging me as a woman in this career path. I was never once discouraged by them or made uncomfortable during my training. I felt as an equal and that the culture they were instilling in their organization not only welcomed but encouraged the involvement of women entering this field. They both recognized the importance of discussing the disparities between the ratio of men to women in aviation and voiced how they were trying to close the cap within their organization. This is a very rare thing to occur in male dominated careers and it motivates me to continue pushing for more equality in these areas.

This project transformed my leadership and pilot skills. For my leadership skills, developing a culture of equality and encouragement for more women to enter aviation is something I can constantly do in the future. If I earn a pilot slot, I can use that platform to talk with young women on the opportunities and value found in aviation. I have seen what a healthy environment looks like in this field and will be able to share my passion for women in aviation wherever I go. As a leader, it made me realize the value of supporting your people and how far the littlest amount of motivation can influence those you lead. As stated before, this was a huge improvement to developing my technical skills. I have a deep understanding to the basics of flight and those will form the foundation of my future pilot training. The experiences I have had the opportunity to enjoy have only motivated me more to continue learning about flight and aviation.

Being an SMP (Simultaneous Membership Program) Cadet creates an opportunity for you to serve while obtaining your degree. You learn from other officers and noncommissioned officers on your journey of becoming an officer. You go to drill, physical training, military science classes to leadership labs to continue learning and getting ready to become an officer. 

After being an SMP cadet for over a year now I have learned the responsibilities and expectations of an Army Officer. Prior I was just a Private in the Army, so I only understood the lower enlisted side of the Army and how to take care of just myself. Now I have learned to take care of the soldiers around me and understand their needs. 

The biggest event that led me to have a transformation was interacting with Army Officers over this past summer. I spent the summer with the 5th Special Forces group and was able to learn a lot about the Army and how as an Officer you are expected to lead by example and go beyond in every aspect of your life. 

Learning from Officers really gave me a perspective I had not seen before. I always just wanted to be an Officer because the pay was better. But now I realize that the pay is more since you take on the responsibility of everyone in you Platoon. It is not just your life you take care of; you take care of the life of everyone around you and their problems become yours. 

That being said, I have learned countless things from noncommissioned officers. They are the backbone of the Army, and nothing would get done without them, they are the enforcers. Understanding their perspective was essential as well. Treatment of soldiers is more important than getting promoted is the core value I have learned. When Officers only care about their promotion board they will become complacent and not look out for their soldier’s as much. 

This change is significant to my life because I am about to embark on my next journey of becoming an officer and taking care of the people in my platoon. I must find the balance of taking care of these people and ensuring the success of whatever mission we are given. Understanding how to take care of your soldiers while still being a respected leader is a significant goal needed to be pursued. I plan on becoming an Aviation Officer and flying Apache helicopter for as long as I can.

2. What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project?

During this trip, there were so many things that I had encountered that I had never thought about. I had become so much more knowledgeable about animals and how different cultures interact with animals in a different way than I do. I had realized on this project that I have so much to learn about the world and I didn’t realize how little I knew about the world until I was able to experience it hands on. I also had the pleasure of working with such amazing people that they had such a positive impact on my outlook on life and helped me realize how beautiful life is through this project. I not only came out with more knowledge about animals and the culture of Hawaii, but I also came out with a more positive view of the world.

People of different backgrounds and bonding over the different viewpoints we had on some of the topics and were able to discuss and see someone else’s opinions on the subjects we were learning about. There were so many students that came on this trip majoring in different subjects and not all of them were animal science. I did not think that I was capable of learning things very well that were outside of my realm of knowledge, but I realized I am very capable of it if I am interested in what I am learning. I understand now that I am much more capable of doing things that I may not think I am capable of. I was even nervous about getting along with 19 other people, but respect goes a long way, especially when people have differing opinions than you do and that came in handy for the duration of the trip.

3. What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those affect you?

During these 12 days, I got the pleasure of working with different specializations of human-animal interactions, animals, and students in my course and had so many events that led to the growth of myself as a person in such a small amount of time. The biggest thing that had shaped my trip and impacted it the most were the bonds that I had made with the people on the trip. I can go on and on about them, but we had all started out as strangers, and being a non-animal science major did not help me in knowing any of them previously. I was extremely nervous, but even in the airport, the interactions I had with them right away were very genuine and made me feel like I knew them before that. We were always planning lunches together on the trip, planning excursions all together if we had a free afternoon and making sure to soak up as much of the trip as possible in the little time that we had.

The people on this trip had truly helped me appreciate the life that we are given. Being able to have the amazing opportunity to study an everyday topic in such a beautiful state and island helped me see how grateful I am for life and the people that I was able to share that experience with. They would push me to always do something, even when I was tired, even if it was just to walk to the beach to really take advantage of the experience, we were able to have. We sat and watched the fireworks on the beach on New Year’s Eve all together and the silence of everyone and only hearing the fireworks and seeing the beauty was something I was extremely grateful for. Our TA was someone who I was able to confide in and talk to about things that were going on outside of the trip, and I am so grateful for her and the way she was there for me, not only as a teacher in an educational aspect, but in a way that helped me gain trust with someone who I had only just met.

