G.O.A.L.S.

The University Honors & Scholars Center at The Ohio State University serves high-ability, motivated undergraduate students. While embracing diversity in both ideas and people, the Center fosters purposeful learning communities that enhance students’ academic and social experiences. The Center facilitates impactful, rigorous, and unique opportunities that further student success and involvement in our G.O.A.L.S.: Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement.

G.O.A.L.S.

In May 2019 I will be interning at the Canadian Parliament with a group of students from Ohio State University. My experience at the Canadian Parliament aligns with all of the five components of G. O. A. L. S. This alignment will positively impact my contributions to my International Affairs Scholars group and to my job at the Honors and Scholars House. I will be better equipped to share how I relate to and am personally involved in fulfilling the G. O. A. L. S. that are the center of the Scholars programs. My internship aligns with the global awareness component because I will be studying how a foreign government operates. I will be able to compare and contrast their politics with ours, learn about their most urgent issues, and experience the unique relationship between the English speaking and the French speaking Canadians. I have even been informed that there is a good possibility I will get to meet the prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau.

My experience interning at the Canadian Parliament also aligns with the original inquiry component. To decide which member of parliament I will intern for one of my program directors, James Baker, evaluates our political ideals through our applications. He then paired me with a parliament member he believed fit me best, Joyce Murray. In my sample writing pieces for the application I included a paper I wrote discussing the role of women in politics in 2016 and another where I talked about my ambition to fight inequality in all forms. Baker saw where mine and Murray’s interests overlapped. For example: she is the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Digital Government and I am interested in digital law enforcement like the legal consequences to the Russian interference in the recent United States presidential election. By working with Murray I will be able to learn about this topic in depth and engage in research. In other words, I will be able to take a personal inquiry and study how it is addressed in a foreign government.

My study abroad experience aligns with the academic enrichment component by giving me the opportunity to apply what I am learning at Ohio State University. I am majoring in International Studies so I am taking courses about foreign governments and how they work. I am also on the pre-law track so I am taking classes about legislation. When I am interning at the Canadian Parliament I will be gaining experience in both topics, foreign governments and legislation.

Another component my trip will address is leadership development. It will address leadership development through my participation in independent work and team projects. I will need to confidently complete tasks on my own and problem solve as various situations arise. I will also need to take charge in group tasks when they center around issues relating to my Parliament member. By the end of my internship I will have strengthened my ability to be a leader in a professional environment.

Finally, this study abroad experience will require service engagement. I will be committed to assisting my Parliament member on addressing the issues she has been compelled to work on. She is compelled by personal motives and what is important to her constituents. Canadians have decided Joyce Murray should devote some of her legislative power to digital government. Digital government is one of many social issues that I will get to address during my internship.