Striving to become a better leader is important to me because I believe that leadership is a critical skill, necessary to make an impact on the world. In college, I have seen great growth in this crucial area of my life. First, working to advocate on behalf of the student body has become one of my biggest passions. After running for Sophomore Class Senator in Student Government my freshman year, I was elected to serve on my University’s Planning Committee. Following this experience, I have only worked to become even more involved. I now serve on the Executive Committee of Student Government as one of two Student Trustees on the Otterbein Board of Trustees. In my role on the Board, I work to effectively represent the entire student body in the Board room. As a member of the Board’s Enrollment and Advancement Committee, I also participate in conversations surrounding many different facets of the student experience. Aside from advocacy, I am extremely passionate about community service too. As a freshman, I was nominated to become a Cardinal Corps Leader. In this role, I work with other students and the Center for Community Engagement to plan, host, and participate in service events for my community. Through this experience, I have obtained the Bronze Presidential Volunteer Service Award for two years and the Silver Presidential Volunteer Service Award this year for obtaining over 215 service hours. In my sophomore year, I served as the Public Relations Chair for the Cardinal Corps Leader, before being elected to serve as the Vice President in my junior year, and have been nominated for President my senior year. I also have co-led Raise Your Voice since my freshman year, an organization working with voter registration and education. Leading up to the 2020 Election, I worked closely with a campus team of faculty, staff, and students to increase voting rates and make voting more accessible. Raise Your Voice has accomplished a wide array of goals; from passing a Voting Accessibility Resolution through Student Government and a Mission and Values Voting Recommendations in Senate, to increasing voting rates by over 12% from the 2016 to 2020 elections and being named one of America’s Best Colleges for Student Voting in 2021. After becoming a Campus Election Engagement Project fellow my freshman year, I became a fellow for the Campus Vote Project my sophomore year to connect Raise Your Voice to a national network of support. It is through connections and support from these fellowships that I was able to co-found and lead the Ohio Coalition of Student Voters this year. This coalition aims to address voting issues facing college students at the state level. Ultimately, by striving to take advantage of every opportunity and pushing myself out of my comfort zone, I have been able to become a better leader. I have worked harder than ever to improve my leadership abilities as a college student and I will continue to do so in both my educational and professional careers moving forward.

My name is Hannah Sturgeon and I am a junior undergraduate student at Otterbein University. I am currently working to attain a Bachelor of Arts degree with three majors in Environmental Science, Sustainability Studies, and Political Science and minors in Legal Studies and Earth Science. On campus, I am involved in several organizations, as I have found that by striving to become more involved I can get the most out of my college experience. Previously I have served as the Sophomore Class Senator in Student Government, Community Service Chair for the Alpha Lambda Delta and Phi Eta Sigma joint National Honors Societies, and Public Relations Chair for the Cardinal Corps Leaders. I am currently serving as Vice President for the Cardinal Corps, leader of Raise Your Voice, and Student Trustee on the Otterbein Board of Trustees. My college experience has helped me find my passions and become a stronger student and leader within my community. Some of the biggest influences in my life have come in the form of educators throughout each stage of my student experience. One of the most pivotal figures in my childhood was my Gifted Language Arts teacher, Mrs. Giovannelli. Although our class was focused on English, in the years between fourth and sixth grade she quickly cultivated my love for many things, including science. It was on a research boat during a class trip to Ohio State’s Stone Laboratory where I found my first job aspiration, marine biology. A teacher unlike any that I had ever had before, Mrs. Giovannelli challenged me while instilling a passion for learning that has made me the student I am today. Several years later, I was one of two juniors in my high school AP Environmental Science class. Now it was Mr. Reding who was showing me the difference that one individual can make in the world, just by having enough love and motivation for their work. From his very first lecture, I was hooked. After picking up an independent study with him my senior year, I spent the rest of my high school career in awe of his passion and dedication for teaching and the environment. It was from his class that I found my specific STEM concentration and future college major, Environmental Science. Now, nearing one of the last chapters of my formal education, it is my current college advisor and professor that is teaching me more than ever and providing numerous invaluable experiences along the way. Every semester I have found myself in Dr. Svitana’s office; asking questions, working through problems, or talking about my future. It was from his encouragement that I added a third major, Sustainability Studies, last year. Not only that, but Dr. Svitana has been my mentor while conducting student research and has helped set me up with connections that have provided me job and internship opportunities. Both in and out of the classroom, Dr. Svitana works hard for his students, ensuring that we are in the best place to achieve our dreams. Although all of my family and friends have certainly been monumental influences in my life as well, no one has had a larger impact on my career aspirations than my teachers. From Mrs. Giovannelli teaching me to love learning, to Mr. Reding helping me find what motivates me, to Dr. Svitana fostering my career aspirations; it is because of them that I have been able to truly find my passion and drive in life. The love for learning that my educators have instilled in me throughout the years is something that will forever impact me as a lifelong learner.

First, I must acknowledge that I am acutely aware the adversity I have faced in my life has been far from the hardship that many others have had to experience, both in my community and the world surrounding me. I recognize that I am very fortunate not to have experienced any major afflictions yet in my life. That being said, the time where I had to overcome the most adversity was during my college decision process. As an extremely motivated hard worker, when I had my sights set on a specific college just out of reach, I did everything that I could to try and ensure my acceptance. I met with financial aid counselors, admissions advisors, and current students, but when the day came I was waitlisted at the college of my dreams. After being waitlisted, I had to transition to make a new decision about what my future was going to hold. Although at the time I felt extremely discouraged, I am now grateful for the outcome of my setback because it allowed me to have the college experience that I am having today. This minor adversity I faced showed me the strength of my network of support that I will forever be grateful for. Choosing my college home has taught me numerous lessons, first I have learned how to take my feelings of remorse and resentment and turn them into positive motivators for my future. But most importantly, throughout my whole college application process and my journey now as a college student, I have seen firsthand the importance of my support network in my life. One of the most prominent individuals in my college journey has been Melissa Gilbert. Melissa was the manager of my childhood swim team that I participated in for 15 years. After having a difficult time with my college application process, Melissa recognized me in a time of need and gave me the support and encouragement necessary to find my worth and value again. From her advice, I took a visit to Otterbein University, where I met my future professor and advisor. After applying and getting accepted, Melissa has continued to be an avenue of support and a feeling of home for me while away at college. With a role as the Director of the Center for Community Engagement at Otterbein, she has encouraged me to take on various new positions and experiences out of my comfort zone, all while instilling in me values of community engagement. Had I not ended up at Otterbein, I would have never been able to experience the many unique opportunities that I have taken advantage of during my time as an undergraduate student. My college experience has helped me find my passions as well as become a stronger student and leader within my community. I am now on track to graduate a semester early with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in three majors: Environmental Science, Sustainability Studies, and Political Science, with minors in Legal Studies and Earth Science. I plan to further my studies by either going to graduate school to obtain a Master's Degree in Environmental Policy or by going to law school to receive my Juris Doctor while specializing in Environmental Law. My career goal is to be able to work between corporations, the community, and the government in order to help find, develop, and implement better ways to use, store, and obtain resources. By combining my interest in science and policy with my love for philanthropy and the environment, I hope to truly be able to make an impact in our world for the better.

Growing up in the village of Granville, Ohio has deeply shaped my character and the person I am becoming today. Having parents from the small town of Upper Sandusky, Ohio, my family has always found value in community and the support that can be found in others. Living in Granville, throughout my years of education before college I knew everyone in my grade and the classes surrounding me. One of my high school graduation speakers even referred to our town as a ‘bubble’ that we were preparing to leave. This bubble provided me with one of the most unforgettable childhoods, full of people I will never forget. One of these individuals, Melissa Gilbert, was the manager of my childhood swim team that I participated in for 15 years. If it was not for her and her support, I would quite literally not be where I am today. After having a difficult time with my college application process, Melissa recognized me in a time of need and gave me the support and encouragement necessary to find my worth and value again. From her advice, I took a visit to Otterbein University, where I met my future professor and advisor. After applying and getting accepted, Melissa has continued to be an avenue of support and a feeling of home for me while away at college. With a role as the Director of the Center for Community Engagement at Otterbein, she has encouraged me to take on various new positions and experiences out of my comfort zone, all while instilling in me values of community engagement. Community service is a crucial component of my life and a factor that I look forward to keeping as a top priority in my future. As a college student, I have begun working to give back to the communities that have supported me through advocacy and community service. In terms of advocacy, I have worked as a leader of Raise Your Voice for three years, helping to facilitate conversations surrounding the voting atmosphere for college students on my campus and across the state. I have also been involved in Student Government, first as Sophomore Class Senator and now on the Executive Board as one of two Student Trustees for the Otterbein Board. These opportunities allow me to function as an advocate for students in my campus community of Westerville, Ohio. In terms of community service, I have obtained over 100 service hours every year as a college student. During my freshman year, I was invited to join the Cardinal Corps, a team of students who organize and run all of the service opportunities on campus. For three years I have worked with this group, first as Public Relations Chair and now as Vice President. Last year I also served on the Executive Board of the Alpha Lambda Delta and Phi Eta Sigma joint national honors societies as the Community Service Chair. Throughout my community service experiences, both prior to and during my time as a college student, I have seen how my surrounding community can be affected in a positive light. Seeing and hearing firsthand from both groups and individuals that have been positively affected as a result of the service opportunities and groups that I have taken part in, motivates me to continue working even harder for the communities that have done so much to support me. I have always found service to be an extremely important aspect of my life and it has continued to become one of the most rewarding components of both my college experience and my life as a whole.

My biggest goal for my professional career is to fulfill my desire to have a positive impact on the environment through work in environmental policy. My plans for academic study currently consist of graduating from Otterbein University with three Bachelor of Arts degrees a semester early this December. As an undergraduate student, I am a triple major in Environmental Science, Political Science, and Sustainability Studies with a double minor in Legal Studies and Earth Science. Prior to graduation, my first step in furthering my career has been to apply for the Ohio Legislative Service Commission fellowship in December of 2022. In this role, I would work as an aid for State Representatives in either the Democratic or Republican Caucasus of the Ohio House or Senate. Following this experience, should I receive the opportunity, I plan to continue to further my education by either going to graduate school in order to obtain a Master’s in Environmental Policy or Public Administration, or by going to law school to specialize in Environmental Law. Ultimately, I am most interested in using my education to become either an Environmental Lobbyist, an Environmental Policy Analyst, or an Environmental Lawyer. My dream in the field of STEM is to be able to work between corporations, the community, and the government in order to help find, implement, and develop better ways to use, store, and obtain resources. I have worked hard to be able to afford my education, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to be able to apply for scholarships like this. I will finish classes a semester early this year as a triple major and double minor solely to avoid the cost of tuition for even just one more semester. My education is very important to me, yet being able to afford it is even more crucial. Receiving a scholarship like this will help me to achieve my professional and educational goals by providing me with the support I need in order to afford and continue my education. I, along with many others like me, have accumulated a substantial amount of debt. In order to continue to learn and work to achieve my goals, I need the assistance of scholarships and grants to continue my education. Though it is my goal to eventually obtain either my Master’s or a Juris Doctorate, it is financially impossible for me to do so without first recovering from the debt of my undergraduate program.

