On Thursday September 12^th, I attended a presentation about the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. That evening’s presenter was Mr. Jacob Caponi, a 2019 graduate of the Ohio State University and the International Affairs Scholar Program. This past May (of 2019), Mr. Caponi traveled to the African nation to research the Genocide against the Tutsi, during its twenty-fifth anniversary. He first explained the history of Rwanda, particularly its history as German and then Belgian colony, and how it led to the Genocide. This was followed by the events that occurred during the three month slaughter. Finally, Mr. Caponi shared how the Genocide impacted and continues to impact the people of Rwanda. This event relates strongly to the field of International Affairs as it covered one of the most important events in the modern history of the African continent. It was also a nice review for me as it was one of the topics I studied in my International Baccalaureate Twentieth Century World History class. As such my views of the genocide and Rwanda were not really changed. An example of this is the disappointment, frustration, shame, and sadness I felt when the horrendous and sometimes murderous actions of certain members of the clergy were discussed. While I found the event to be very interesting and informative, I do not believe that this event intersected with my goals. At present, the history and politics of the African Great Lakes region are not a part of academic, professional, or personal goals. However, one never knows where life will take one, so maybe it will.

Photo of the Bell Tower of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral at Columbus Greek Orthodox Cathedral

On Friday August 30^th, 2019, I attended the Columbus Greek Festival with a contingent of several other International Affairs Scholar students. At 7:00 p.m., we rode a Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) bus to the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral to attend the festival, which counted as a social event for the International Affairs Scholar Program. While there, we afforded the opportunity to eat wonderful Greek food, including delicious Baklava, and to marvel at interior of the Cathedral and its icons of Saints, Angels, Prophets, and Christ. This was actually the third Greek festival I attended this year, the previous two being in the Greater Cleveland area. As such, my views were not really affected too much. Instead it served as a strong reminder of the how vibrant Greek culture is, the strength of preserving this culture in the Greek-American community, and beauty and sacredness of the Eastern Orthodox Church. This event relates strongly to International Affairs as it showcases the culture and traditions of one of the many world cultures. Additionally, its Orthodox elements allowed us to better understand not only the Greek people, but also many Eastern European peoples and certain communities in West Asia. In addition to attending a Greek festival, the event also provided an enjoyable bonding experience for us fellow International Affairs Scholar students. The Columbus Greek Festival was a truly wonderful experience and I believe that I will be back next year.

On Tuesday August 27^th, 2019, I attended the International Affairs Scholar Student Wellness Presentation. This event took place in Mendenhall Lab 100 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. As an International Affairs Scholar event, the presentation fell into the academic category of events. The presentation had impacted me as it changed my perception of wellness. Prior to the event and beginning college, I was aware that wellness included physical, mental, and spiritual elements. However, the Wellness Presentation stated that other categories, most notably financial, were also essential parts of overall wellness. In the case of the financial wellness, I had not considered it before, because it had not been my purview in high school, middle school, and elementary school. Overall, I personally do not feel that the presentation explicitly related to the topic of International Affairs. Rather, the event was geared to prepare us to myself and the other participants to live and study in a state of wellness at Ohio State. That being said, I believe that existing in a state of wellness will allow us to view, study, and learn about the field International Affairs in a superior manner. Additionally, I believe International Affairs are better if the people responsible are well. Finally with regards to preparing us to live and study in a state of wellness, I believe that the International Affairs Scholar Student Wellness Presentation accomplished its goal.