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Summary of Mentorship Experience- Leadership Development

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Although the year and our time in the ACES mentorship program was abruptly cut short, I still enjoyed the time I had to develop my leadership skills and pass on the spirit of ACES to the next class of scholars. My mentee for the 2019-2020 school year was Emilie Robb. Emilie is a first year Math Education major and has completed her first year at Ohio State, with an added twist that no one could have predicted. The pandemic has altered everyone’s lives and forced us to grow in many new ways. Emilie and I are both passionate about education and teaching in underserved areas. Where we differ in our professional goals is Emilie would like to work in a high school setting, while I am passionate about working with students in middle or upper elementary school. Emilie and I are both drawn to service which is why we were both drawn to ACES. We both appreciate the service opportunities that ACES provides and are grateful for the advocacy education we have received that will help us in our careers.

Emilie’s first and second semesters of college differed greatly from one another. The covid pandemic, which forced the university to shut down, send students home, and convert classes to an online format, provided many challenges for everyone. The academic challenges of this new format was an area where Emilie was able to grow this year. Emilie feels that she was able to take the frustrations of the online classes and the shift that it was, to increase her own advocacy and study habits to be successful throughout the end of the semester. The start of college, which requires growth of a student in and of itself is now matched with the pandemic remote learning that pushes a student to new limits. We should be proud of our growth and adaptability in these trying times.

Another way that Emilie was able to grow this year is in her social community. Coming to college as a freshman is a daunting time, especially in terms of finding friends and finding where to participate in the social spheres. A goal that Emilie had at the beginning of this year was to meet new people who share her passion for education and participate in the Buckeye community. Despite the barrier that the pandemic has placed on meeting and socializing, Emilie is satisfied with the group of friends that she has met and is excited and optimistic about continuing to meet new people through the ACES community.

For me, I grew in the areas of communication and advocacy through the course of the mentorship program. Communication was not my strongest skill before, but working with another student and being a resource for them with questions and concerns, has allowed me to become more consistent and direct with my communication. This is a leadership skill that will be helpful to me in my professional career as a special educator which requires communication among many people for the success of the students. Often, I will be a resource for these people and will need to communicate effectively and efficiently with coworkers and parents.

This experience has also allowed me to grow as an advocate. Although Emilie is a strong advocate for herself already, my role as her mentor was to provide insight and information for her during the crazy first year of college. This allowed me to grow as an advocate for her and for myself. I have been working on my ability to ask for help and clarification from people and to include myself in the loop. This experience allowed me to practice this skill even more. This is another skill that will be useful to me as a professional where my job is to advocate for students and teachers on a daily basis.

Emilie is a great student, person, and friend, she is a very persistent person which helps her to be successful in her educational career. I tried my best to offer assistance in helping her be comfortable in ACES, Ohio State, and the Smith-Steeb community, as well as offer advice on classes that she would be taking for her major, and socializing as a first year student. I really enjoyed talking about education classes that we both would be/ have taken. Specifically, I was a resource on the FEEP class that Emilie completed during the spring semester. I also enjoyed sitting with her at community meetings, participating in events with her, and just saying hi to her in the hallways of the dorm.

The mentorship program was a great experience for me as a mentor and as a mentee. The program offers a safe way to reach out and have questions answered as a freshman in the Buckeye community. It also allowed me to grow as a mentor and practice skills and responsibilities that will be useful as a professional. The mentorship program is also a great way to make connections and begin to build bonds as an ACE scholar.

This was a great experience!

Second Semester Mentee Interview

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With the changed circumstances and stressful times, the second semester interview looked a little different for Emilee and me this semester. We did not have the opportunity to meet in person before the mandatory move out so we had to rely on virtual communication. None-the-less, I am happy to have had the opportunity to catch up with her and check-in during the coronavirus craziness.

Academics

Emilee is still really enjoying her major, despite any challenges she has encountered. Some of her math classes have been a little challenging, but she has done well and enjoys what she is learning. The classes that are the most challenging are the calculus classes because of the extent of the material she is learning. An extra barrier was added with remote learning that made understanding some of the material even harder. Emilee has continued to do her best, however, and make the most of the situation. Something that was a little disappointing during spring semester was her FEEP experience; something she was really looking forward to. It was a little unorganized and was not aided by the semester being cut short, but it was a valuable experience none-the-less.

Involvement

Since coming to OSU, Emilee has really gotten involved in different service activities around campus. She has also taken advantage of the many involvement opportunities hosted by Smith- Steeb. Unfortunately, all of these activities have been postponed or cancelled since not living on campus and having the semester cut short. Next year, Emilee plans to get involved in more things and branch out on campus. Since she is more comfortable with her college life and living on campus. Her approach to her first two semesters was very cautious with extra activities because of her work load. She didn’t want to be too overwhelmed, but next year she plans to get involved in more activities.