My name is Hannah Sturgeon and I am a junior undergraduate student at Otterbein University in central Ohio. I will graduate a semester early in December with three Bachelor of Arts Degree in Environmental Science, Sustainability Studies, and Political Science, with minors in Legal Studies and Earth Science. After graduating, I plan to further my studies by either going to graduate school to obtain a Master's Degree in Environmental Policy or law school to receive my Juris Doctor specializing in Environmental Law. My goal within my career is to work between corporations, the community, and the government to help find and implement better ways to use and store resources. By combining my interest in science and policy with my love for philanthropy and the environment, I hope to truly be able to make an impact in our world for the better. I chose my area of study after spending my childhood both passionate about and fascinated by science. It was on a research boat during a class trip to Ohio State’s Stone Laboratory in fifth grade where I found my first job aspiration in marine biology. Several years later, I was one of two juniors in my high school AP Environmental Science class. My teacher showed me the difference that one individual can make in the world by having enough love and motivation for their work. After picking up an independent study in wetland research my senior year, I spent the rest of my high school career in awe of his passion and dedication for teaching and the environment. In this class that I found my specific STEM concentration and future college major, Environmental Science. It was also during my years as a high schooler that I found a passion for politics and public policy. After joining an organization called Youth in Government my freshman year, I later became the group’s Community Service Chair. In this organization, I attended meetings before the school day throughout the year to prepare bills that our group then took to the Statehouse to be present during a mock session on committee, House, and Senate floors. Through this organization, I was able to experience the inner workings of the state government and from there I knew that I wanted to pursue a career relating to it. Now, nearing one of the last chapters of my formal education, it is my college advisor that is providing me with numerous invaluable experiences. Every semester I have found myself in Dr. Svitana’s office; asking questions, working through problems, or talking about my future. It was from his encouragement that I added a third major, Sustainability Studies, last year. Not only that, but Dr. Svitana has been my mentor while conducting student research and has helped set me up with connections that have provided me with job and internship opportunities. I believe that one of the most important components to achieving my occupational dream is fulfilling my educational goals. It has been from my work to reach these goals that I have found information in textbooks and research that has further motivated and shaped my desires in the field of environmental policy. Ultimately, my college experience has opened me up to a world of opportunity and I could not be more excited to see what my future has to hold. Witnessing generations learn and develop together gives me immense hope for the future. I plan to use my education to make a difference in the world by working in a field that preserves and protects our environment for the future and generations to come.

After being waitlisted for my choice college, I had to transition to make a new decision for what my future was going to hold. Although at the time I felt extremely discouraged, I am now grateful for the outcome of my setback, because it allowed me to have the college experience that I am having. Had I not ended up at Otterbein, I would have never been able to experience the many unique opportunities that I have had here. Perhaps the most once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of all was my ability to work for CNN as an usher during the Democratic debate. Thanks to an anonymous recommendation from a staff member, I was not only able to be in the debate hall, but I also sat with the Democratic National Committee and met Elizabeth Warren following the debate. Prior to the debate, I joined a student-led organization called Raise Your Voice. Through this team, I was able to drastically step out of my comfort zone in order to participate in a student debate panel. Joining six members of the debate team and one Otterbein alum, I along with the two other Raise Your Voice leaders participated in a panel in front of several news outlets and our student peers. Now, as a co-leader of Raise Your Voice, I have helped to accomplish a wide array of goals; from passing a Voting Accessibility Resolution through Student Government and a Mission and Values Voting Recommendations in Senate, to increasing voting rates by over 12% from the 2016 to 2020 elections and being named one of America’s Best Colleges for Student Voting in 2021. Also as a freshman, I was nominated to become a Cardinal Corps Leader. In this role, I work with other students and the Center for Community Engagement to plan and host service events for my community. Through this experience, I have obtained the Bronze Presidential Volunteer Service Award for two years and will be receiving the Silver Award this year. In my sophomore year, I served as the Public Relations Chair for this group, before being elected to serve as the Vice President this year. Working to advocate on behalf of the student body has also become one of my biggest passions. After running for Sophomore Class Senator my freshman year, I was elected to serve on my University’s Planning Committee. Following this experience, I have only worked to become even more involved. I now serve on the Executive Committee of Student Government as one of two Student Trustees on the Otterbein Board of Trustees. In my role on the Board, I work to effectively represent the entire student body in the Board room. As a member of the Board’s Enrollment and Advancement Committee, I also participate in conversations surrounding many different facets of the student experience. The experience I have had with choosing my college home has taught me numerous things. First, and most importantly, as cliché as it may sound, both my college application journey and my final decision have taught me to “trust the process”, what is meant to happen will happen. Although that is a saying I have heard a lot, I never considered it to mean anything particular to me until I found my home at Otterbein. Second, I have learned how to make my feelings of remorse and resentment turn into positive motivators for my future. In college, I am working harder than ever to achieve my goals. Even though you should trust that what lies ahead of you will be the right path, you should never stop working to achieve your dreams.

My biggest goal for both my education and my life, in general, is to fulfill my desire to have a positive impact on the environment through my work in the future. I believe that one of the most important components to achieving this dream for me personally is through first fulfilling my educational goals. My plans for academic study currently consist of graduating from Otterbein University with a Bachelor of Arts degree a semester early this December. At Otterbein, I am a triple major in Environmental Science, Political Science, and Sustainability Studies with a double minor in Legal Studies and Earth Science. Prior to graduation, my first step in furthering my career has been to apply for the Ohio Legislative Service Commission fellowship in December of 2022. In this role, I would work as a fellow for either the Democratic or Republican Caucasus of the Ohio House or Senate. Following this experience, should I receive the opportunity, I plan to continue to further my education by either going to graduate school in order to obtain a Master’s in Environmental Policy or Public Administration, or by going to law school to specialize in Environmental Law. Ultimately, I am most interested in using my education to become either an Environmental Lobbyist, an Environmental Policy Analyst, or an Environmental Lawyer. My dream in the field of STEM is to be able to work between corporations, the community, and the government in order to help find, implement, and develop better ways to use, store, and obtain resources. My ‘why’ for this work is the idea that I might be able to enact positive change that will protect our environment for generations to come. I see my vision impacting the world positively in this way for the future because I have a desire to work to help implement policy that will limit the amount of environmental harm that can be done. In my mind, though policy is not always the best option, it is now becoming the last option for issues of environmental nature to be able to truly save and protect what natural environment we have left. Ultimately, a lot of our resources are unrenewable and we as a human population are approaching, or have already passed, a point of no return regarding environmental degradation. I want my children and grandchildren, and the children that come after them to be able to live in an environment suitable to support them, that is the biggest component of my ‘why’ and also why I believe this work is so important.

My absolute favorite hobby of all time always has been and always will be swimming. After being born near Lake Norman in North Carolina, I started my life being held by my parents as I fed bread to ducks from a dock. After moving to Ohio, beginning at the young age of five I joined a summer swim team where I began learning the basics and mechanics of each of the four strokes. That swim team, the Stingrays, became my summer home and family for the next thirteen years. Swimming for the team all thirteen of those years, I coached for four and was the head coach in my last year on the team before leaving for college. Even after my initial interest in swimming as a hobby, I did begin to compete in it as a sport. In addition to swimming for the Stingrays in the summers, I first joined my local YMCA team, the Sharks, so I could practice and compete year-round. Eventually, my Sharks family outgrew our current space and began a new team with most of the same people, just at a different pool. This new team, Pau Hana, swam at Denison University and also competed year-round as members of USA Swimming. I swam competitively as a part of this club team until high school when I began focusing my efforts on school and high school swimming instead. Now, after leaving my years of competitive swimming behind to move on to college, I still return to the sport as my favorite hobby and pastime. For two years now, I have gone back to my high school while at college to work as the Volunteer Assistant Coach at meets when I can. I enjoy this component of my swimming journey specifically because my younger twin sisters are now freshmen in high school, and I am able to watch them foster their love for the same sport that I devoted so much of my life to as well. My love for swimming comes largely in part from the community that I was able to build around it. Some of my best friends have come from the sport and it was one of the most encouraging and supportive groups to be a part of. Aside from the people, I heavily enjoy and appreciate the sport also for the characteristics that I was able to build from it. Receiving the sportsmanship award in high school, I loved being able to support others the way I felt supported by my whole swimming community. Ultimately, swimming will always be my favorite hobby because of the memories and years that I have associated with it.

The concept of having to embody all my mother is and all that she has done for me and my family in just a few paragraphs is hard to fathom. I view my mom as my rock, someone who has always and will always have my back, and the person who has held my family together like glue throughout the years. There are many ways in which my mother has impacted my life in a positive way, and I strive to honor her through personifying the many instrumental characteristics that she has instilled in me and the person I am becoming each and every day. Growing up on a farm, my mother is no stranger to hard work. Though I did not get to experience the same farm life she did as a child, my mom still ensured that I possessed the same beneficial qualities that she did as a kid. From her work ethic, I learned to carry the similar perseverance, dedication, and passion that she held and still carries today. Whether in sports, school, I have always been extremely motivated in my work. From her involvement in 4H, student council, the honors society, and numerous other extracurriculars throughout both high school and college, my mother has passed down to me her deep-rooted sense of involvement and community service. Now, as a college student myself, I am involved in two collegiate national honors societies, student government, a community service and leadership group, a voter education and registration group, and finally, I sit on my university’s Board of Trustees as one of two elected Student Trustees. Aside from her community involvement and work ethic, as the oldest of four siblings, my mom also learned to care for others and maintain patience at a very young age. With two brothers and a sister under her wing, I have seen the ways in which she has helped and stood by her siblings even through adulthood. Alongside her siblings, as an educator, my mom’s job requires these characteristics. Like my mother, I am also the oldest of four, however, I only have sisters. Knowing how it feels to be in the role of the oldest child, my mother helped me embrace and grow with my younger siblings with ease from a young age. The only individuals that even have the potential of coming close to the role my mother has had in shaping the person I am today are the three sisters that she gave me to grow up alongside. My mom’s faith is one of the most crucial cornerstones of her life. Growing up, it was in church with my mom where I met some of my best friends and created the most unforgettable memories. In college, I am in my third year of working in children and youth ministry at a local church. I look up to my mom and the spiritual connection she has every day because it is from this facet of her life that she finds the strength for everything she balances. Knowing that many might not get to experience having a mother like mine, I feel so grateful and blessed to have been raised by a woman who has helped shape me into the person I am today. It is from my mom that I have learned the crucial characteristics of leadership, passion, perseverance, and empathy, among many other notable qualities. My mom holds love in her heart like no other, she embodies patience and strength, and her determination and resilience have made her a fighter, I am so beyond proud to be her daughter.

Education is important, that is a commonly held sentiment. However, today students in America have accumulated over 1.5 trillion dollars in student loan debt. Although a statistic can only go so far, putting faces to those massive dollar amounts can help to humanize the issue. Education has been the second most constant variable in my life, falling only behind my family. Not only have I found education to be necessary to pursue the goals that I have for my future, but I have also fostered a large amount of love and dedication towards it. What would I do with $1,000 right now? I, along with many others like me, have accumulated a substantial amount of debt. In order to continue to learn and work to achieve my goals, I need the assistance of scholarships and grants to continue my education. It is my goal to eventually obtain either my Master’s or a Juris Doctorate. However, it is financially impossible for me to do so without first recovering from the debt of my undergraduate program. I have worked hard to be able to afford my education, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to be able to apply for scholarships like this one. I will finish classes a semester early this year as a triple major with a minor solely to avoid the cost of tuition for even just another semester. My education is very important to me, yet being able to afford it is even more crucial.