Everyone had come from different backgrounds, whether it was race, ethnicity, major, etc. and this trip, we were faced with some conflicts and disagreements that we had to work together and figure out how to get past it. There was one situation where we were at the aquarium and I had the opinion that I did not like aquariums because the tanks are too small, it is a show, and they are bred in captivity, and someone completely disagreed with me, and we were able to discuss it and tell each other our points of view to be able to see it from a different perspective. Even though we did not agree in the end, we were able to learn how to respect the other person’s opinion but not let it come in the way of our friendship. Since I was an Integrated Math and English major, I was unfamiliar with some of the things on the trip, so the other girls on the trip would explain it to me and help me understand it better, which helped me gain a lot more knowledge than I would’ve not knowing it all together. I gained a lot of skills of being able to work with people who may have different opinions than me, especially when they had majored in animal science.

In the area of animals, I was immensely educated by all the activities we were able to complete while we were there. While we went whale watching, I learned so much from the tour guides, and learned that any time you see the tail of the whale, that means they are deep diving and won’t come back up for about 15-20 minutes. I learned a crazy number of things, like how Hawaii quarantines any animal that comes onto the island so that they don’t bring diseases to the islands, or which animals are illegal in Hawaii and for what reasons and things like that. This trip was so educational because I was able to learn hands on from professionals, and I am so happy that this affected me in such a positive way.

This change was so significant and valuable for my life because I can apply the knowledge, I gained from it to my academic and professional goals. Being able to work so closely with Professors the entire trip was helpful in helping me pick up teaching skills that I would adopt for my teaching job right now and my future teaching jobs as well. It helped give me ideas that would help some people learn easier by bringing in a hands-on experience. Even if it is something small and bringing it to the classroom could really get students engaged like we were and help with a more enhanced learning experience. Teaching is such a big passion of mine that these impacts will help me become better as a person and a teacher as well.

Working with my peers for days on end helped me create bonds that can never be broken. I am still hanging out with all of them, and we contact each other if something reminds of something we learned on that trip. My personal goals are just bettering myself as a person, and they have truly brought out the best in me in just a few days of knowing them. It was like meeting someone and them having such a positive impact on your life even though you have barely known them. This is so valuable in continuing to keep these bonds with them and realizing how they were able to bring out the best in me and my knowledge of the world so I can do that even when I am not with them. This trip has changed my outlook on life tremendously and I owe it all to my teachers, the animal science education I received, and most importantly, my friends that I had an absolute time getting to know.

My STEP Signature Program was the “Human-Animal Interactions Study Away” trip to Hawaii. This took place over winter break for about 12 days. During this trip (and course), we visited many sites around the island of Oahu that centered around significant human-animal interactions. This included a tour of the animal quarantine facility, a whale watch, a tour of therapeutic horsemanship, talks with a professor from the University of Hawaii and local vet, and more. 

As a biology major on the pre-med track, I went into autumn semester of 2021 never having taken a course in animal sciences, and although I was extremely excited to take the human-animal interactions prerequisite class and go on the trip, I was not sure what exactly I was in for. Most of my course work has focused on how different animals relate to one another in regards to evolutionary similarities and survival, but often negates the cultural and historical aspects of the relationships. Therefore, this course and trip helped me better appreciate other angles of animal-human interactions. I also learned how animals can play a key part in improving the health of humans, something that particularly interested me as a pre-med student.

In addition, since this was the first time I have traveled without any family and been away from home for this long, I learned a lot myself and how to be independent to navigate through my surroundings. I learned how to budget my time wisely so I could visit other locations on the Island, but also be on time for group activities. In addition, I also learned how to spend my money wisely and put other street-smart tactics into use. Hawaii, although being part of the United States, is vastly different. From having their own language and a distinct culture, my view of America has changed from before and opened my eyes to the diversity that it holds. 

One of the activities that we participated in during the trip was visiting the Hawaii Department of Agriculture Quarantine Facility in Honolulu. We visited this facility on the first day that we arrived to the state. We got to listen to a presentation first and then tour the facility where they kept dogs and cats that were being quarantined. At the location, I learned more about the intersection of public health, animals/wildlife, and the environment. In order to limit disease spread and the introduction of certain ticks, Hawaii has to have strict regulations on pets that are brought onto the island. This was something that I had never considered before, and I applaud everyone involved that works hard day and night to preserve the stability of the island and protect the individuals, animals, and ecosystem of Hawaii. 