ACES

Emilee had a great first year in ACES. The community aspect of living together with other aces and just being involved with people with similar interests as you is what she liked most. She says she has made many friends in ACES that she plans to stay friends with. She also really enjoys getting to know people that share her love of education as well. She said that her least favorite aspect of ACES was the community meetings because they sometimes seemed to not have much of a use. Another important aspect of ACES is the living community within Smith-Steeb. Emilee says that this was a great experience and the dorm was great. She enjoyed the people that lived there and had an overall good experience.

Career

The major field placement this year was FEEP where students spend significant time in classrooms similar to where they might want to teach. Emilee had this experience during her second semester, although it was cut short. Emilee was in a school with-in the South Western City School district. The experience was a little stressful and frustrating due to the unorganized feel, but was a valuable experience. She really enjoyed working with the teacher she was placed with because she had an attitude about teaching that was admirable. The entire experience just solidified Emilee’s choice to be a teacher.

Miscellaneous

Overall, Emilee’s first year at OSU and as an ACE scholar has been good. Her favorite memory from the past year is just meeting all of her friends and hanging out with them at football games, in the dorms, or different places around campus. With the changed situations and the added stress, it is important to be aware of how you are feeling and to have methods of self care. To destress, Emilee has been going on walks at home with her dogs and just staying in contact with friends from school. In the coming year, Emilee’s goals are to become more involved on campus and to continue to strive for good grades in all of her classes.

Autumn Semester Explore Columbus

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For our fall Explore Columbus, Emilee and I decided to go to Jeni’s Ice cream in the short north. Emilee and I had both never had it, so we decided to give it a try. We went on a Sunday morning and I mapped out the route on the COTA bus. Everything seemed to be going as planned; we got on the bus and started towards the short north when the bus driver announced that the bus would be bypassing the section of high street we needed to access due to a marathon being held near by. This threw a wrench in our plans and forced us  to get off the bus and walk the rest of the way. This could have been viewed as a problem, but the walk presented a great opportunity to get to know one another when faced with this unexpected problem. The weather was beautiful and I used the opportunity to get to know my mentee and ask her some of the interview questions from the beginning of the semester interview.

We picked a great day to go on our outing because, although there was an inconvenient marathon going on, there was also a dog costume parade that had just ended. The short north was filled with dogs dressed in Halloween costumes. All of these dogs made the walk even better and made the trek more enjoyable. The only trying part of the experience was making sure I knew where I was going, but once I figured that out, the trip was an enjoyable experience.

When we got to the establishment, it took us each a while to figure out what to order because the flavors were so unique. But once we decided, we sat down at the high table near the window to finish our interview questions and eat the ice cream. I learned a lot about Emilee and why she chose to come to Ohio State and become an educator. She seemed to be very confident and excited about the beginning of the semester and I enjoyed hearing about how she was beginning to find her way around. She was interested in my experience with the FEEP class because she would be taking the class next semester. I was happy to share my experience with my placement and we bonded over this.

After we finished the ice cream we had to get back to campus, however there were no buses due to the road closures. We decided to just walk the straight shot back to campus and got to continue our discussion. On this walk, I got to see all of the different establishments that Columbus has right down the road from campus. There were a number of interesting restaurants and shops that I would like to check out sometime. Without this unexpected snafu, I may not have noticed these places. Also, we noticed the many different architectures of the buildings of Columbus. Walking down the street we saw how different the buildings looked from one another and which areas of high street were renovated and which were not. This interesting tid-bit was also made known to us on our walk back to campus.

When we finally got back to Smith-Steeb, we had learned a lot about one another and had a fun afternoon trying something new. I am sad to say that I myself do not care for Jeni’s Ice Cream, however Emilee said that she did. Therefore, I personally would not recommend going to Jeni’s Ice Cream for an explore Columbus trip, but the type of experience was very enjoyable and proved to be a great way to get to know my mentee and the area around campus. I would recommend getting food or dessert at a place close to campus as a good way to explore Columbus.

Mentorship Interview- Emilee Robb

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Emilee Robb is a first year Math Education Major in the ACES program. I had the opportunity to sit down with her to learn about her first few months as a Buckeye.

Academics

In high school, Emilee had a lot of opportunities to tutor kids, particularly in math, and she discovered that she has a proclivity for math education. High school math is the area she is most interested in and she hopes to have a FEEP placement in that kind of school setting next semester. Although most of her current classes have not been too difficult, something that has been a little difficult to get used to is understanding all of her professors whose first language is not English.