My name is Hannah Sturgeon and I am currently a junior undergraduate student at Otterbein University in central Ohio. I am currently on track to graduate a semester early this December with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in three majors: Environmental Science, Sustainability Studies, and Political Science, as well as a minor in Legal Studies. After graduating, I plan to further my studies by either going to graduate school to obtain a Master's Degree in Environmental Policy or by going to law school to receive my Juris Doctor while specializing in Environmental Law. My goal within my career is to be able to work between corporations, the community, and the government in order to help find and implement better ways to use, store, and obtain resources. By combining my interest in science and policy with my love for philanthropy and the environment through education, I hope to truly be able to make an impact in our world for the better. I chose my area of study after spending my childhood both passionate about and fascinated by science. It was on a research boat during a class trip to Ohio State’s Stone Laboratory in fifth grade where I found my first job aspiration in marine biology. Several years later, I was one of two juniors in my high school AP Environmental Science class. My teacher, Mr. Reding, showed me the difference that one individual can make in the world just by having enough love and motivation for their work. From his very first lecture, I was hooked. After picking up an independent study in the subject in my senior year, I spent the rest of my high school career in awe of his passion and dedication for teaching and the environment. It was from his class that I found my specific STEM concentration and future college major, Environmental Science. It was also during my years as a high school student that I found a passion for politics and public policy. After joining an organization called Youth in Government in my freshman year, I stayed with the group and later became the Community Service Chair my Senior year. In this group, I attended regular meetings before the school day throughout the year in order to prepare bills and statements that our group then took to the Statehouse to be presented during a mock session on committee, House, and Senate floors in the Spring. Through this organization, I was able to experience the inner workings of the state government and from there I knew that I wanted to pursue a career relating to it. Now, nearing one of the last chapters of my formal education, it is my current college advisor and professor that is teaching me more than ever and providing numerous invaluable experiences along the way. Every semester I have found myself in Dr. Svitana’s office; asking questions, working through problems, or talking about my future. It was from his encouragement that I added a third major, Sustainability Studies, last year. Not only that, but Dr. Svitana has been my mentor while conducting student research and has helped set me up with connections that have provided me job and internship opportunities. I am heavily involved in several organizations on campus, as I have found that by striving to become more involved I can get the most out of my college experience. Previously I have served as the Sophomore Class Senator in Student Government, the Community Service Chair for the Alpha Lambda Delta and Phi Eta Sigma joint National Honors Societies, and the Public Relations Chair for the Cardinal Corps Leaders. I am currently serving as Vice President for the Cardinal Corps Leaders, leader of Raise Your Voice, and a Student Trustee on the Otterbein Board of Trustees. My college experience has helped me find my passions as well as become a stronger student and leader within my community. I try to give back to my community in many ways, through both advocacy and community service. In terms of advocacy, my work through Raise Your Voice, as well as my involvement in Student Government and the Otterbein Board of Trustees best exemplifies my commitment. Working with Raise Your Voice for a total of three years now, I have since been co-leading the student voter engagement and education group for two years. As the Sophomore Class Senator and Planning Committee member in Student Government I wanted to do even more, later receiving the Student Trustee position this year where I will serve on the Board’s Enrollment and Advancement Committee. In terms of community service, I have obtained over 100 service hours every year as a college student and I have been a part of the Cardinal Corps Leaders, a team of students organizing and running all of the service opportunities on campus, for three years now. Giving back has become a crucial component of my college experience and I look forward to being able to do even more in the future. Ultimately, my college experience has opened me up to a world of opportunity and I could not be more excited to see what my future has to hold. Seeing how my passions have grown and developed throughout my college experience, as well as seeing others grow along with me, is what excites me most about this world. Witnessing generations learn and develop together gives me immense hope for the future. I plan to use my education to make a difference by in the world by working in a field that preserves and protects our environment for the future and generations to come.

The quality or characteristic that I value most in myself can be seen in the form of my leadership abilities. Although there is always room for improvement, I have found my strongest experiences and connections to come from leadership opportunities that I have taken advantage of throughout different periods in my life. As a high schooler, I was elected to serve as the Community Service Chair for the largest Youth in Government chapter in Ohio. Outside of school, I was nominated to serve as the Youth Deacon at my church for two years. Now in college, I have seen great growth in this very important area of my life. As a freshman, I was offered a position as one of approximately twenty Cardinal Corps Leaders at my University. The following year I ran and was elected to serve the group as the Public Relations Chair and I am now serving in the Vice President role through peer nomination. Aside from the Cardinal Corps, I also became a member of a nonpartisan political advocacy service group my freshman year as well. I have since become one of two co-leaders of that group for the past two years. In Student Government, I was first elected as a Sophmore Class Senator before now serving on the Executive Board as one of two Student Trustees for the Otterbein Board. My plans for academic study currently consist of graduating from Otterbein University with a Bachelor of Arts degree a semester early next December. I am a triple major in Environmental Science, Political Science, and Sustainability Studies with a minor in Legal Studies. Prior to graduation, I plan to further my career by applying this summer to become a fellow for the Ohio Legislative Service Commission in December of 2022. Following this experience, should I receive the opportunity, I plan to continue to further my education by either going to graduate school in order to obtain a Master’s in Environmental Policy or Public Administration, or by going to law school to specialize in Environmental Law. Ultimately, I am most interested in using my education to become either an Environmental Lobbyist, an Environmental Policy Analyst, or an Environmental Lawyer. My dream in the field of STEM is to be able to work between corporations, the community, and the government in order to help find, implement, and develop better ways to use, store, and obtain resources. Having a strong affinity for leadership will help me in my life journey by providing me with a greater opportunity to achieve this dream. By striving to take advantage of every opportunity and pushing myself out of my comfort zone, I have been able to become a better leader. I have worked harder than ever to improve my leadership abilities as a college student and I will continue to do so in both my educational and professional careers moving forward.

I am extremely passionate about protecting the environment because of the life-giving and valuable nature of both its beauty and its resources. Science and the natural environment have interested me since a very young age; in fact, my first dream job was to become a marine biologist. The ability of STEM fields to provide us with questions and equations to reach answers about the world around us is fascinating to me. I have always loved the practical nature of these subjects and learning about how they can be applied to the real world. My love for nature and desire to protect the environment stems largely in part from the memories that I have created in its presence throughout my lifetime. It is because of these years of wonder and admiration for the world around me that I chose to work towards a career in Environmental Science and Sustainability. Having had a profound love for the environment for a long time now, I became even more motivated by its protection through my studies as an undergraduate student. Beginning as a double major in Environmental Science and Political Science, I decided only a year later to add Sustainability Studies as a third major towards my Bachelor’s Degree. Within the next year, I added Legal Studies as an accompanying minor. As a dedicated life-long learner, my studies will continue to help me learn more about topics like climate change, and find ways in which I can help the environment through my professional career too. Once graduating a semester early next year, I hope to immediately immerse myself in the political sphere, as I believe that at this point, it is necessary to make change through policy. It has become clear that the state of our environment is rapidly declining and in order to ensure a more sustainable future, reform needs to largely come from large corporations. Ultimately, my dream is to be able to work between corporations, the community, and the government to help find and develop better ways to use and store resources like our natural foods. Utilizing resources in a renewable manner through the use of sustainable practices further supports the safeguarding of the environment as a whole. The idea of reciprocity, or the practice of exchange in return for mutual benefits, is crucial in the relationship between humans and the land. I am particularly passionate about environmental protection because it is crucial for the survival of both present and future generations. It is on the topic of education and reciprocity that I will provide the advice I give my friends and family related to reducing their carbon footprints: though the task may seem daunting, educating yourself and working to make small lifestyle changes will lead to larger developments and greater understanding and appreciation for the world around you. It is through the gain of greater admiration and recognition for the environment and all that it provides that an individual can become less immobilized by fear and more motivated by action to begin to address climate change. I am committed to continuing to learn and engage with all environmental issues, as I have found that the environment is the topic that I am most passionate about. Eventually, I hope to obtain either my Master’s Degree in Environmental Policy or Public Administration. As I continue my educational journey and begin my professional career, these topics will remain a central mission in my work. My dream is to leave this world a better place for future generations, as sustainability is essential for the survival of the environment as we know it.

As a venture firm funding ambitious companies, I believe that the largest problem facing the world as a whole that Mechanism should explore is environmental degradation and the climate crisis. This issue is certainly one worth solving because it will not only provide Mechanism with a beneficial financial investment, but it will also work to ensure that there are resources necessary for there to be ambitious companies to fund in the future. I believe that a more specific category worth solving within the larger environmental crisis is resource acquisition and preservation. Both solar and wind power have proven to be clearly advantageous for the sustainability of the environment, as well as other renewable energy resources like hydropower. Funding technological advancements related to these preexisting categories of renewable resources, or even potential future up-and-coming renewable resources, is worth problem-solving because of the way in which society today is seemingly creeping closer and closer to hitting peak oil. After working as the Sustainability Intern for the City of Westerville Electric Division this past summer, I have seen and worked directly with facilities and systems related to energy storage, collection, and distribution. Through the funding of companies working this specific side of renewable energy capture, storage, and distribution, Mechanism would be helping to preserve and ensure stability for future and current generations. Not only this, but choosing to fund projects like this over others increases Mechanism’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (or ESG) rating that is becoming increasingly more important to company partners and consumers. The environment as a whole and the resources that it produces are valuable resources worth protecting and preserving. The idea of reciprocity, or the practice of exchange in return for mutual benefits, is crucial in the relationship between humans and the land. I am particularly passionate about the environment because of the invaluable nature of its resources that are necessary to protect for the survival of both present and future generations. Ultimately, my dream is to be able to work between corporations, the community, and the government to help find and develop better ways to use and store resources like our natural foods. I am committed to continuing to learn and engage with all environmental issues, as I have grown to become even more passionate about the environment and its resources. Eventually, I hope to obtain either my Master’s Degree in Environmental Policy or my Juris Doctor, specializing in Environmental Law. As I continue my educational journey and begin my professional career, these topics will remain a central mission in my work. My dream is to leave this world a better place for future generations, as sustainability is essential for the survival of the environment as we know it. Ultimately, I believe that the deciding factor for the future of our world is rooted in innovation. Without the ingenuity of others working together, we would have far fewer options to help us limit our carbon footprint and move forward as a society. Though inventions like solar power and electric vehicles are monumental in their work to curb the climate crisis, it is only through the continued improval of these innovations that society might be able to live more sustainably. Environmental policy is a crucial component in curbing the climate crisis and I cannot wait to begin to work in such an impactful and ever-expanding field.

