Possessing a strong sense of self, senior Math and Economics major Nima Dahir shared her extraordinary story with us in just twenty minutes flat. We hope you can learn from her journey – it’s part of her self-proclaimed purpose to learn and educate, after all.

Having grown up in Hilliard, Ohio and then attending Ohio State, you’d probably never guess that Nima Dahir was born in Toronto, Canada. Continuing in her worldly ways, she’ll be moving to New York City after graduation for a two-year position as a research analyst with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. On campus, Nima has been working as a Student Instructional Associate, commonly known as a teaching assistant or TA, for the Department of Mathematics. She loves using her gifts to help other students, and was pleased to find out that her students think she is invested in their success based on their recent feedback.

Heavily involved in the Muslim Student Association, Mortar Board Senior Honorary, the Non-Profit Immersion Program and Buckeye Leadership Fellows (BLF), Nima has had the opportunity to learn and grow in special communities. As a part of BLF, she has experienced personal, professional and leadership development from the guidance of her advisors – Sarah and Eddie – and her peer interactions. She refers to her BLF cohort as “the coolest, most diverse group of kids on campus!” Buckeye Leadership Fellows has been instrumental in helping Nima center on her passions and purpose.

But what exactly is Nima’s purpose in life? “In some way,” she pondered, “I’d like to leave this world knowing I have contributed to building stronger communities.” Influencing this mission are two of her greatest mentors – her mother and her high school principal – whose ideas both shaped her views of education. From a very young age, Nima’s mother instilled in her the mindset of focusing on what can be learned from life experiences rather than from achievements themselves – a valuable lesson at any age. This outlook has oriented Nima to focus on her passion for learning, personal growth and ability to draw something positive from every experience. Nima also looks up to her high school principal, Dave Stewart, who built the culture of her school from the ground up. Stewart personally encouraged Nima to be patient with herself in planning her future, which is a lesson that remained with her as she started college and decided to pursue a doctorate in economics.

Nima shared her perspective on being a driven, young academic. “When you’re young, you’re often told that you don’t have anything to contribute until much later in your career. But I don’t believe that. In my interactions with students and faculty, I’ve been able to see that I have opportunities every day to live by my two main compasses: justice and equity. I’m driven to ensure justice and equity in every relationship, and hope to do this later in my career on a larger scale.” Curious, passionate and driven, Nima has enjoyed her time as a Buckeye learning from students and faculty alike. Her favorite spot on campus is the Oval, which she describes as “quintessentially college” and the perfect place to have memorable conversations with friends throughout the seasons.

On a busy Monday afternoon, our writing team scanned through Andrew Drozd’s personal statement in preparation for our upcoming interview. We shouldn’t have been so surprised by how profound it was – this blog is about extraordinary students, after all. But even more profound than Andrew’s written words were his spoken words with us that day. We hope we can do them justice.

Andrew Drozd, a fourth year neuroscience major from Broadview Heights, is currently spending his last year of college involved in almost every way imaginable. He serves as a development intern in the Office of Student Life, graduate relations chair for his fraternity Phi Gamma Delta, president of the OSU Ukrainian Club, historian of SPHINX senior class honorary, research assistant for the OSU College of Medicine and volunteer for countless student organizations.

Given his involvement, it’s truly hard to believe that Andrew has had any time at all to devote to studying for the MCAT and writing medical school applications. Andrew shared his study tip with us: the Ohio Union is a great place to go on Sundays because it is quiet and empty, so you can enjoy a solid WIFI connection almost all to yourself. Andrew has learned so much more than what can be found in a textbook, though. As a student research assistant for the Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Repair, Andrew has gained a wealth of hands-on experience studying genes in mice providing important insight for human healing and recovery.

Andrew looked back on his career at OSU thus far, relating that his story has unfolded through his fraternity, which led him to research and volunteer opportunities in medicine, along with encouragement to seek out new connections. But his time as a Buckeye almost didn’t happen, because at one time Ohio State was his very last choice. Andrew smiled widely and his eyes brightened when he recalled the tour that changed everything. Standing on the Oval in front of Thompson Library, he turned around and listened to the story of the building facades remaining the same throughout the years reflecting deep history, as he saw current students studying and enjoying the space. In that moment, Andrew realized that Ohio State was the intersection of everything he wanted his college experience to be.

