About Me

[Your “About Me” is a brief biographical statement that might include your intended major, your academic interests, your goals, as well as the things that make you unique.  Definitely include a picture! Also, remember that you can always update this post at any point. 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.]

Year in Review

As I reflect on my college career thus far, my sophomore year has proven to be incredibly transformative for my personal and career growth. In terms of global awareness, I have become more knowledgeable of my own culture by attending events hosted by ISA (Indian Students Association). I attended a Diwali event, which is a major festival in India, and learned a lot more about the historical aspect behind the occasion in addition to meeting fellow Indian-American students. Also, my coursework has been a great outlet to learning about cultures other than my own. My linguistics class opened my eyes to how much language contributes to a culture as well as various traditions conducted around the world. I plan on progressing my global awareness through my coursework for subsequent semesters, such as my Holocaust film analysis class for this semester.

Original inquiry has also been a major part of this past year. I was able to work in a research laboratory for the first time, which I was very excited for. I reached out to Dr. Harald Vaessin, who is a research professor in the Molecular Genetics Department at OSU. He oversees his laboratory with undergraduate assistants. I was fortunate enough to learn several important laboratory techniques from him as well as start my own research project. I am fascinated by the research process, and I look forward to continuing this project. I also am working with Dr. Brian Foster this semester, who is a dental researcher. I will be working on a project with him and getting more involved in my specific career field this year.

I believe my coursework choices have allowed me to have an in-depth understanding of my biology major as well as broaden my academic scope to other subjects as well. Courses such as organic chemistry have allowed me to develop the knowledge I will need for dental school. I also took Biology 3401 involving vector-borne diseases, which exposed me to an aspect of biology that I was not previously aware of. My class choices outside of my major such as Engineering for Community Development in Ohio and Holocaust in Film contrast highly to my career field. I am grateful for these classes because they allow me to be a well-rounded student. I can explore topics that are still important to my personal growth, even if they are not necessarily crucial for building my career path.

Sophomore year was a major step for me in terms of leadership development. I became Director of Philanthropy for Humanity First, which is a service-based student organization I have been a part of since freshman year. For the first time, I was given a significant amount of responsibility in a major aspect of the club. I took it upon myself to successfully plan fundraising events and communicate effectively with other team members. At the end of the year, I was given the role of President, and my leadership skills developed throughout the year have helped me quite a bit while I manage this more advanced position.

My service engagement has been mostly through Humanity First. I volunteered at a local food pantry, made meals for a homeless shelter, and even served a meal at the Dream Center in Columbus. These opportunities are always very fulfilling and I hope to continue these activities in the future. Because of the pandemic, we are expanding our volunteering to virtual outlets. For example, we are getting involved with a project founded to virtually connect undergraduate college students to children in need because of the switch to online learning.

Overall, my sophomore year has been very enriching both academically and virtually. I am very grateful for the opportunities presented to me throughout the year, and I hope to make my junior year equally as successful.

G.O.A.L.S.

Global Awareness: I plan on studying abroad during a summer throughout my time as an OSU student. I also attend various cultural events through the Indian Student Association(ISA) and Indian American Association(IAA).

Original Inquiry: Getting involved in undergraduate research during my sophomore year is important to me. In my Biology 1114H class, I have already been exposed to research during lab as we worked with endophytes over multiple weeks.

Academic Enrichment: I plan on visiting the Writing Center when I need to write a paper in order to develop my writing skills. Also, I attend office hours if I need a concept to be clarified.

Leadership Development: I joined a club called Humanity First at the beginning of the semester. I plan on applying to be on the executive board in future years. I plan on applying for OUAB next year.

Service Engagement: The club Humanity First offers several volunteering opportunities including basketball tournament fundraisers, making blankets for chemo patients, and tree planting. I plan on joining more volunteering clubs in future years.

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 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.]

Artifacts

[Artifacts are the items you consider to be representative of your academic interests and achievements. For each entry, include both an artifact and a detailed annotation.  An annotation includes both a description of the artifact and a reflection on why it is important to you, what you learned, and what it means for your next steps.  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.]