The biggest thing that gives me hope for the future is witnessing and reciprocating the good deeds of others. In a world riddled with so many challenges, poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation to name a few, it can be both refreshing and inspiring to witness the ways in which small actions from others can have such a positive impact on another individuals’ day. I feel as though the largest facet of life that has been noticeably deteriorating in recent years is the loss of our collective sense of humanity and empathy towards others. When an individual chooses to buy the coffee of the person behind them or give a meal to a homeless individual, they are not questioning that person's background or beliefs, instead, they are choosing to make someone else’s day just a little bit better. A common, though helpful, sentiment asks that you not judge a person until you walk a mile in their shoes. In my lifetime I have seen and grown to further understand and become frightened by the severe plague of polarization facing my country in particular. However, witnessing acts of unity and kindness allows my worry to begin to dwindle in the slightest bit. Though seeing and participating in small acts of kindness will not solve larger issues of global warming and inequity, it can act as a light in the darkness during a time of such uncertainty. More importantly, though, one act of kindness can multiply and affect countless others as well. If on the receiving end of a small act of kindness, an individual is likely to be more inclined to respond by doing the same for others. The potential for the growth of these acts, and the benefits created as a result of them, is what gives me the most hope for the future. When I picture the future, I see a better world. A world where future generations are less polarized and more unified. A world where the needs of citizens across the globe are met, particularly the needs of those living in third world countries. I envision a more stable climate and humanity embracing togetherness and utilizing ingenuity to approach even the most impossible issues. Ultimately, I hope that small acts of kindness today are able to make way for the revitalization of empathy and respect towards others in the future.

I am committed to being selfless and doing what I can to help others because of the ways in which others have helped me. Throughout my life, I have been supported by my parents, siblings, friends, family, and community members. The encouragement and assistance that I have been provided by others at different times throughout my life have demonstrated for me selflessness first hand, all while planting in me the desire to do the same for others in my lifetime too. Throughout my community service experiences, both prior to and during my time as a college student, I have seen how my surrounding community can be affected in a positive light. Seeing and hearing firsthand from both groups and individuals that have been positively affected as a result of the service opportunities and groups that I have taken part in, motivates me to continue working even harder for the community that has done so much to support me. I have always found serving others to be an extremely important aspect of my life and I will continue to be committed to helping others around me and throughout the world as a whole, while living life as selflessly as possible.

Service is a crucial component of my life and a factor that I look forward to keeping as a top priority in my future. The acts of service that I currently perform to help others include both advocacy and community service. In terms of advocacy, my work through several student organizations best exemplifies my commitment. As a co-leader of Raise Your Voice, a student-led nonpartisan voter engagement and education group, I work to ensure that the voting needs of college students are addressed. In my third year as a member of the group and my second year as a leader, I have helped to establish the Ohio Coalition of Student Voters as a way for students across the state to connect and work together on voting issues. I have also been involved in Student Government for the past two years. I was first a Sophomore Class Senator and a member of the University’s Planning Committee, and I now serve as a Student Trustee on the Board. In this role, I serve on the Executive Committee of Student Government, as well as the Enrollment and Advancement Committee for the Board of Trustees. In this role, I advocate on behalf of my constituency, the student body as a whole, for important decisions being made by the Board. In terms of community service, during my freshman year of college, I was invited to join an organization called the Cardinal Corps Leaders by the Director of Community Engagement at my University. This team of students was selected to organize and run all of the service opportunities and groups on campus. After joining the team, I became the group’s Public Relations Chair before being nominated and elected to serve as the Vice President this year. Through this team, I have participated in many different organizations, including working in our university’s Community Garden. Last year, I was also elected to serve as the Community Service Chair for the Alpha Lambda Delta and Phi Eta Sigma joint national honors societies after becoming inducted as a member in the year prior. In this role, I both coordinated and participated in community service events for our members; while participating in our weekly Executive Board meetings with our chapter advisors. Ultimately, I have obtained over 100 volunteer hours each year as a college student. I am on track to receive my third Presidential Volunteer Service Award this year after completing 95 service hours in the fall semester alone. Throughout my community service experiences, both prior to and during my time as a college student, I have seen how my surrounding community can be affected in a positive light. Seeing and hearing firsthand from both groups and individuals that have been positively affected as a result of the service opportunities and groups that I have taken part in, motivates me to continue working even harder for the community that has done so much to support me. My biggest takeaway from the community service experiences that I have taken part in is the importance of striving to understand and work towards addressing the needs of the surrounding community. The connections that I have made through community service experiences have allowed me to build a network of like-minded individuals, all with the same drive to better their surrounding community and its members. I have always found service to be an extremely important aspect of my life and it has continued to become one of the most rewarding components of both my college experience and my life as a whole.

My love for nature stems largely in part from the memories that I have created in its presence throughout my lifetime. Born in North Carolina, at only a few months old my parents took me on frequent visits to Lake Norman. There I fed the ducks off of a boat dock and watched the many creatures that call the lake home. After moving to Ohio, I spent the majority of my childhood exploring the woods behind my house and throughout my neighborhood. It was during one of those explorations that I discovered a small stream leading up to a pond with my sisters. When my mom asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday later that year, I was quick to say I wanted to spend the day with my family in my new favorite spot. After walking to the stream and crossing its little wooden bridge, we had a picnic and that memory has stuck with me to this day. It is because of these years of wonder and admiration for the world around me that I chose to go down a path towards a career in Environmental Science and Sustainability for my future. After gaining a greater understanding of nature and its systems through my education, I will continue to work to appreciate it and all of its many facets by protecting it in my career.

My bucket list contains a wide variety of items; from having children to skydiving and graduating college to staying involved on campus. These items are often thought to be only monumental life goals and events, however, I have found that by including presently achievable goals as well as lifetime goals within my bucket list, items feel more achievable and less out of reach. That being said, the greatest bucket list item that I have achieved so far was seeing one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu in the Andes Mountains of Peru. I participated in two trips back to back, my journey to Peru being one of them, and was able to walk the coast of both the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean within the span of one week. I created memories on these trips that will certainly last a lifetime and have undoubtedly topped my bucket list so far in life. A smaller accomplishment, yet important still, is my desire to improve and practice my public speaking abilities. This subject, in particular, has always been a fear of mine, yet has still found space on my bucket list. In my freshman year of college, I was asked to give the introductory speech for a Town Hall event for the World War Zero Organization. This group was created by John Kerry, John Kasich, and Arnold Schwarzenegger in order to address issues of climate change with a bipartisan platform. Their first-ever Town Hall event took place on Otterbein University’s campus and I was able to not only meet but introduce and welcome these prominent figures to my campus home. These memories are extremely important components of my past, and I look forward to continuing to make memories surrounding my bucket list in the future.

I relax and take care of my mental health in several ways, but most importantly, I work as hard as I can to always listen to my body and its needs to the best of my abilities. If I am feeling stressed or overwhelmed I have learned how to take time to calm myself down and recenter myself. Sometimes this requires being surrounded by others, such as my friends and family, and other times it means I need to be alone for the time being. I have found taking time to relax to be important for my mental health because it gives me time to focus on something besides what might be making me feel overwhelmed at the time. An easy way to relax for me personally is to use facemasks with my sisters or roommates. Taking a short amount of time to put on a facemask and relax has always felt so calming for me and it has proven to be not only a great way to practice self-care but also a wonderful bonding experience as well. Relaxation and taking care of my mental health have impacted my life immensely by helping me take the time I need to recenter myself when life around me becomes almost too much to bear. By prioritizing these crucial things, I am able to place both my mental and physical well-being first and take time to focus inward on myself.

I have always had a resounding love and appreciation for science ever since I was a little girl. While my specific subject matter of interest has shifted over time; my infatuation for the subject has been unwavering. Studying science has always been a part of the vision that I have had for my life. I was one of two juniors in my high school AP Environmental Science class. My teacher showed me the difference that one individual can make by having love and motivation for their work. After an independent study in wetland research my senior year, I spent the rest of my high school career in awe of environmental science. I am now at Otterbein University where I will graduate a semester early with my Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Science, Political Science, and Sustainability Studies, with a minor in Legal Studies. After graduating, I plan to further my studies by obtaining a Master's degree in Environmental Policy. I hope to be able to work between corporations, the community, and the government in order to find and develop better ways to use and store resources. My participation in the job market through internships and fellowships has made me even more excited for my future. Experiencing an office job has taught me copious amounts about a healthy work environment and the job interview process. Through my involvement in the workforce I have built my organization and communication skills immensely, all while expanding my knowledge and network even further. The environment and natural sciences have always been subjects that I have felt extremely passionate about. By combining my interest in science and policy with my love for philanthropy and the environment, I hope to truly be able to make an impact in our world for the better.

The single word, legacy, encompasses more of the future than I can even fathom. I have barely begun to uncover the depths of what my future has to hold just over halfway through my undergraduate career. Thinking of the legacy that I will leave behind is much more daunting than trying to uncover what my life immediately after college will hold. Ultimately, I hope my legacy will show that I was a caring and devoted person who spent my life working to combat and adapt to the ever-worsening effects of climate change. I am interested in using my education to become either an Environmental Lobbyist, an Environmental Policy Analyst, or an Environmental Lawyer. My dream in the field of STEM is to be able to work between corporations, the community, and the government in order to help find, implement, and develop better ways to use, store, and obtain resources. I know that in order to survive the disastrous effects of climate change, we need to adapt both quickly and efficiently. I am motivated to become part of the solution so my children and the generations after them can have a more sustainable future. This is what I hope my legacy has to hold.

There are several components of my life that I find to motivate me on a daily basis, however, I have found my largest motivator to be the image that I have for my future. Though I am not exactly sure of what my future has to hold, I have a general idea of what I would like and it is this concept that continuously pushes me forward towards achieving my goals. My plans for academic study currently consist of graduating from Otterbein University with a Bachelor of Arts degree a semester early next December. I am triple majoring in Environmental Science, Political Science, and Sustainability Studies with a minor in Legal Studies. Following graduation, I plan to further my career by applying to become a fellow for the Ohio Legislative Service Commission in December of 2022. Following this experience, should I receive the opportunity, I plan to continue to further my education by either going to graduate school in order to obtain a Master’s in Environmental Policy or Public Administration, or by going to law school to specialize in Environmental Law. Ultimately, I am interested in using my education to become either an Environmental Lobbyist, an Environmental Policy Analyst, or an Environmental Lawyer. My dream in the field of STEM is to be able to work between corporations, the community, and the government in order to help find, implement, and develop better ways to use, store, and obtain resources. I know that in order to survive the disastrous effects of climate change, we need to adapt both quickly and efficiently. I am motivated to become part of the solution so my children and the generations after them can have a more sustainable future.

After being waitlisted for my choice college, I had to transition to make a new decision for what my future was going to hold. Although at the time I felt extremely discouraged, I am now grateful for the outcome of my setback, because it allowed me to have my current college experience. At Otterbein, I have been able to work for CNN during the Democratic Presidential Debate that was held on my campus. Thanks to a recommendation from a staff member, I was not only able to be in the debate hall, but I sat with the Democratic National Committee and met several candidates following the debate. Prior to the debate, I joined a student-led organization Raise Your Voice. Through this team, I was able to drastically step out of my comfort zone in order to participate in a debate panel in front of several news outlets and my peers. Through nomination once again, I was able to become a Cardinal Core Leader and have assisted the group as the Public Relations Chair and now the Vice President. I have also served as a Sophomore Class Senator in the Student Government and am now on the Executive Committee as one of two Student Trustees for the Otterbein Board. As cliché as it may sound, my college journey has taught me to “trust the process”. Although like many, that is a saying I have heard a lot, I never considered it to mean anything special to me until I found my college home. I have also learned to take my feelings of remorse and resentment and turn them into a positive motivator for my future. Even though you should trust that what lies ahead will be the right path, you should never stop working to achieve your dreams.