Another experience that led to my transformed thinking of relating health care to human-animal interactions was our trip to the Therapeutic Horsemanship of Hawaii. At this location, we learned from the owner about the facility, and got a tour around the place as well. In the prerequisite course, we learned about different animal-assisted interventions, and at this facility, I really got to see the immense impact they can have on humans. This was a different form of treatment that I had not had the opportunity to educate myself on until this trip. The owner described how many children with physical disabilities they have helped, and personal stories she has about specific kids and their recovery process, and I was amazed by how transformative horse therapy can be. 

Lastly, another experience I had that led to changes I felt in learning more about how to be independent and learning about the culture of Hawaii came from the free time and cultural experiences that we had. We got to visit the Polynesian Cultural Center, which is an interactive park that walks you through different Islands of Polynesia, having different shows and cultural activities in each. Throughout the day, I was able to become more and more educated on various dances, rituals, and the history of each of the Islands. In addition, during our free time, we would venture off to explore some of the local shops, restaurants, and hikes of the island. I was able to learn more about myself and the island through these experiences and will be something I cherish greatly going forward. 

This change is significant to my life as I was able to learn more about myself and the career that I want to pursue in the future. I got out of my comfort zone: traveled thousands of miles away from home with a group of strangers, and ended up having the time of my life while learning a great amount. I learned the importance that animals have in our society, and not only what they can do for humans, but what humans can do for them. It was one of my goals to travel during my undergraduate career, and I’m glad that despite the obstacles that came with the COVID-19 pandemic, I was able to make it possible. This experience will definitely be one that I will remember fondly for the rest of my life, and has easily been one of my favorite parts of my undergraduate career at Ohio State.

1. Background about my STEP Signature Project:

For my STEP Signature Project, I had the opportunity to travel to Oahu, Hawaii, and participate in a “study away” program offered through the Department of Animal Sciences here at Ohio State. In Hawaii, I observed and learned about various human-animal interactions on the island and discussed with my peers how human-animal interactions can be influenced by geography, climate, and culture. Each day, I reflected during the group discussions and in my own journal about how these interactions and people’s views of animals differ from those in the Midwest and what impact this has on economics, career opportunities, and animal welfare.

2. How this experience transformed my understanding of myself, my assumptions, and my views of the world:

Having the opportunity to observe human-animal interactions in Hawaii, a place very different from my daily life in Ohio, transformed the way I think about animal production and infectious disease control and prevention. I often forget that what seems normal in my life, is abnormal in the life of someone else. Prior to this trip, I had never thoroughly reflected on how the culture, climate, and ecosystem of other states or countries can impact people’s view of animals and how they are used. For example, Hawaii relies on smaller-scale cattle and swine production systems, since large-scale production systems common in the Midwest would not be feasible on the island. I never think twice about the corn-based diets I purchased at the local mill to feed my horses, cattle, and pigs back home. However, Hawaii has to utilize the less costly resources available to them on the island in order for their animal production systems to be efficient. Corn is not readily everywhere in the world, and I realized that the cost of transporting feedstuffs certainly affects other animal production systems elsewhere in the world. Although climates vary on the mainland and corn cannot be grown in all states, the ease of interstate transportation is something I learned to appreciate.

The differences in climate, culture, and ecosystem also contribute to the systems in place regarding the prevention and control of infectious diseases. Not every system has as advanced protocols for infectious disease prevention and surveillance. In addition, some diseases that we commonly deal with in the Midwest are novel in other parts of the world. These diseases could be catastrophic if introduced, and I realized moving forwards in my career how important collaboration, education and outreach, and research will be in preventing and controlling future zoonotic and foreign animal disease outbreaks across the globe. Methods that work in one area of the world to prevent the spread of disease will not necessarily work in another, and rabies testing, and be treated for fleas and ticks prior to landing. In addition, pets can be held at the quarantine facility for up to 120 days depending on the testing completed prior to entry. I personally could not imagine (and would be quite sad) not having my pets around at home for 120 days. However, the introduction of an animal with a pest as small as a tick could have detrimental consequences on Hawaii’s fragile ecosystem. While these regulations may seem too strict to some individuals, it is necessary to protect the state’s biodiversity and native wildlife.

We also had a discussion with a professor at the University of Hawaii about disease control and food animal production, focusing on swine and cattle. As someone who works with swine and cattle in both production and research settings, I was able to compare and contrast what the professor discussed with what I am familiar with in the Midwest. One point that was particularly interesting was about African Swine Fever (ASF). This virus is an extremely deadly virus in pigs and is currently ravaging the swine industry around the world.  Currently, the United States is free of ASF, and producers are doing whatever they can to prevent the entry of the virus into the US. While swine operations on the mainland have strict biosecurity protocols, such as showering in and out of a facility, I was extremely surprised to hear that most of the swine operations in Hawaii do not have these protocols in place. For example, the professor mentioned that one of the swine farmers will often pick up feed for all of the farmers in the area and go from farm to farm to drop off each producer’s share. From a disease prevention standpoint, this is extremely concerning as both vehicles and people carry serious diseases between swine farms. While we were visiting Kualoa Ranch, I and a few others in the group that are familiar with swine production noticed that there were feral chickens roaming in the barn. Again, this was concerning from a disease prevention standpoint, as pigs can contract influenza from birds. When we asked the professor at the University of Hawaii about this, she mentioned that avian influenza viruses are not a huge threat to Hawaii, since they are considered a “cold weather virus.” This point had not dawned on me previously and made me reflect on the impact that climate can have on other diseases as well.