Passionate, meticulous, empathetic; Andrew Drozd wants to be remembered for the way he puts others before himself and puts his words into action. In all of his roles on campus, he is most passionate about helping younger students find their own passions and encouraging them to say yes to opportunities. Saying yes led Andrew to some amazing places – including a trip to Africa with Buck-i-SERV. “I want other students to know that it’s okay to take risks. It’s really cool to look back and see the domino effect that happens when you say yes to something that may seem really crazy at first.” Life-changing friendships, meaningful involvement and interaction with every type of diversity have made Andrew’s experience here extraordinary, changing his worldview for the better and making him a citizen of the world.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, we are sharing a special #BuckeyeLove post! Get to know this year’s Homecoming Queen and her journey at The Ohio State University. We hope that you love her story and find it just as extraordinary as we do.

From Cleveland, Ohio, we would like to introduce you to Miss Lisa Combs! Majoring in Political Science and English with a minor in Leadership Studies, not only is Lisa preparing for graduation, but she is applying to graduate programs in higher education. Ultimately, Lisa would one day like to work at an institution in leadership development with students.

Lisa works both as an office assistant in the administrative suite and as an assistant for student activities. When applying to colleges four years ago, Lisa said that she applied to four schools in Washington, D.C. in hopes of becoming a lawyer, and Ohio State was her safety school. When deciding to become a Buckeye, Lisa said that the Morrill scholarship made a world of a difference. And ever since, her decision to attend Ohio State has made a huge difference in her own world as her “first taste of access.” Lisa went on to share the following: “I am really passionate about having conversations about values with students concerning self-authorship. Giving students access and understanding leadership education has become one of my passions.”

Lisa’s favorite spot on campus is the Long Walk because it is symbolic of her favorite word—love. History and tradition are the two reasons Lisa chose the Long Walk as her favorite spot on campus. Lisa’s whole vision is to make every student feel loved, because she considers herself a “new romantic who is heavy on Taylor Swift stuff!” Off campus, Lisa’s favorite spot is her house, the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority house. “That’s my home and where I spend the majority of my time.” Outside of her sorority and two jobs, Lisa is involved with many student organizations on campus. Lisa is a member of the Student Leadership Advocates (SLA) group which facilitates leadership workshops for other student organizations. Lisa was also an orientation leader and a resident advisor in Baker East residence hall, and she was a member of the Junior Class honorary, Bucket and Dipper.

Authenticity, love and vulnerability—these are three words Lisa used to describe herself. Lisa chose vulnerability because she has a “unique talent to speak with people and get them to tell their story. I think it stems from me being vulnerable because I am able to share with them—it takes so much strength to share what all you have gone through.” Lisa then began to talk about how the people here at Ohio State have made her experience truly extraordinary. At the root of it all, Lisa feels we share in the love for Ohio State (and hatred for that state up north!). Upon graduation, Lisa is looking forward to taking everything Ohio State has given her and paying it forward to the rest of world. “Sharing the love that Ohio State has given to me is something very important, because I love being a Buckeye for life.” One thing Lisa wants to be remembered for is her personal brand. “Love is the value that guides my life in everything that I do. I want people to feel loved when I was with them.”

We hope that you all loved Lisa’s story just as much as we did! Feel free to use the hashtag #BuckeyeLove in your social media conversations and share your own Buckeye Love story.

Written by Erin Lee

Fourth-year Human Development and Family Sciences major Jessica Markowitz recently interviewed with the OSU Spotlight blog team. Though her college career is coming to a close, in many ways her story with student affairs is really just beginning.

When we suggested to Jessica Markowitz that she interview with us over pizza, she was more than willing. “It doesn’t matter if I’m hungry or not, there’s always room for pizza!” she joked in an e-mail. But Jessica, who works at the Wellness Center, as a Wellness Ambassador, at the Schottenstein Center and is invested in Student Leadership Advocates had worked up an appetite by the time we sat down at Adriatico’s on 11^th Avenue.

At some point later in our conversation, she shared the following: “I want to be remembered for my positivity and radiating that feeling to others. Walking around on campus, you run into people who are stressed out or frustrated but there’s always that one person who smiles back. I want to be that person who smiles back. You can brighten up any situation just by being open and having a positive outlook.” True to her purpose, Jessica’s personality certainly brightened the dimly-lit pizza shop.

Jessica comes to Ohio State from Niles, Ohio near Youngstown. When she was in high school, she totally disregarded OSU as being too large for her to thrive. However, an unexpected visit to campus to attend a concert with a family friend left her speechless…but for the lyrics of Carmen Ohio. She looks back fondly on that first visit, when she claims she “fell in love with the campus and the spirit of Ohio State.” Now a self-proclaimed adaptable, adventurous and positive Buckeye, Jessica has set her sights on exploring beyond campus and into the city of Columbus. She loves the Short North and German Village neighborhoods, and is planning to participate in the Columbus Coffee Trail soon.