I believe that my best skill can be seen in the form of my leadership abilities. Although there is always room for improvement, I have found my strongest experiences and connections to come from leadership opportunities that I have taken advantage of throughout different periods in my life. As a high schooler, I was elected to serve as the Community Service Chair for the largest Youth in Government chapter in Ohio. Outside of school, I was nominated to serve as the Youth Deacon at my church for two years. Now in college, I have seen great growth in this very important area of my life. As a freshman, I was offered a position as one of approximately twenty Cardinal Corps Leaders at my University. The following year I ran and was elected to serve the group as the Public Relations Chair and I am now serving in the Vice President role through peer nomination. Aside from the Cardinal Corps, I also became a member of a nonpartisan political advocacy service group my freshman year as well. I have since become one of two co-leaders of that group for the past two years. In Student Government, I was first elected as a Sophmore Class Senator before now serving on the Executive Board as one of two Student Trustees for the Otterbein Board. By striving to take advantage of every opportunity and pushing myself out of my comfort zone, I have been able to become a better leader. I have worked harder than ever to improve my leadership abilities as a college student and I will continue to do so in both my educational and professional careers moving forward.

Investing is a topic that I do not know very much about, however, this also means that it is an area in which I have a lot to learn. The specific topic that I have retained the most about and taken to heart when it comes to investing relates to Roth IRAs as compared to traditional IRAs. IRA stands for an individual retirement account and a Roth IRA is distinctly different from a traditional IRA because your money is not taxed upon removal, whereas it would be if it was coming out of a traditional IRA. This is a wise investment tip because it allows you to more accurately plan and invest in your future. There are many options for investing in today’s day and age. With the world of cryptocurrency and new opportunities such as ‘non-fungible tokens’ otherwise known as NFTs rapidly growing, there is certainly a lot to learn and keep up with. I look forward to growing both my investment portfolio and knowledge after graduating and reducing my student loan debt.

There are many simple pleasures in life that I have found to bring me joy, but the first and most notable that comes to mind is flowers of any kind, as they have always given me a wonderful sense of hope and love. Driving through the neighborhood of my childhood home in the first few weeks of spring always filled my days with joy, regardless of anything else that may have been happening in my life at the time. With the car windows down you could feel the first tones of warmth in the air and hear the beautiful notes from the birds perched on the branches of trees filled with the smell of blossoming flowers. Living in the midwest, the changing of seasons always fills me with happiness and excitement for the old traditions and new phases of life that each month brings. Spring in particular is beautiful because of the new life that is to be found all around, from the plants and animals who went into hiding for the cold of the winter. Though there are certainly more day-to-day simple pleasures that fill my life with happiness, the coming of spring each year truly delights me. Every time I receive flowers of any kind I am reminded of the new life that is yet to come.

There are many things I think about when considering the impact that I hope to leave on the world. First and foremost, I find environmental issues to be the most pressing and urgent ordeal. I plan to begin to address this issue through both education and action. I am currently enrolled in my second to last semester working towards my Bachelor of Arts Degree with three majors in Environmental Science, Sustainability Studies, and Political Science, as well as a minor in Legal Studies. After completing my undergraduate career in December of 2022, I plan to further my education by going to graduate school in order to work towards my Master's Degree in either Public Administration or Environmental Policy. Through receiving more education about the issues that I am passionate about, I am putting myself in the position to step into a job where I can begin to work with others in order to enact the changes necessary to impact the world for the better. My biggest goal is to be able to work between corporations, the community, and the government in order to help find and develop better ways to use and store resources. When I picture the future, I see a better world. A world where the needs of citizens across the globe are met, particularly the needs of those living in third world countries. I envision a more stable climate and humanity embracing togetherness and utilizing ingenuity to approach even the most impossible issues. Ultimately, I wish to leave the world a better place than the world that I came into, for not only my children, but the future of all generations to come.

Though it is certainly not the newest technology available anymore, I am most excited about the innovation and future of electric vehicles, electric vehicle charging systems, and other modes of electric transportation. After spending the past summer as the Sustainability Intern for my City’s local Electric Division, I have come to appreciate to a large extent the depth and future of the electric vehicle market in particular. Not only are electric vehicles alone significantly better for the environment than other traditional gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles, but they also present exciting opportunities for the larger use of electricity as a whole. For example, there is currently research being conducted regarding the ability of electric cars to revert their own power back to the grid when plugged into certain charging ports. This concept is called ‘managed charging’ and utilizes smart chargers in order to provide integration from the vehicle to the power grid as a whole. Electric vehicle charging equipment that allows for this type of advanced technology utilizes the internet in order to communicate with both computer and software systems. The future of this innovative technology relating to electric vehicles is exciting because of the age of the power grid in the United States. As has been shown in the past, like the blackouts in early August of 2003, the grid has been reaching its breaking point. However, the need for extremely costly upgrades can be avoided by taking advantage of the potential that this consistently growing market of electric vehicles presents. By continuing to develop the market of networked electric vehicle charging systems, the foundation is being laid for important innovation of the future. The use of these systems can not only power the cars of the future, but it can power the electricity grid of the future as well. From the production of the first electric vehicle to the current manufacturing of electric semi-trucks, planes, trains, and boats; the technology behind electric transportation has proven to be the future. The excitement that this technology has already created has led me to become even more excited about its potential towards different capacities than ever anticipated before.

Service is a crucial component of my life and a factor that I look forward to keeping as a top priority in my future. The acts of service that I currently perform to help others include both advocacy and community service. I am co-leader of Raise Your Voice, a student-led nonpartisan voter engagement and education group. In my third year as a member of the group and my second year as one of the leaders, I have helped to establish the Ohio Coalition of Student Voters as a way for students across the state to connect and work together on voting issues. I have also been involved in Student Government for the past two years. I was first a Sophomore Class Senator and a member of the University’s Planning Committee, and I now serve as a Student Trustee on the Board. For this role, I serve on the Executive Board of Student Government and the Enrollment and Advancement Committee. In terms of community service, I have obtained over 100 volunteer hours each year as a college student. During my freshman year, I was invited to join an organization called the Cardinal Corps Leaders by the Director of Community Engagement. This team organizes and runs all of the service opportunities on campus. I was the Public Relations Chair last year and am now the Vice President. Last year, I was also elected as the Community Service Chair of the Alpha Lambda Delta and Phi Eta Sigma joint national honors societies. In this role, I coordinated and participated in community service events for our members. I have always found service to be an extremely important aspect of my life and it has continued to become one of the most rewarding components of both my college experience and my life as a whole.

Listening to me means taking the time and energy necessary to care for those around you. In order to actively listen to the fullest extent, one must focus not only their ears but their eyes as well towards the dialogue being held. By putting aside all other distractions for the time being and actually immersing yourself in the conversation at hand, you are showing that you value and care about the other person. Listening to others provides them the assurance that you both hear and see them, in their struggles and in their successes. I personally work to actively listen to those around me by setting aside everything else when possible in order to fully concentrate on the conversation at hand. By making direct eye contact with the person who I am talking to and using both verbal and visual cues when appropriate, I am showing them that I am fully attentive to their words. I find that I feel the most heard when conversing with individuals in this way, so I hope to provide others the same amount of attentiveness that I also wish to receive.

I am extremely passionate about voting rights and the environment. Voting is one of, if not the most important, component of exercising your civic duty in America. It is important that every eligible individual receives the opportunity to express their opinions and use their voice through their power and ability to vote. College students in particular are one of the groups of citizens that can have an even more difficult time than usual being able to accomplish this right. First, college displaces many students from their original voting precinct or even their home state entirely; because of this, it can be hard for these students to return home to vote while classes are in session. Connecting with students on my own campus and within my state as a whole to ensure that they both know their rights and have as convenient access to the voting process as possible has become a large component of my college experience. This access to voting connects deeply to my second passion in the environment as well. Our world and its nature have been in grave distress for years. It continues to become more and more evident that change is necessary in order to rescind as much of the human-caused environmental damage as possible. In order to do this, change is becoming crucial at a national level in addition to the work that is already being done by many individuals and groups. Access to the right to vote correlates to the ability of the government to enact environmental change because the individuals that are put in office have to put environmental issues at high priority, among the many other crucial components of American politics. Ultimately, both of these issues are important and connected, and both are topics that I am deeply passionate about.

Giving is important to me because at every point in my life I have been supported by different groups of people who have done what they can to give their support to me. My parents, sisters, and extended family members have been by my side through it all, watching me grow and change. Though my friendships have changed over time, they have all given me unforgettable memories. Throughout my life, my educators have worked hard to support and encourage me. In my athletic career, my coaches taught me teamwork and determination. Coworkers in my various jobs have given me both valuable and practical life skills to continue applying in my future. Classmates have offered their time for study groups and group projects. Ultimately, giving can come in many forms and those who have given the most to me are the individuals that have supported me at any point in my life in whatever capacity they were able to. In order to give back I work to be a better person, sister, daughter, friend, student, coworker, and classmate every day. I am involved in several student organizations on my college campus; from being the Vice President of a student-led service group, co-leader of a nonpartisan voter engagement and registration group, and one of two Student Trustees on the Board for my University. By becoming more involved in as many aspects of my life as possible, I can support and give back to as many people as possible. I do not take what others have given me for granted and my goal is to be able to support others in the same way that I have been supported throughout my life. For me, that starts with both becoming and staying involved in every aspect of my life.

My plans for academic study currently consist of graduating from Otterbein University with a Bachelor of Arts degree a semester early next December. I am majoring in Environmental Science, Political Science, and Sustainability Studies with a minor in Legal Studies. Prior to graduation, I plan to further my career by applying this summer to become a fellow for the Ohio Legislative Service Commission in December of 2022. Following this experience, should I receive the opportunity, I plan to continue to further my education by either going to graduate school in order to obtain a Master’s in Environmental Policy or Public Administration, or by going to law school to specialize in Environmental Law. Ultimately, I am most interested in using my education to become either an Environmental Lobbyist, an Environmental Policy Analyst, or an Environmental Lawyer. My dream in the field of STEM is to be able to work between corporations, the community, and the government in order to help find, implement, and develop better ways to use, store, and obtain resources.

I believe that society can most effectively empower women by giving us a more prominent seat at the table. Though there have been tremendous strides and improvements made in recent years, there are still many issues to tackle before we can even begin to say that we truly live in a fair and equal society in terms of gender discrimination. First, women still face very prominent discrimination today in the battle for equal pay. Even when working the same jobs at the same satisfaction rates, it is a frequent occurrence that women are paid less than their male counterparts. Not only that, but this battle for equal pay also disproportionately affects women of minority racial ethnicities when compared to white females. Aside from equal pay, women also face disproportionate forms of prejudice in terms of poverty levels, wealth, abuse, debt, discrimination, and the opportunity to take on leadership roles, as 3Wishes points out. Even though these issues are deep-rooted and well-known, the prevailing prevalence of these situations, in particular, has made the voice of women, especially of women of color, even more necessary. By providing women a seat at the table, which they already deserve, and actively listening to their requests, society can begin to effectively empower women as a whole. However, it is only by actually making changes based on the requests and demands that women make that change can be made towards beginning to live in a fair and equal society. In order to ensure that demands are not only met now but stay that way for the future, I believe that change ultimately has to come in the form of policy. Without enforcement mechanisms for these necessary changes, it will be hard to ensure that any, if not all, of women’s demands are met to the fullest extent possible. Policy, as defined by Merriam-Webster, can either be stated as “a definite course or method of action selected from among alternatives and in light of given conditions to guide and determine present and future decisions” or “a high-level overall plan embracing the general goals and acceptable procedures of a governmental body”. Regardless, I believe that this deeply rooted level of systemic change will be necessary in order to ensure that the demands of women are met both to the fullest extent, and equally across the whole country. Empowering women and ensuring that our demands are met is crucial towards truly reaching a fair and equal society in terms of gender discrimination.