In addition to discussing zoonotic and foreign animal diseases, we also talked about swine and cattle production on the island. Hawaii does not have the ability to feed their cattle and swine corn-based diets, as it would be extremely expensive to import the feed into the state. Instead, they have to utilize the resources available to them on the island not only to decrease costs but also to decrease waste. In some of my courses at Ohio State, I have heard about a method of feeding pigs called “garbage feeding,” but I genuinely thought this to be a rare practice. However, Hawaii utilizes this practice since food waste from restaurants and hotels is abundant and provides a diet that provides adequate energy and nutrients diet for the pigs. My experience at Kualoa Ranch also made me develop a deeper appreciation for the cattle industry. Much of the land owned by the ranch is unsuitable for growing crops, but some species of grasses grow extremely well there. They utilized these grasses to grass-finish cattle, and sell the meat to cater to the niche consumer market that desires grass-finished meat. Later, in our discussion with the professor at the University of Hawaii, we also learned about the process of cattle being shipped on boats to the feedlots on the mainland, where they have access to corn-based diets which increase growth efficiency. I am certified in Beef Transportation Quality Assurance, but this certification only encompassed trailer transportation. Personally, I had a difficult time wrapping my mind around transporting cattle on a boat, as this type of travel is significantly longer and more costly than trailer transportation.

4. Why this transformation is significant and valuable for my life moving forwards:

I hope to pursue a career in regulatory veterinary medicine and infectious disease research, both of which rely heavily on human-animal interactions. Human-animal interactions are a driving force behind the emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases and this program allowed me to develop a deeper understanding of these interactions. The discussions with my peers enhanced my ability to think critically about how climate, geography, and culture can change the human-animal interface and how this can impact economics, careers, transportation, and disease regulation. Furthermore, evaluating the differences in Hawaii’s practices with those familiar to us on the mainland with my peers enhanced my ability to see past my own interests and connect to the interests of others. Throughout my future career, I will attend international conferences to discuss and evaluate research discoveries and future targets with other professionals. My experiences in Hawaii also uncovered a new layer to the passion I have for the subjects of food animal production, wildlife conservation, and infectious disease regulation. Moving forwards, I will be able to apply what I have learned and utilize the leadership skills this trip strengthened to better contribute to the One Health Initiative of protecting human, animal, and environmental health.

For my STEP signature project, I participated in a human and animal interactions education abroad experience in Hawaii where we studied the relationship between humans and animals and how they play various roles in society.  This project specifically focused on how that relationship differs in Hawaii as a result of geographical, cultural, and historical differences. We participated in many experiences such as touring a cattle ranch, having discussions with veterinarians and animal scientists, touring a United States Department of Agriculture quarantine facility, and much more to look at the many industries in which animals are involved.

Completing the experiences of this STEP project has had an impact on my assumptions of other lifestyles and challenged the mindset I have on the way I choose to go through life. Not only did the education abroad allow me to grow academically and add to my knowledge of animal sciences, but it also allowed me to grow personally. By interacting with so many new people, including my peers on the trip and the guests from various industries we spoke to, I have improved my ability to communicate and connect with others. I have also gotten to witness the respectful and friendly way that people on Oahu interact with each other as compared to many of the other places I have lived in or travelled to. The lifestyle of people in Hawaii and their treatment of others has influenced how I find myself wanting to interact in my own community on a daily basis and has made me reevaluate how I can be a better member of society by trusting in the people around me.

One factor that I believe contributed greatly to the respectful way of life in Hawaii was the connection they have to their environment. Immediately upon arriving in Oahu, I could see how important preserving the wildlife is to those living there. One visit on our trip that particularly captured this aspect of Hawaiian culture was our visit to the Waikiki aquarium in Honolulu where I learned that Hawaiians have long understood that our place in nature is not to control it but to be partners in it. We also discussed how Hawaii’s fragile ecosystem is protected at the USDA quarantine facility where one of the directors explained the strict protocols in place to prevent invasive species from entering the island as well as the process for quarantining animals that come to Hawaii to prevent disease. One very surprising piece of information was that Hawaii has never had a case of rabies which is why they take so many efforts to control how animals enter the state. Seeing how they manage their wildlife was very enlightening and the mindset of caring for their environment reflected throughout the trip was very impactful to me.