Involvement

On campus, Emilee stays busy with ACES and various activities around campus with her friends. Classes and homework also take up a lot of her time, and she frequently volunteers at the ACES food pantry for service hours. Emilee also enjoys volunteering in her hometown when she has the time.

ACES

Emilee was drawn to ACES partially because of the education aspect. She felt that she could learn a lot about her intended major and get to know fellow education majors. Also, she was drawn to the service aspect of ACES. In high school, Emilee participated in service regularly for clubs such as National Honors Society, as well as for her own gratification. Emilee wanted to continue this service in college and gain experience working in different capacities and with different populations. Emilee has enjoyed her experience thus far and is well on her way to completing her service goal. The scholars survey class has been very informative, but a relaxing class that Emilee looks forward to. ACES seems to be a great fit for Emilee.

Career

After graduation, Emilee plans to work in an under-served rural school district, similar to the district she grew up in. She really likes the small town atmosphere of the school she grew up in and is also a member of grant program that will help pay for her school loans in return for her services in these school districts. High school is where Emilee feels most drawn to in terms of the population she wants to teach.

Miscellaneous

So far, Emilee has found a good balance between her commitments. She says that she has adjusted well and has found some of spots on campus that have become “hers.” Something that has surprised her about OSU is how small it actually seems once she got used to it. The campus is big and there are a lot of people, but the school doesn’t seem so big after a few weeks. Emilee has also been introduced to new cultures that she hadn’t previously experienced.

Global Awareness- special education

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Something that I have always valued, and a reason that I chose to become an ACE Scholar, is the unique qualities of every individual. I enjoy learning about the characteristics of an individual that make them special and encourage individuality in everything that I do. I am very passionate about the field of special education and my appreciation for differences, I think, fuel my desire to work in this field. Life, especially the school aged years, can be challenging and filled with unique obstacles to each individual. I am incredibly passionate about doing what I can to help youth overcome those obstacles and be the best versions of themselves. Differences should be celebrated, and in my opinion, differences are what make a community successful. Strength comes from individual battles, and I am unbelievably excited to begin a career where I get to work with some of the strongest children and be able to bring positivity and encouragement to the diverse characteristics of my students.

Original Inquiry-FEEP

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Part of being and Honors and Scholars student is engaging in the GOALS of Honors and Scholars. An important goal that I am excited to explore is original inquiry. To me, original inquiry involves learning and gaining meaningful experience both inside and outside the classroom. As an education major, using what I have learned within the college classroom and extending it to my own classroom one day is always the ultimate goal. Any opportunity for engagement with students and the ability to practice what I have learned in an actual classroom is always a valuable experience. In the near future, I will have the opportunity to participate in FEEP (First Education Experience Program); one of my first opportunities to participate in an actual classroom. From FEEP, I am hoping to experience, from a teacher’s perspective, a special education classroom and develop myself in the early stages of teaching. Throughout the program I hope to become more confident as a teacher as well as learn from the teachers I am working with. I am incredibly excited to begin my journey of teaching and hope to continue to strive towards positive change in my career.

The Mid-Ohio Foodbank

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An experience within ACES that has been very meaningful to me is the service trip to the Mid-Ohio Food-bank. On a crisp Saturday morning myself and a handful of other ACES got out of bed incredibly early, boarded a bus, and made our way to Grove City Ohio to the Mid-Ohio Food-bank. I have had previous experience working with the food-bank and my heart is filled more and more each time I go. The service provides for hundreds of thousands individuals each year. The amount of families that are served on a daily basis is astonishing and heart warming. I admire the work of volunteers and employees of the Mid-Ohio Food-bank and appreciate the incredible power they have to create positive social change. My most recent experience with the food-bank on the service trip with ACES was a little different from my previous volunteer experience there. This time, the amount of food that the establishment is equipped with to feed hungry people in the city was put into perspective for me. On this Saturday morning, the ACES team was working in the warehouse, an area of the building I was pretty unfamiliar with. We were tasked with sorting boxes of fruits and vegetables to be given away in the store. As a team, ACES sorted between 4 and 5 palates of fruits and vegetables, each well over 6 feet high. It took over a dozen people almost 4 hours of sorting and in that time, the majority of the food we could sort was being taken by customers of the pantry almost as fast as we could wheel it out. We can learn about poverty in a community like Columbus and see statistics and percentages, but the point cannot be made clearer than when you witness the misfortune firsthand. This is the kind of positive effect I wish to have on the world and am grateful to have had the opportunity to be apart of the solution.

Year in Review

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[ “Year in Review”  is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student.  You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

G.O.A.L.S.

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[ “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 guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. 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.]