“Get to the wall as fast as you possibly can” was a sentence that I heard before nearly every event during my 13-year swimming career. Whether delivered via text or word of mouth, I came to become very familiar with this sentence. Although at times it may have frustrated me when I failed to perform to the best of my abilities, the one constant during my time as a swimmer was hearing those ten words over and over from my dad. My dad has been one of the biggest motivators in my life from athletics to academics; he has taught me how to push myself, all while never doubting what I am capable of. As the oldest of four daughters, I was able to see how passionate my dad becomes for what his children love at a very young age. Although this saying might not appear to apply to any other aspect of my life besides swimming, to me it means so much more. “The wall” represents any goal I am trying to achieve in life, and while getting there fast is not always the best approach, “as fast as you possibly can” symbolizes the hard work and determination necessary to reach the end result. Many quotes have stuck with me at different times throughout my life. However, the one quote that I will always be able to turn to for motivation, and a reminder of how lucky I am to have a family that is so loving and supportive of me, came from my dad. “Get to the wall as fast as you possibly can” not only reminds me of years past, but it motivates me for the future to come.

I practice self-care in several ways, but most importantly, I practice self-care by always working to listen to my body and its needs. If I am feeling stressed or overwhelmed I have learned how to take time to calm myself down through methods of self-care. First, I have always found painting my nails to be an easy way to take time to focus on something besides what is feeling overwhelming to me at the time. Like many, I also enjoy taking extra time to focus on my skincare routine. Doing facemasks with my three sisters has always felt so relaxing and has proven to be not only a great way to practice self-care but also a wonderful bonding experience for me and my sisters as well. Self-care impacts my life by helping me take the time I need to recenter myself when life around me becomes almost too much to bear. By practicing self-care, I am able to place both my mental and physical well-being first and take time to focus inward on myself.

My family and friends truly provide me with the greatest happiness in my life. In both the good days and the bad days, the group of individuals that I have formed around myself in my family and my friends is what provides me with the joy and motivation that I need in my life. Though I personally thrive on a good balance of both alone time and social time, I could not imagine my life without being able to see at least some of my family and friends daily. Whether we are studying together, hanging out, watching movies, or cooking dinner, the people in my life always find a way to bring a smile to my face. I find happiness to be a crucial aspect of life because of the purpose that it brings to life, and my family and friends are the ones that continue to bring me joy in life on a daily basis.

I think that the best way to live a long and healthy life is by surrounding yourself with loved ones who motivate you to be your best self. While there are certainly other factors important to leading a healthy lifestyle, I find this factor to be the most important because you are surrounding yourself with a support group that will always be there for you. Whether you need encouragement to eat healthier or motivation to go to the gym, your family and friends are the people that are there to help and inspire you. I also find happiness to be a crucial component to living a healthy life because euphoria brings purpose to life, and my family and friends are the ones that continue to bring joy to my life on a daily basis. Either for the good days or the bad, the group that I have formed around myself in both my family and my friends are what provides me the strength and motivation that I need in order to push forward.

I find patience to be an important virtue because it not only allows you to work better with others, but also challenges your own character as an individual too. If you are able to be patient, you likely work better within groups than those who are less patient; whether those groups are social or either work or school-related. I believe that being patient is a learned philosophy that can either be taught or picked up by surrounding people or situations. Being patient is specifically important to me because it allows me to put my best foot forward in my interactions with others. You will never know the full extent of the life of someone else and by being patient with everyone around you, you are ensuring that you are at the very least providing others with the grace and respect that they need and deserve. Though practicing patience can certainly be very trying at times, I find it to be extremely important because of the way in which it can show an individuals’ true character.

I keep a growth mindset by thinking about the future and how I can improve upon my past in order to truly be my best self. For me, thinking about the future provides me with the motivation that I need in order to continue to strive to grow and better myself. When I do take the time to slow down and look at the past and where I am now, it allows me to be proud of the person I am becoming and what I have accomplished. Balancing my thoughts about the past, present, and future helps me to keep a growth mindset. Seeing how my past has influenced where I am now motivates me even further towards bettering my future. Though it can certainly be daunting at times to think about what lies ahead, it ultimately helps me to keep a growth mindset because of the sheer potential and unknown that the future holds.

Both the environment as a whole and the natural foods that it produces are valuable resources worth protecting and preserving. Natural foods provide all beings with the nutrients necessary to survive. Growing these foods in a renewable manner through the use of sustainable farming practices further supports the safeguarding of the environment as a whole. The idea of reciprocity, or the practice of exchange in return for mutual benefits, is crucial in the relationship between humans and the land. I am particularly passionate about natural foods and the environment because they are both invaluable resources that are necessary to protect for the survival of present and future generations. Having had a profound love for the environment for a long time now, I became even more motivated by these specific topics throughout my studies as an undergraduate student. Beginning as a double major in Environmental Science and Political Science, I decided only a year later to add Sustainability Studies as a third major towards my Bachelor's Degree. Within the next year, I added Legal Studies as an accompanying minor. As a dedicated life-long learner, I am beginning my journey to learn more about these topics by centralizing my education on finding ways in which I can help the environment through my professional career as well. Once graduating a semester early next year, I hope to immediately immerse myself in the political sphere, as I believe that at this point, it is necessary to make change through policy. It has become clear that the state of our environment is rapidly declining and in order to ensure a more sustainable future, reform needs to largely come from large corporations. Ultimately, my dream is to be able to work between corporations, the community, and the government to help find and develop better ways to use and store resources like our natural foods. Education is extremely important in learning how to combat the issues that our environment is facing, but further than that, I am also finding ways to actively contribute towards my passions surrounding natural foods and the environment. First and foremost, I frequently work in my university’s community garden. With an acre of land, we produce healthy food commodities including vegetables, tea leaves, and herbs that are then distributed through an organization called the Promise House. The Promise House works to fight food insecurity within our college population by offering free food and meal swipes to students. Along with the work I’ve done through the garden, this year I am the Vice President of a team called the Cardinal Corps Leaders. Together we work to organize and run all of the volunteer organizations on campus; one of these groups is Plan-it Earth. Within this club we plan and coordinate events hosting numerous speakers and activities, engaging the campus community as a whole. Aside from event planning, we also work to apply for and use grant money efficiently and effectively in work relating to environmental justice. I am committed to continuing to learn and engage with all environmental issues, as I have found that the environment and natural foods are both topics that I am extremely passionate about. Eventually, I hope to obtain either my Master’s Degree in Environmental Policy or my Juris Doctor, specializing in Environmental Law. As I continue my educational journey and begin my professional career, these topics will remain a central mission in my work. My dream is to leave this world a better place for future generations, as sustainability is essential for the survival of the environment as we know it.

One experience that has likely had the largest impact on who I have become today was my fifth-grade class trip to Ohio State’s Stone Laboratory on Put-in-Bay, an island in Lake Erie. One of the most pivotal figures in my childhood was my Gifted Language Arts teacher, Mrs. Giovannelli. Although our class was primarily focused on English, in the years between fourth and sixth grade she quickly cultivated my love for many things, including science. It was on a research boat at Stone Laboratory where I first fell in love with the subject. A teacher unlike any that I had ever had before, Mrs. Giovannelli challenged me while instilling a passion for learning that has made me the student I am today. Later, I wrote an essay about her impact on my life in my town’s fourth of July essay contest; that year the prompt was “hometown heroes”. The trip to Stone Lab is one that I will never forget, as it opened my eyes to the subject that I am now focusing my undergraduate career on. With three majors in Environmental Science, Sustainability Studies, and Political Science as well as a minor in Legal Studies; I hope to be able to use my background in science to enact changes in the form of policy that will hopefully save our world for the future. I can say without a doubt in my mind that I would not be where I am today had it not been for my overnight stay at Stone Laboratory in fifth grade.

Friendship can mean many things but having a person in your corner that you can turn to in any situation is what friendship means to me. A friend is someone who will lift you up when you are feeling down and will be a helping hand to guide you. A friend will be there when you need a shoulder to cry on or a cheer to motivate you. A friend will listen when you need to talk or give you space when you need to be alone. A friend is someone who you would go above and beyond for to make sure they are ok. Friendship is a dynamic relationship in which two individuals are there for each other and support each other equally. Friends can come in groups or just as individuals. But ultimately, though friendships may come and go, a friend is someone who came into your life and made an impact for the better.

The biggest change that I wish to see, particularly within the United States as a whole, is in the severe political polarization that we see taking over our nation. The lack of working together despite our differences shows extreme weakness in our democracy and leadership. It is important for the functioning of our country for both sides to be able to work across the aisle for the good of its citizens, however, it is also something that is becoming less and less common as time goes on. I am acting locally to help make a difference in this area in particular by co-leading a nonpartisan political engagement group on my campus called Raise Your Voice for the third year now. This group aims to help college students register to vote, educate themselves about the political sphere, and learn how to use their voices to enact positive change in our country. We host tabling events to celebrate civic holidays, as well as debate watch parties during election season, and weekly meetings. It is of the utmost importance to us that there is a place for students from all backgrounds on our campus to come together, have discussions, and educate themselves in both a civil and beneficial way. I have also been a fellow for both the Campus Election Engagement Project and the Campus Vote Project, which are both nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations doing very similar work on a larger, national scale. I work to give back to my community through both advocacy and community service. In terms of advocacy, my work through several student organizations best exemplifies my commitment. Aside from Raise Your Voice, I have also been involved in Student Government for two years now. I first served as the Sophomore Class Senator before now serving on the Executive Board as a Student Trustee for the Otterbein Board of Trustees. As the Sophomore Class Senator, I served on the university’s Planning Committee and I am now serving on the Board’s Enrollment and Advancement Committee. These opportunities allow me to function as an advocate for all of the students within my campus community. In terms of community service, I have obtained over 100 service hours every year as a college student; receiving the Presidential Volunteer Service Award. Freshman year I was invited to join the Cardinal Corps Leaders, a team of students that organizes and runs all of the service opportunities on campus. For three years now I have worked with this group, first as the Public Relations Chair and now as the Vice President. Through this team, I have participated in many different organizations, including working in our university’s Community Garden. Last year I also served on the Executive Board of my chapter of the Alpha Lambda Delta and Phi Eta Sigma joint national honors society as the Community Service Chair. In this role, I both organized and participated in community service events for our members. I have always found service to be extremely important and it has become one of the most rewarding components of my college experience. I have found college to be such an amazing period of unity for everyone around me, even throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. I hope that the work that I have been participating in within my community, and the experience that I have shared with many of my peers throughout my college experience, is a start towards helping our country become united once again. Despite our political divides, there should always be a sense of humanity in everything that we do and I hope that we are able to see a positive change towards a more accepting country in the future. I look forward to continuing to act locally to help enact this positive change as soon as possible!