Exploring the history and culture of Hawaii during some of the activities on the study abroad also helped me better understand the way of life and led to the growth in my mindset. Although Hawaii is a part of the United States and shares much of the same infrastructure as the states on the mainland, it was culturally unique, and I was surprised by its rich history. I was able to get a more well-rounded perspective of the island by looking at that other aspect of Hawaii in addition to studying human and animal interactions. Understanding the history and culture is integral to explaining the differences we see in how they treat and manage their animals. Having some excursions that were only centered around the culture during the trip was extremely beneficial for my learning overall. We had the opportunity to visit the Polynesian Cultural Center which vastly improved my ability to appreciate the unique challenges faced by the people living on the island of Hawaii and provided a look into the lifestyle of early Hawaiians and how they follow those traditions today.

A challenge of living in Hawaii that I did not expect was how much they rely on importing goods and materials from the mainland United States and other countries. Being able to visit places like Therapeutic Horsemanship of Hawaii and Kualoa Ranch allowed me to learn more about this struggle when they shared how much money it takes to care for their animals due to the high cost of importing the goods needed. Living in Ohio, I had never questioned or taken into consideration this type of challenge and it pushed me to examine how other cultures must adapt to fit their lives to their surroundings and overcome the challenges presented to them. It was during the Therapeutic Horsemanship of Hawaii experience that I felt I was really able to engage in communicating with and learning from the director of the operation when discussing the struggles she faced with running the program.

All the cumulative activities and experiences I was able to participate in during the education abroad in Hawaii allowed me to grow as an individual while also furthering my knowledge of animal sciences. Learning to better communicate and interact with peers as well as with others in my community is a very valuable takeaway from this trip. The change in my mindset and ability to understand how a different lifestyle can change beliefs is a vital part to succeeding in my future career. My goal is to become a veterinarian so having knowledge of how various backgrounds influence how people interact with animals is extremely relevant. The impact that my project has had on the way I look at life and communicating with others will be of lasting importance in my future career and life going forward.

My STEP project involved obtaining a scuba diving certification by traveling to Florida and engaging with marine life. I first completed a classroom portion of the course that involved learning the basics of scuba diving such as the structures and functions of the equipment, buoyancy control, and breathing technique. Then, I completed the in-water certification which took place across four dives in the horseshoe reef located east of Key Largo, Florida. After completing this training, I am now a PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) open water certified diver, which allows me to scuba dive anywhere in the world down to 60 ft or 18 m.

Completing the open water PADI certification allowed me to discover an entirely new perspective on the world by experiencing marine ecosystems. I grew up very close to Lake Erie and always loved the water, but due to the murky conditions of the water, I have never been able to explore. My main takeaway from this program was understanding and making the connections to sustainability and marine life while also gaining personal independence. What I learned in this program will not only be useful for my undergraduate education but was vital the graduate school as well as my future career goals. I plan to attend graduate school after my undergraduate degree and pursue a path in marine medicine and environmentalism. Through this endeavor, I gained an understanding of how I can apply my engineering education to wildlife and creating a safer environment for marine life that I was unable to obtain at Ohio State.

Additionally, this endeavor showed a new perspective on life that most people cannot understand. Without a scuba diving certificate, you are only able to delve so far down in the oceans, leaving a huge part of the world unseen. Through obtaining a basic scuba diving certification, I opened a door to new opportunities that I would not otherwise have. There are many levels of certification and as I learn and do more research about the oceans, I can gain further certification and understanding of the complex relationships in aquatic life. Further, this trip allowed me to participate in independent decision making and forced me to work outside my comfort zone. I have never had to travel on my own before and through this leadership program I learned how to create personal development to become a more confident and independent person.

The leadership program as a whole taught me a lot about independence and organization. I have never traveled on my own before and travelling from Ohio to Florida seemed scary at first. It took me a while to research different hotels and areas where it was safe for me to stay alone, but still allowed me to get out and see everything around me. I tried to make a schedule for each day so I could fill my time and fully immerse myself in the trip. By creating this itinerary for myself I was able to develop organization skills. Additionally, through organizing this entire trip, I learned independence and the ability to rely on myself for help. There wasn’t a parent or guardian figure for me to turn to when I was lost, and it showed me the sense of autonomy.

Furthermore, the four scuba dives that I did showed me that there is much more to life than what meets the eye above water. I have only had the chance to look through goggles above water to see what was below me but have never been up close and personal with tropical marine life. It gave me a new appreciation for our oceans and all the life within them from plants to animals. Even though I was only able to go on four dives, I till saw some of the effects that pollution and waste can have on our underwater environment. Because of this, I am more passionate about sustainability, and it inspired me to make more changes in my personal life to reduce pollution and waste.

