Reflection on the G.O.A.L.S.

1. I have developed my Global Awareness through several means so far in my undergraduate career. During my freshman and sophomore year, I was heavily involved with Ohio State’s new CARE Ambassadors program, through which I developed a keen understanding of various other cultures and honed my cross-cultural communication skills. The CARE program also allowed me to engage with other students from different cultures and participate in dialogue about our similarities and differences. I have also developed my sense of Global Awareness through a multitude of coursework relevant to my majors and minor, including coursework pertaining to international development, Russian politics, international economic relations, and Francophone culture. I will continue working toward this goal through additional coursework with international focus and completion of my French minor, as well as a possible study abroad program.
2. One experience in particular helped me understand the research process and has piqued my interest in becoming involved with my own research in the future. I worked as a research assistant for a political science professor during my freshman year, and assisted in analyzing data for a research project regarding the French political system. This position allowed me to get an inside glimpse into how research works; I learned that collaborative work and creative problem solving are often involved in a successful research project. I will continue to learn about and engage in research by considering my own research thesis in sociology later in my undergraduate career, or potentially becoming a research assistant for another project.
3. My Honors Contract demonstrates a strong commitment to Academic Enrichment through the rigorous coursework I have completed and plan to complete in my majors and minor, as well as general education. I chose my majors, political science and sociology, so that I could study a wide range of academic subjects; both areas of study offer a broad spectrum of courses that address various societal issues and phenomena through the lenses of political science and sociology. For example, I have taken and plan to take courses whose subject matter involves international studies, economics, statistics, philosophy, education, public health, and gender studies—all of which fall under my major coursework. This helps in my pursuit of Academic Enrichment by allowing me to become well educated in a wide variety of subjects. In addition, I have selected challenging courses to satisfy all my requirements—major, minor, and general education.
4. I am involved with a number of extracurricular activities that have allowed me to foster my personal leadership skills. Most notably, I am involved in Undergraduate Student Government and Delta Delta Delta sorority. My involvement with USG has allowed me to experience leadership positions in various different settings and contexts. For example, I have been a student representative in USG’s General Assembly, which allowed me to experience a legislative-type leadership. I have also been a deputy-director of my committee, which allowed me to experience a more hands-on type of leadership with a group of individuals. Through my sorority involvement, I currently hold the position of Vice President of Administration. Responsibilities of this position include overseeing our collegiate chapter officers, planning and running our Officers’ Council meetings, facilitating communication of updates throughout the entire chapter, and holding our officers accountable. This position has given me invaluable leadership experience and has allowed me to gain a confidence in leadership I never saw in myself before. These involvements have contributed to my development as a leader by helping me develop and improve my leadership style and skills, as well as instilling an important desire to empower others through my leadership rather than focusing solely on completion of group goals. Developing these leadership skills have helped me understand how I could one day be a leader in the workplace and effectively empower those around me to come together to achieve goals, specifically in the realm of policymaking, research, and advocacy.
5. I have been involved in various service commitments, some through my other involvements. Through my involvement with Delta Delta Delta, I have been involved in various service events to fundraise for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, including volunteering at the annual St. Jude Walk/Run and participating in philanthropy fundraising events through the sorority. I have also been involved with volunteer work at the Mid-Ohio Food Bank, where I have worked as a shop-thru volunteer, helping families in need select free food items. I plan to engage with the community through the rest of my undergraduate career by continuing my involvement with Delta Delta Delta service events, as well as participating in new service opportunities through Ohio State’s Office of Social Change.