After being waitlisted for my first-choice college, I had to transition to make a new decision for what my future was going to hold. Although at the time I felt extremely discouraged, I am beyond grateful for the outcome of my setback because of the opportunities that I have been able to take advantage of during my undergraduate career. Choosing my college home taught me numerous things; first, as cliché as it may sound, “trusting the process” is a phrase I have learned to truly lean into. Although like many I have heard that saying a lot, I never considered it to mean anything particular to me until I found my home at Otterbein. I have also learned how to take my feelings of remorse and resentment and turn them into a positive motivator for my future. In college, I am working harder than ever to achieve my goals. I have involved myself in many organizations and have taken on several leadership roles, all while continuing to strive for more out of myself. I have previously been the Sophomore Class Senator in Student Government and am now serving on the Executive Board as one of two Student Trustees on the Otterbein Board of Trustees. I have been the Public Relations Chair and am currently the Vice President of the Cardinal Corps Leaders, and I am in my second year of co-leading the nonpartisan voting group, Raise Your Voice. Finally, I am also involved in Women for Economic Leadership Development and have been the Community Service Chair for the Alpha Lambda Delta and Phi Eta Sigma National Honors Societies. I have learned that even though you should trust that what lies ahead of you will be the right path, you should still never stop working to achieve your dreams.

I work to give back to my community through both advocacy and community service. In terms of advocacy, my work through several student organizations best exemplifies my commitment. Raise Your Voice is a team of students working to increase student voter education and awareness, it is my third year as a member and second year as a leader of this group. I have also been involved in Student Government for two years, first as the Sophomore Class Senator and now serving on the Executive Board as a Student Trustee for the Otterbein Board of Trustees. As the Sophomore Class Senator, I served on the Planning Committee and I will now serve on the Board’s Enrollment and Advancement Committee. These opportunities allow me to function as an advocate for students in my campus community. In terms of community service, I have obtained over 100 service hours every year as a college student. Freshman year I was invited to join the Cardinal Corps Leaders, a team of students organizing and running all of the service opportunities on campus. For three years now I have worked with this group, first as the Public Relations Chair and now as the Vice President. Through this team, I have participated in many different facets, including working in our university’s Community Garden. Last year I also served on the Executive Board of my chapter of the Alpha Lambda Delta and Phi Eta Sigma joint national honors society as the Community Service Chair. In this role, I organized and participated in community service events for our members. I have always found service to be extremely important and it has become one of the most rewarding components of my college experience. I look forward to continuing to act locally to affect positive change in my future!

I believe that the biggest problem facing the world today is climate change and the sustainability of our environment for future generations. One way we can work to mitigate this issue is through revisions of current environmental policy and enacting new environmental policy. There are several innovative policy changes that could help put our society at least a few steps closer to curbing the climate crisis. First, moving away from gas-powered cars in exchange for electric vehicles is an important step for the future as we continue to inch closer to peak oil capacity. In order to help accommodate for this change, it is likely necessary for governments to regulate electric vehicle charging in order to minimize confusion and create a single cohesive network of chargers across the country. Next, both solar and wind power have proven to be clearly advantageous for environmental sustainability. Continuing to provide tax incentives for individuals and businesses considering renewable energy as an option will likely be crucial for the time being. Though putting a policy in place mandating that businesses reach a certain amount of energy production through the use of Renewable Energy Credits based on their business size might be too strict for the time being, I certainly see it as an option in the near future in order to preserve our environment. Ultimately, I believe that the deciding factor for the future of our world is rooted in innovation. Without the ingenuity of others working together, we would have far fewer options to help us limit our carbon footprint and move forward as a society. Though inventions like solar power and electric vehicles are monumental in the work to curb the climate crisis, it is only through the continued improval of these innovations that society might be able to live more sustainably.

Learning about politics has drastically changed how I view the political sphere as well as the outcome of my career. All throughout my childhood, the subject of politics was not something that was discussed heavily in any aspect of my life. It wasn’t until my first government class in my junior year of high school that I started to even begin to understand and comprehend the subject. From then on, politics became a very significant subject in my life because of the implications and importance of this impactful civic duty. Unable to vote yet as a seventeen-year-old, I began making my parents' documents with all of the candidates' names, parties, and platform information after looking up sample ballots and candidate details. The morning of my eighteenth birthday, the first thing I did after waking up was register to vote on the Secretary of State’s website. Now, four years later as a junior in college, I am just a short year away from finishing my degree as a Political Science, Sustainability Studies, and Environmental Science triple major with a minor in Legal Studies. Throughout college, I have both continued and developed my passion for educating others about politics and the political system in a nonpartisan manner by leading a team named Raise Your Voice. In this group, I help lead students working to increase student voter registration and engagement on my campus. I was also a Campus Election Engagement Fellow for a year before then becoming a Democracy Fellow through the Campus Vote Project, which I am now in the second year of. Though it is not one specific thing I learned that changed my perspective, it was through learning and gaining a better understanding of a larger subject as a whole that encouraged my path in life today.

As a student at a small private institution not every major is available to me, however, I have always had a resounding love and passion for the environment and policy. To combat the lack of an Environmental Policy major at my school, I decided to forge my own path by triple majoring in Environmental Science, Political Science, and Sustainability Studies with a minor in Legal Studies. Even though combining majors has not been an easy process, I have found it to be extremely rewarding because I have been able to study what I am passionate about while staying at a university that I have come to love. With less than three semesters left in my undergraduate career, I hope to soon be able to advance my education even further by obtaining either a Master’s degree in Environmental Policy or a Juris Doctor to specialize in Environmental Law. By integrating my academic interests in science and policy with my love for philanthropy and the environment, I hope to truly be able to make an impact in our world for the better. I think that there are several innovative policy changes that could help put our society at least a few steps closer to curbing the climate crisis. First, after working as the Sustainability Intern for the City of Westerville Electric Division this past summer, I have seen and worked directly with policy regarding electric vehicles. Though the production of batteries and the maintenance of charging stations for these vehicles is not entirely environmentally sustainable, moving away from gas-powered cars is an important step for the future as we continue to seemingly inch closer and closer to hitting peak oil capacity. For electric vehicles, I think that it would be both helpful and important to implement policy relating to the market specifically. Buyers will not begin to purchase this newer technology until it becomes convenient to them and I believe that by not mandating a specific charging standard, what is already confusing for some can become even more confusing. In order to help accommodate for this change, it is important that the government regulates electric vehicle charging in order to minimize confusion and create a single cohesive network of chargers across the country. Next, both solar and wind power have proven to be clearly advantageous for the sustainability of the environment, as well as other renewable energy resources like hydropower. I feel as though continuing to provide tax incentives for individuals and businesses considering renewable energy as an option will be crucial for the time being. Though putting a policy in place mandating that businesses reach a certain amount of energy production through the use of Renewable Energy Credits, or RECs, based on their business size might be too strict for the time being, I certainly see it as an option for the near future in order to preserve our environment. Ultimately, I believe that the deciding factor for the future of our world is rooted in innovation. Without the ingenuity of others working together, we would have far fewer options to help us limit our carbon footprint and move forward as a society. Though inventions like solar power and electric vehicles are monumental in the work to curb the climate crisis, it is only through the continued improval of these innovations that society might be able to live more sustainably. Environmental policy is a crucial component in curbing the climate crisis and I cannot wait to begin to work in such an impactful and ever-expanding field.

Hello! My name is Hannah Sturgeon and I am a junior undergraduate student at Otterbein University. I am currently on track to graduate a semester early next year with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in three majors: Environmental Science, Sustainability Studies, and Political Science, with a minor in Legal Studies. After graduating, I plan to further my studies by either going to graduate school to obtain a Master's Degree in Environmental Policy or by going to law school to receive my Juris Doctor while specializing in Environmental Law. My goal within my career is to be able to work between corporations, the community, and the government in order to help find and implement better ways to use, store, and obtain resources. By combining my interest in science and policy with my love for philanthropy and the environment through education, I hope to truly be able to make an impact in our world for the better. I am working to achieve my dreams by becoming heavily involved in several organizations on campus. I have found that by striving to become more involved I can get the most out of my college experience. Previously I have served as the Sophomore Class Senator in Student Government, the Community Service Chair for the Alpha Lambda Delta and Phi Eta Sigma joint National Honors Societies, and the Public Relations Chair for the Cardinal Corps Leaders. I am currently serving as Vice President for the Cardinal Corps Leaders, leader of Raise Your Voice, and a Student Trustee on the Otterbein Board of Trustees. My college experience has helped me find my passions as well as become a stronger student and leader within my community. I try to give back to my community in many ways, through both advocacy and community service. In terms of advocacy, my work through Raise Your Voice, as well as my involvement in Student Government and the Otterbein Board of Trustees best exemplifies my commitment. Working with Raise Your Voice for a total of three years now, I have since been co-leading the student voter engagement and education group for two years. As the Sophomore Class Senator and Planning Committee member in Student Government I wanted to do even more, later receiving the Student Trustee position this year where I will serve on the Board’s Enrollment and Advancement Committee. In terms of community service, I have obtained over 100 service hours every year as a college student and I have been a part of the Cardinal Corps Leaders, a team of students organizing and running all of the service opportunities on campus, for three years now. Giving back has become a crucial component of my college experience and I look forward to being able to do even more in the future. Ultimately, my college experience has opened me up to a world of opportunity and I could not be more excited to see what my future has to hold. Seeing how my passions have grown and developed throughout my college experience, as well as seeing others grow along with me, is what excites me most about this world. Witnessing generations learn and develop together gives me immense hope for the future.

My #Back2SchoolBold moments have been inspired by staying involved with my campus and the local community. Working with the Center for Community Engagement I represented my organization, the Cardinal Corps Leaders, during a tabling event at the end of the first week of school for students to get to know more about involvement on campus. As the Vice President of the Cardinal Corps Leaders, I am proud to help coordinate the team of students that organizes and runs all of the community service opportunities at Otterbein. Another passion I have found in school is leading a student voter engagement and registration group, Raise Your Voice. Through Raise Your Voice, I have been a fellow for the Campus Election Engagement Project and Campus Vote Project. This year I will be launching the Ohio Student Voting Network along with my fellow classmate. Finally, before classes even started I was able to help lead a service event that has been a tradition at Otterbein for over 20 years. Speaking alongside our City Mayor and the President of my University, I helped kick off an event hosting over 100 freshmen in 18 different service locations across our community.

Oftentimes individuals struggling with their mental health need someone to listen to them and provide support for them. Although every situation is different, that is what I personally have experienced with my friends and family as well as what I needed when struggling with my own mental health. While there is of course still work to be done, society today is becoming much better at both recognizing and attempting to understand the struggles that others are facing, while also learning how to best adapt and help. I think that a practical solution to the ever-present issue of mental health struggles would be to continue this education and outreach by providing a unit in health classes surrounding the topic of mental health. Mandated in very few states, this idea is not yet commonplace in today’s curriculum. Syllabi changes have happened in the past and continue to happen today, so this would not be a farfetched request. By beginning to acknowledge differences and difficulties that others might face in the sphere of mental health at a young age, we can continue to reduce the stigma surrounding the topic while teaching individuals how to help those, including themselves, who may be struggling with mental health. Forming a society that is more desensitized to differences in mental health can make individuals needing help feel more comfortable seeking and receiving it. We are beginning to see that more and more today as therapy continues to be recognized as something to be praised, rather than something to look down upon. There are always improvements to be made as to how we deal with mental health as a society and I think that this would be a logical place to start.