Lastly, the people that I had the opportunity to interact with during this project taught me about personal development and diversity. More specifically, the scuba diving instructors that I had come from diverse backgrounds and showed me how they were able to take their passion for diving and convert it into their everyday jobs. One of my instructors found a job working for the military while simultaneously getting his scuba diving license. He now is one of the main instructors for military personal and has travelled all around the world to find a diverse and well-rounded education for himself. In addition, another instructor is a police officer that always had a passion for diving and now he helps and emergency response team that dives in local bodies of water to recover missing persons. Meeting these two individuals was a great example to me that you can adapt any job you have to include your passions. Having a well-rounded education with many interests allows me to have more empathy for others and have a better understanding of the world around me. I really hope to use this attitude moving into my professional life after I graduate from Ohio State.

As mentioned above, I plan to attend graduate school after my undergraduate degree and pursue a path in marine medicine and environmentalism. Having the opportunity to experience marine animals interacting with their environment hands on gave me a diverse insight into the various paths that I could follow in my post-graduate career. A very difficult part of engineering is understanding which areas I would like to focus my time and effort and it is difficult to choose without having real life experience in each field. Environmental engineering with a focus on sustainability and oceans is one of the many places I would like to focus after graduation. It is such an important part of ensuring a better life for all future wildlife and humans, and with the ever-changing climate and world around us, I think I will always have new things to learn for the rest of my life. Through this endeavor, I gained an understanding of how I can apply my engineering education to wildlife and creating a safer environment for marine life that I could not do at Ohio State.

This is an image of one of the beaches along the Florida Coast where I went Scuba Diving.

This is an image of me and another woman in the scuba certification class after we finished our last dive.

I traveled to the island of Oʻahu and visited various locations, including agriculture quarantine facilities, zoos, aquariums, and tourist attractions, to learn about how native Hawaiians and tourists interact with and use animals. I was able to compare and contrast these interactions with the interactions and use of animals in Ohio to explore cultural differences as well as animal welfare, disease transmission, and education.

While traveling to Hawaii, I realized that I was a lot more independent and capable than I thought I was. I also realized that I know little about other cultures and previously made unfair assumptions about other cultures. Although Hawaii is still part of the United States, the culture is very different and there is more to it than just the beaches. Between navigating to locations, choosing restaurants, interacting with natives, and rebooking plane tickets, I learned that I am capable of doing things on my own in unfamiliar settings.

I also realized that I crafted unfair assumptions about other cultures without actually knowing any facts about the culture or what the beliefs are based on. I realized that I am relatively close-minded and that other cultures have so much to bring to the table in terms of customary beliefs and everyday practices. By closing my mind off, I have been missing opportunities to learn and be appreciative of my own culture and the culture of others. I view the world in only one way, but by seeing it through the eyes of other cultures, I have learned tremendous amounts of information about the world, the environment, animals, and other people.

One of the most profound experiences for me was meeting with a member of the Hawaiian Humane Society. Many native Hawaiians view animals differently than we do in Ohio due to the Asian and Polynesian cultural influences. Because of these influences, Hawaii is very behind in animal cruelty laws, as there are a lot of pushbacks to changing them. I learned that because Polynesian and Asian cultures view animals as property, lots of livestock and traditional pet animals in Hawaii are viewed as property. For example, up until recently, veterinarians were unable to provide emergency care to any animal (including strays) without owner permission, so these animals suffered greatly. Companion animals are used differently than in Ohio, as they are treated as property rather than pets, creating differences in disease transmission and treatment. Learning this shocked me, because I assumed all cultures treated companion animals as pets in modern times. Learning about these more extreme situations made me realize how close-minded I am when it comes people who are different from me. It also made me realize the importance of culture and context when diagnosing and treating diseases.

Another amazing experience for me was visiting the Polynesian Cultural Center, which is an education experience that separates each of the Hawaiian Islands into its own territory to teach visitors about different traditions, beliefs, and practices from each of the islands. I was able to weave a fish out of coconut leaves in Samoa, swing the Poi (traditional ball on a stick game) in Aotearoa, learn a traditional hula dance in Hawaii, fish with a traditional wooden pole in Tahiti, watch a traditional wedding in Tahiti, get a Fijian warrior tattoo in Fiji, hear the traditional drums of Tonga, and try a ton of traditional foods, including coconut bread, pancit, taro rolls, guava rolls, adobo fried chicken, ube ice cream, and rambutan. I think my favorite tradition that I witnessed was in the Tahitian marriage. Once the couple is joined, they are wrapped in a quilt that both of their mothers helped to create. I found this to be an incredibly touching moment. This experience taught me how much other cultures have to offer and what I’m missing out on by being so close-minded. It made me want to learn more about the people around me and what they can teach me as they can enlighten my life and teach me things that can help me to be a better medical researcher and treat owners and patients better.