What has made Jessica’s experience here so extraordinary? Maybe that she takes the time to acknowledge how extraordinary her work in the Wellness Center has been. “It’s incredible to have so much responsibility coordinating the Wellness Ambassadors to improve the lives of my fellow students. I remember that often, especially when I talk with my friends whose jobs are less flexible, or less creative. I feel like I am doing work that really matters, and I am so grateful for that.”

Just ever-so-slightly stressed about taking the GRE and applying to graduate school to study student affairs, Jessica keeps her cool by exploring the outdoors with friends and engaging in development with her Student Leadership Advocates cohort. When we met with Jessica, she was in the midst of planning a comprehensive leadership retreat for SLA in beautiful Hocking Hills.

When asked about her mentors and role models, Jessica’s answer emphasized her passion for student life. “I’m going to turn that question on its side,” she mused. “I’m more empowered by the students around me – people who are actually my age and a part of my community. The work they do is so inspiring. I hope I can be an inspiration to them as well.”

Having never met before, Ryan Shaw and Laura Ruegsegger took a leap of faith and agreed to chat with the Office of Student Life communications team for a unique interview about their different, yet equally incredible experiences here at The Ohio State University. We hope you find each of their stories just as extraordinary as we do and are inspired by the friendly spirit of both of these Buckeyes.

Ryan Shaw and Laura Ruegsegger were kind to our communications team and agreed to interview together after a slight scheduling snafu. Almost immediately, the pair hit it off over a shared dream of leaving the Buckeye state and heading to sunny California following their respective graduations. Introducing ladies first, Laura Ruegsegger is a third-year student studying Public Health with a focus on medicine from New Philadelphia, Ohio. And graduating this May, Ryan Shaw is a fourth-year dance major from nearby Pickerington. With self-declared humble beginnings in small towns, both Ryan and Laura aspire to begin their careers across the country when their journeys here at Ohio State come to a close. Loving the “Cali vibe”, Ryan shared that he has performed on five separate occasions in the Golden State and has visited Los Angeles three times. And after receiving her bachelor’s degree, a gap year is in order for Laura, who hopes to work for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Medical school out on the West Coast would be an ideal dream for her, somewhere close enough to see her new friend Ryan dance from time to time!

Ryan and Laura both divulged numerous involvements both on and off campus. As a nanny, Laura has adjusted to balancing the hours of a family lifestyle with her campus commitments. She thoroughly enjoys her work with children and the community, so it is no surprise that Laura is a director for the student organization UNICEF and is heavily involved with Buckeye Strive and Community Commitment. Ryan is employed as a Student Philanthropy Intern for the Office of Student Life and is also heavily involved in various campus groups. As a fraternity brother of Sigma Phi Epsilon, Ryan is a friendly face everybody seems to know. Not only is he involved with Student Leadership Advocates, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Beanie Drake Fund, Vice President of Leadership for his fraternity and as a member of the Greek Programming Board for the Ohio State community.

In an interview unlike any other we have hosted thus far, these two Buckeyes had the opportunity to let us get to know them and get to know someone new themselves. Loving, authentic, outgoing—these are the words Ryan used to describe himself, while Laura declared herself a caring, busy cheese-lover. We chatted about their favorite movies, restaurants and locations on and off campus. Laura enthusiastically exclaimed that her absolute favorite restaurant is Pita Pit on High Street, while Ryan chose the hip and happening Katalina’s as his favorite spot for brunch. Ryan also shared a positive experience with the Columbus Ambassadors tour over the summer when he visited the Columbus Audubon, an urban oasis. As for on-campus locations, Laura seems to find a new favorite spot almost everywhere she goes, while Ryan’s favorite spot is a great view from the top of the Union Garage.

Ryan’s extraordinary experience in student life has been centered on the people who have touched his life. “Looking back,” Ryan reflected, “there are people at Ohio State who came before me and made a space for me, making my experiences and success here possible. I remember those older students who are now alumni, and hope I can give back in a similar way to enact change and make a difference for those who will come after me.” And looking forward, Laura reflected on her experiences that have prepared her for a future making change in the world by saving lives and impacting others with the knowledge she has gained here.

Both Ryan and Laura were enthusiastic about their experiences with diversity and acceptance on campus. “All my friends are different,” Laura declared as she explained how she has found so many people to relate to her background along with the opportunity to learn from the diverse backgrounds of others. And Ryan hopes to be remembered for the way he treats everyone who crosses his path: “I want the world to be more loved and cared for because I was a part of it.”