As the oldest of four girls, I learned very quickly growing up that there were not many things able to keep everyone in our household both entertained and quiet at the same time. There was an exception, however, for Disney’s Fantasia. This animated film fascinated me from the very start. I still remember sitting, surrounded by my family, watching all of the colors and characters dance across the screen while listening to the elegant classical music. A movie unlike any other I had ever seen before, I was easily captivated even though the film lacked any words at all. Fantasia impacted both my life and my childhood by giving me a deeper appreciation for music at such a young age, as well as a love and captivation for the magic of animation and all of that goes into it.

I vividly remember the first time that I read through what has now become one of my favorite books of all time. Whether sitting in my room, on the bus home from school, or during a break in between classes, I took every opportunity I could to read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Unlike any novel that I had ever read before, I found myself both fascinated and distraught when following the story of a young girl, Liesel, living during a time riddled with oppression from the Nazi regime. Although surely not an uplifting story, this book spoke to me because of how fascinated and driven by books and knowledge Liesel was. As a young girl myself anxiously scrutinizing this book for the first time, I was able to connect with the protagonist through our shared interest in reading. One of the only ways that our lives were similar, this story put into perspective how grateful I am for the life I have. Even though historical novels usually do not fall among my preferred subject areas, there are so many different facets of this book in particular that make it my favorite. Narrated by the role of Death himself, it is exceptionally hard to not sympathize with the characters and the harrowing time that they are living through; as even Death occasionally has difficulties. Though there are many books written about or surrounding the time period of World War II, the unique nature of this book makes it stand out clearly in my mind. I find that the most memorable books put me in a place to form emotional connections to a character or storyline, Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief certainly did that for me.

To me, school spirit can be defined as the sense of belonging and identity that you feel when surrounded by others in your academic community. This photo represents school spirit because it shows my roommate and I attending the first football game of the season during our freshman year. It was an away game and we all carpooled together with our friends from across the hall, one of which was a cheerleader. We were so excited to see our friend cheer and to watch the football game with other Otterbein fans too!

My biggest artistic ambition comes in a category that one might not expect when thinking about traditional art forms. Rather inexperienced with a pen or brush, what creative abilities I do have I am learning to uncover in speech. At the end of my freshman year of college, I was invited to address a crowd of over 1,000 people gathered to hear the kickoff town hall event for John Kerry’s World War Zero coalition. With John Kasich and Arnold Schwarzenegger as his guests, I introduced the three while welcoming them to the University that I call home. Public speaking has always been something that has terrified me, yet still, it is consistently a skill that I have looked up to and aspired to be good at. Although my experience with the subject is far from vast, throughout college I have taken advantage of many opportunities to increase my comfort level when speaking in public. In my first semester of college I was given the unique chance to participate in a student debate panel, before CNN’s Democratic Presidential Debate was hosted on my campus. In a room full of media, our group discussed current issues that we wanted to see addressed by the candidates. Public speaking is something that I feel very passionate about because I view it as one of the best ways for me to fulfill my desire to make meaningful change in the world. As an Environmental Science, Political Science, and Sustainability Studies triple major, I want to unite these topics that I feel extremely fervent about through public speaking. By combining my interests in science and policy with my love for philanthropy and the environment, I hope to truly be able to make an impact in our world for the better through speech.

My biggest artistic ambition comes in a category that one might not expect when thinking about traditional art forms. Rather inexperienced with a pen or brush, what creative abilities I do have I am learning to uncover in speech. Public speaking has always been something that has terrified me, yet still, it is consistently a skill I have looked up to and aspired to be good at. No matter what setting I am in, small or large, in-person or virtual, I have always struggled to be comfortable speaking out. However, my college experience is very rapidly changing that. In my first semester of college I was given the extremely unique opportunity to participate in several events, including a student debate panel, before CNN’s Democratic Presidential Debate was hosted on my campus. In a panel with nine others, we discussed and debated current issues and hot topics that we wanted to see addressed by the candidates. In a room full of media, I was able to get a glimpse of just some of the effects that public speaking can have. Later that year I was invited to address a crowd of over 1,000 people gathered to hear the kickoff town hall event for John Kerry’s World War Zero coalition. With John Kasich and Arnold Schwarzenegger as his guests, I introduced the three while welcoming them and their guests to the University that I call home. Although my experience in the subject is far from vast, throughout college I have taken advantage of many opportunities to increase my comfort level when speaking in public. My biggest ambition in the realm of public speaking is to one day be able to feel composed and assertive on the inside, even though sometimes that may be what I am projecting on the outside. This scholarship can help me bring that vision to life because it will allow me to further my education while continuing to participate in and take advantage of as many experiences as possible during my college career. Public speaking is something that I feel very passionate about because I view it as one of the best ways for me to fulfill my desire to make meaningful change in the world. As an Environmental Science, Political Science, and Sustainability Studies triple major, I want to unite these topics that I feel extremely fervent about through public speaking. By combining my interests in science and policy with my love for philanthropy and the environment, I hope to truly be able to make an impact in our world for the better through speech.

Like many others, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has taken away more from my college experience than I could have ever anticipated. However, it has also allowed me to better understand and appreciate what truly matters most: my family, friends, and community. The pandemic blessed me in one of the most beautiful and unexpected ways. For the first time in four years, I wasn’t going to be working my regular summer lifeguarding job with people that I had grown to love. Nevertheless, a new opportunity presented itself when my high school swim coach asked if I would be willing to nanny for her newborn triplets. I have always loved kids, so I welcomed this opportunity with open arms. Spending most weekdays filled with cuddles, tears, diapers, and milestones; Liam, Peyton, and Reese became the perfect unexpected best friends. During a time of so much uncertainty, I was lucky to be able to form a routine that still allowed me to grow while doing something that I loved so very much. Still seeing the babies frequently, I will undoubtedly never be able to forget this global pandemic, and all that it both gave and took from me.

In eighth grade, I chose to switch from Spanish to Latin as my foreign language for high school. It was this decision that introduced me to the educator who heavily impacted my journey in higher education. My high school had one teacher for all four years and classes of the Latin program, and that was Mr. Fisher. Although I was only in Latin through my junior year, I still spent a significant amount of time in Mr. Fisher’s very familiar classroom during my senior year, in the months leading up to my college decision. Mr. Fisher was a generally calm man for someone who had such an immense capacity for the seemingly never-ending energy of his students. After spending three years with the same class and people, we were able to get to know one another well, becoming very comfortable with one another and our classroom environment. Even when I was no longer a member of his class, Mr. Fisher still worked to understand and connect with me about my college application process. He is one of the teachers that you know you are lucky to have because of the unique and sincere way that he cares and connects with each and every one of his students. Looking back on my senior year of high school I wish I was able to enjoy it more, but the stress of making a decision for the next four years of my life was extremely hard for me to overcome. Mr. Fisher impacted my higher education journey by directly helping me make the selection that has ultimately led to the biggest opportunities of my life so far. By taking time out of his days at work, he talked with me individually many times when I was struggling with anxiety about the future to come. During a time that was certainly overwhelming for many, he provided a place where I felt comfortable enough to share exactly how I was feeling, and then followed up my thoughts with constructive knowledge and advice of his own. Without Mr. Fisher’s reassurance and guidance, I would certainly not be where I am today on my higher education journey. Some of the biggest influences in my life have come in the form of educators throughout each stage of my student experience. From Mrs. Giovannelli instilling in me a love for learning in fourth grade, to Mr. Reding helping me find what motivates me as a junior in high school, to now as Dr. Svitana fosters my career aspirations in college. All of these teachers and more have helped me in numerous ways, however, Mr. Fisher was the one who helped me directly in my journey to pursuing higher education. Even as a junior in college now, a full four years since I was a student in his class, he talked with me at my sister's high school graduation about where my college decision has placed me. I am almost certain that he did not expect the anxious, uncertain kid who walked into his classroom regularly seeking help in high school, to now be a triple major involved in many experiences on campus. I will forever be grateful for the leadership of educators like Mr. Fisher who have taught me skills that have both allowed and encouraged me to work to get where I am today.

“Get to the wall as fast as you possibly can” was a sentence that I heard before nearly every event during my 13-year swimming career. Whether delivered via text or word of mouth, I came to become very familiar with this one sentence. Although at times it may have frustrated me when I failed to perform to the best of my abilities, the one constant during my time as a swimmer was hearing those ten words over and over again from my dad. There are many quotes that I could have picked for this prompt, yet this one immediately stood out in my mind. My dad has been one of the biggest motivators in my life from athletics to academics; he has taught me how to push myself, all while never once doubting what I am capable of. As the oldest of four daughters, I was able to see how passionate my dad becomes for what his children love at a very young age. Although this saying might not appear to apply to any other aspect of my life besides swimming, to me it means so much more than what it initially referred to. I now perceive “the wall” as any goal that I am trying to achieve in life, and while getting there fast is not always the best approach, “as fast as you possibly can” symbolizes to me the hard work and determination that it takes to reach the end result. Many quotes, such as “trust the process” or the bible verse “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” have stuck with me at different times throughout my life. However, the one quote that I will always be able to turn to for motivation, and a reminder of how lucky I am to have a family that is so loving and supportive of me, came from my dad. “Get to the wall as fast as you possibly can” not only reminds me of years past, but it motivates me for the future to come.

I have always had a resounding love and appreciation for science ever since I was a little girl. While my specific subject matter of interest has shifted over time; my infatuation for the subject has been unwavering. Along with the subject matter, the goals that I have set for myself have also continued to evolve and expand. Although my freshman year of college I started with a double major in Environmental Science and Political Science, my sophomore year I added Sustainability Studies as a minor before then changing it to my third major just the next semester. Studying science has always been a part of the vision that I have had for my life. My plans for academic study currently consist of graduating from Otterbein University a semester early with three Bachelors of Arts degrees. After graduating, I plan to further my studies by either going to graduate school in order to obtain a Masters in Environmental Policy, or by going to law school to specialize in Environmental Law. I am most interested in using my education to become either an Environmental Lobbyist, an Environmental Policy Analyst, an Environmental Science Specialist, or an Environmental Lawyer. My dream in the field of STEM is to be able to work between corporations, the community, and the government in order to help find, implement, and develop better ways to use, store, and obtain resources. I have worked hard to achieve my goals so far, and I will continue to work even harder in order to set myself up for success in the future. A major component in my education has been participating in external extracurricular activities that are helping me to become a better leader and a more well-rounded individual overall. By participating in organizations, such as the Cardinal Corps Leaders at Otterbein University, I have been able to help lead and provide a variety of volunteer opportunities for students on campus. Along with volunteering, I was elected to serve as one of two student trustees, who sit as voting members on Otterbein’s Board of Trustees. Through this opportunity, I will learn more about the governing mechanisms of a board, as well as how to best serve a constituency. It is because of numerous experiences like this that I have expanded my view of the future to include yet another subject that I have become very passionate about, philanthropy. Aside from volunteering, my participation in the job market through both internships and fellowships has made me even more excited for my future. Experiencing an eight to five office job for the first time has taught me copious amounts about what to expect out of a healthy work environment and the job interview process. Through my involvement in the workforce I have built my organization and communication skills immensely, all while expanding my knowledge and network even further. By taking advantage of as many opportunities as possible throughout my college experience, I have exceeded the goals that I had originally set for myself, all while furthering my plan in order to help me achieve all of my dreams in the field of STEM. The environment and natural sciences have always been subjects that I have felt extremely passionate about. By combining my interest in science and policy with my love for philanthropy and the environment, I hope to truly be able to make an impact in our world for the better.