Visiting the Pearl Harbor Museum was an astonishingly humbling event. Reading about Pearl Harbor in the textbooks does not even begin to compare to standing at the site where so many people risked their lives so that we could live peacefully and happily. The peaceful scene of the Arizona Memorial was in stark contrast to the events that occurred on December 7^th, 1941. There are truly no words to describe how breathtaking and stunning the Pearl Harbor Museum is. Ultimately, visiting Pearl Harbor reminded me about how grateful I am to live in a country that allows me to have freedom to do the things I love, including bowling, pursuing a career I will enjoy, and getting to work with animals and gives me hope. The relationship between Japan and America was greatly amended after going through a war and many, many casualties. If that relationship can be improved, even the most difficult relationships in our lives have hope.

Understanding and valuing other cultures will help me to be a better medical researcher. Opening my thoughts to the ways in which other cultures view animals will help me to explore methods of disease transmission that I otherwise would not have considered. For example, before my trip I likely would not have considered disease transmission through unusual cooking methods, but Kalua, or the traditional Hawaiian hog roast, can lead to trichinosis or salmonella infections. To diagnose diseases and understand transmission, I must also understand how people of other cultures view animals. Because of this trip, I have realized how important this is.  The native Hawaiians are a mixture of Asian and Polynesian cultures, and lots of people view their animals and property, not pets. The viewing of animals as property may lead to decreased sanitary precautions, decreased parasite prevention, and decreased medical treatment for these animals. This not only lessens animal welfare, but it increases the likelihood of disease transmission from animals to people. The beliefs of other cultures also come into play when considering if treatment is necessary and which treatment methods to use.

Overall, this trip has made me more receptive to members of other cultures in my academic and personal life. Students from other countries have a different perspective to offer and new factors for me to discover, and this trip helped me to realize this. Traveling to Hawaii to study human-animal interactions also allowed me to apply information that I learned in previous courses to what I was currently learning and may eventually set me apart from other candidates when I apply for veterinary and graduate school. Because I want to become a veterinary microbiologist, this trip helped me to understand the importance of considering culture when diagnosing and treating diseases. This will help me to better understand a wide variety of owners, increase my knowledge about disease transmission, and help me to better serve my community in the future.

My STEP Signature Project was a 2 week study away course in Honolulu, Hawaii, where we studied Human and Animal Interactions. We took tours of animal-related facilities, spoke with animal industry experts, and held discussions in order to explore how regional and cultural differences in Hawaii shape the ways in which they interact with animals. Specific activities included visiting the Therapeutic Horsemanship of Hawaii, the Honolulu Zoo, the Waikiki Aquarium, and more!

This trip really helped me to expand my world view, especially as it relates to culture and animals. I have always found it interesting to see how culture can impact the ways in which people view and interact with animals. As part of the United States, I was not expecting to see as much of a cultural impact as I did in Hawaii. I expected similar agricultural practices due to us being under the same federal regulations, and I expected these views to hold constant for other animals too, like pets and exotics. However, the Hawaiian islands have a very delicate ecosystem due to their unique geography, and that is something that Hawaiians really pride themselves on and it has become integrated into their culture. Due to this, Hawaii prioritizes human and environmental health over animal health more than I am used to seeing, and they have to meet their agricultural challenges associated with the island geography of Hawaii in unique ways that actually ultimately have the same outcome as many production systems in the United States.

During my trip, I had several opportunities to explore how people in Hawaii view pets. I had assumed that as part of the United States, they would treat their pets very similarly to how I am used to people treating their pets. This includes considering them as part of the family: they live inside, they receive regular vet care, and their basic needs are not only met but are exceeded. I was surprised to learn that there are actually two extremes of pet care in Hawaii, or at least in my view. Walking around the suburban parts of Hawaii, I saw a lot of dogs living outside, which is not something that I am used to, although I know it certainly happens in the Midwest. On a Zoom call with the Hawaiian Humane Society, we learned that pets are not always as valued in Hawaiian culture. Many of the basic legal provisions that we have for animals here in Ohio are not in place in Hawaii. It is not due to a lack of need for them, but just that it is not a priority there and there is not overwhelming support for them. However, I also saw another extreme to that. On a virtual tour of the Hawaii Kai Vet Clinic, we saw that they had a large dental suite and we learned that they have a variety of specialists that come in to see patients every week. I found this very interesting because at the beginning of the trip, this picture was painted in my head that people in Hawaii do not value their pets as much. However, at the clinic I work at in Columbus, we don’t see enough of a demand for dentals, an elective procedure, to have a large suite for it like this clinic did and we don’t have the demand for multiple specialists to come in every week. This made me rethink how I view pets. For all I know, the same pets that are living outside are the ones being taken to the specialists, and that made me rethink the negative connotation that I have for pets that live outside. I typically do not see elective procedures like dentals and visiting specialists as wholly necessary, especially because many people’s financial circumstances do not allow it. For this reason, I still do not think it is the solution for every case, but it made me wonder what my definition of exceeding basic needs is and whether that is my strict criteria for an animal to live a happy life. This experience also emphasized to me that I should not apply blanket assumptions for everyone.

