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Year in Review
Freshman Year:
This summer has provided no shortage of “how was your first year of college”-esque questions from relatives, neighbors, and people I’ve never even met that happen to know my parents. As this question is raised, I reflect back on the extreme ups and downs that this past school year has provided and what I’ve learned moving forward. I didn’t necessarily hold any preconceived notions about how my college experience would be, and thus finished the year with mixed emotions as to what I achieved or did not. Overall, I would consider the year a personal success. Although first semester was a rocky start academically, I was able to pull my GPA up by almost an entire point for the second semester, and aim to keep rising from here.
As I move into my sophomore year I have set specific goals for myself for my grades and my involvement around campus. I will be a research assistant in the Fall under a graduate student in the Department of Sociology, and am now waiting to hear back about being a mentor for children in the inner city of Columbus. Although these two anecdotes may seem small, especially to some scholars students, I struggled to take advantage of the plethora of opportunities available to me within the past year. In high school I was always extremely involved in various organizations and clubs and now that I have the whole college thing figured out a little better, I am excited to get involved and meet more people.
Currently I can’t put my finger on a single transformational experience, however the friends I became close with at the start of second semester are all extremely motivated people and I have found that makes an immense difference in my own motivation. My friends at school and I all have different interests and goals for our future but being able to find people that are such positive catalysts in my effort to be a better student is something I am extremely grateful for.
G.O.A.L.S.
[ “G.O.A.L.S.” is a place where students write about how their planned, current, and future activities may fit into the Honors & Scholars G.O.A.L.S.: Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement. For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.
Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences. For example, consider course work, study abroad, involvement in cultural organizations or activities, etc .
Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community. For example, consider research, creative productions or performances, advanced course work, etc.
Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom.
Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society.
Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community.]
Career
[“Career” is where you can collect information about your experiences and skills that will apply to your future career. Like your resume, this is information that will evolve over time and should be continually updated. For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]
Artifacts
Artifact #2
GEOG3900 Final Paper and Presentation
My second artifact that I feel compelled to share on my ePortfolio is this image of my final group presentation for my Global Climate Change class this past semester. I wrote an individual final paper on the same topic of Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage technology and the experience of writing that paper and learning about the topic was a very pivotal moment in my educational career. I have never particularly enjoyed science classes nor have I ever performed too well in them, however this course taught me about so much technology and data I never knew existed. I ended up receiving an A in the course which was a big milestone for me after an academically rough first semester, and received an almost perfect score on the final paper I wrote myself.
This artifact represents the benefits that can reap when one perseveres and attempts something they are not completely comfortable with. I could now talk for hours about how CCS technology works, and how big of a role it is set to play in global climate change efforts if the government and private sectors invest in the establishment of more commercially viable plants across the world. I surprised myself when I ignited that very conversation with my father and realized how excited I was to explain the technology and share my own ideas on its development. In addition to discovering a new interest I did not expect, I improved my skills in academic writing, group work and organization, and scholarly research. I recognize my project and paper on Carbon Capture and Storage as one of my most pivotal academic experiences in college thus far, and I’m excited to see what new interests I can discover in years to come.
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Artifact #1
Buckeye Kickoff
An artifact that I feel is truly representative of my Buckeye experience thus far is this image from the Buckeye kickoff during Welcome Week this year. At Buckeye kickoff, members of the freshman class filtered into the Ohio Stadium to hear school professionals, athletes, and student organizations talk about OSU pride. In addition to hearing about events coming to campus, our class got to learn some classic OSU cheers and songs, as well as seeing the Best Damn Band in the Land form the script ‘Ohio’. Coming to this school from out of state, this experience really opened my eyes to how lucky I am to go to a school with so much pride. The kickoff above all other Welcome Week activities really allowed me to feel like a part of this new community, and further emgrained being an Ohio State student into my identity.
I attended this event with friends that grew up in Columbus their entire life, and being able to see how they already knew all of the fun facts and cheers demonstrated just how deep the love for the school runs. Throughout the entirety of the Buckeye kickoff, I kept looking around and being so thankful for the fact that I had an opportunity to come to a school that cares so much about its current students and its past history/traditions. Although there are plenty more artifacts I plan to add to this section, I found it most fitting to start the thread with an image that represents the start of my journey and experience as an Ohio State Buckeye.
About Me
Abigail Werner is a first-year Scholars student from Clarksville, Maryland currently pursuing a business degree specializing in both International Business and Marketing with a possible minor in Spanish language. Abigail is very fascinated with global development and is interested in possibly pursuing a career in government or international law. She has taken many opportunities to travel abroad for service, language study, and pleasure and her passion for travel and experiencing new cultures has led her to want a career in the world of foreign affairs and business. In addition to her international interests, Abigail is also interested in the realms of sports management and sports law and may seek a double major in Sport Industry within the next year.
In her free time, Abigail is an active member of the Best Buddies club on campus, which is a nonprofit organization that works to create opportunities and relationships for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She also loves attending concerts, going to sporting events, spending time with her friends, and trying new food places around Columbus.