We also visited Kualoa Ranch, which was my favorite part of the trip. This is the site where many movies and T.V. shows were filmed, including Jurassic World, as well as being a WWII bunker and a farm. A common theme throughout our trip was that the people of Hawaii really value and are dedicated to preserving the delicate ecosystem that exists on the islands as a result of its unique geography. When I learned that the cattle raised on this farm were grass-fed, free-roaming cattle, I assumed it was because they wanted a more “natural” product that benefitted the animals’ welfare, which is often the argument for grass-fed beef around here. I was surprised to learn that this was not the case. Due to its geography, grain cannot be grown on the islands and it is difficult to import it in a costly manner. When I was told they started to ship calves back to the mainland to be finished, I assumed it was because of welfare concerns. I was surprised to learn that it was due to more cost concerns. Their solution was to let the cattle roam and be grass-fed. This really helped to expand my world view. Despite assuming animal agriculture would look similar due to similar federal regulations, I got to see how a different climate poses new challenges and how those challenges can be met. I also got to see the interplay between culture and animals. While I value animal welfare, they value what their environment provides for them and utilizing its resources efficiently. In this case, that was finishing beef out on pasture. I really appreciated that cultural component and it was also really cool to see that despite these different motivations, the same goal could be achieved because I do think that grass-feeding cattle can be a major benefit to their welfare, especially in this case because it eliminates the need to transport calves across the ocean.

As mentioned previously, a common theme throughout our trip was this uniqueness of Hawaii’s ecosystem and how this has become a huge part of their culture, which is why they work so hard to protect it. This was most evident during our tour of Hawaii’s Department of Agriculture Quarantine Facility. Here we learned about the numerous policies that Hawaii has in place to make sure that people coming into the islands do not bring anything with them that could disrupt or ruin their ecosystems. This includes a very strict rabies program, which has been so effective that they have never seen a single case of it in human populations, which is an incredible feat. One of the main tenets of this program is strict monitoring of the pets that enter the island. If a pet does not have paperwork proving they have been fully vaccinated against rabies (amongst other things, including that they have been on flea/tick prevention), then they have to spend 4 months in the quarantine facility there. This shocked me. I have always been interested in the One Health approach, which is the idea that human, animal, and environmental health are all related to one another. Here in Ohio, I have seen very little emphasis on the environmental aspect, but a lot more on the animal health aspect, which I am sure this is biased due to my major. However, even our rabies human health plans are lacking, as rabies vaccination mandates for pets are often not enforced. That is why I was surprised to see human and environmental health prioritized over animal health in Hawaii, with them trying to prevent things like rabies and ticks from entering the islands to protect their human populations and the ecosystem. This helped to expand my world view, as I got to explore how different cultures might value different things than I would have or that I am used to and how that influences human and animal interactions.

This transformational experience was incredibly important for my future career goals. I want to go to veterinary school to eventually either be a specialist veterinarian working with pets, or to be a veterinarian associated with conservation efforts. When you have to work with a lot of different people, you are inherently going to be working with a lot of different opinions. This is especially the case with veterinary medicine. On the pet side of things, you are going to be working with different kinds of pet owners that view their pets differently. Oftentimes pet owners are very opinionated about what is best for their pet and it can be difficult to find a happy medium. With endangered species, there is more room for opinions because exotic animal medicine is not as well-researched so extrapolations are often necessary. I think being able to experience all of these different kinds of views on animals during this trip will be really beneficial in helping me to understand where people are coming from when it comes to how an animal should be cared for, which will ultimately help me in my ability to help them and be respectful of their own values. This respecting of values is critical in any part of life, not just in my future career.

1. Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project. My STEP project was through the American Airlines mentorship program. This was a virtual program where I got to meet with a mentor in American Airlines revenue management team once a week. They would go through tools and resources I could use to do projects and complete assignments that are specific for American Airlines and Revenue Management.
2. What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project? I was able to figure out a couple things about myself during this project. The first of which is that I am up to date in the aviation industry. This was something I did not think I was very up to date on, but it turns out I knew a lot more than I thought! Another thing that I learned while I was in this program is Revenue Management is something I could see myself doing for a job. So, I was able to interview with American Airlines and lined up a job for myself after graduation in May!
3. What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those affect you? The relationship I formed with my mentor, Matt, was something that led me to wanting to work for American after I graduate. This is becase he was so helpful in helping me understand what my role would look like in the company. He also outlines what life was like working for the company and how much he enjoyed it. Once I got the job, he also would spend time during the week showing me tools and projects that he is working on to help start my learning before I even start my job officially. Having a good relationship with him was the main reason for how much I enjoyed my program.
4. Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life? Like I said, I was kind of uncertain about what I wanted to do after I graduated. Having this program really helped steer me in the right direction and find something that I wanted to do. Having Matt along the way was another great resource in that search for something that I found important and worthy of trying after college.