Columbus Fever
This week has been the most eventful in terms of meetings at OSU and activities in the Columbus area. Before we get to the festivities that bombarded my weekend, I must pay tribute to the wonderful people that I met and had conversations with.
Did I mention how much I love to talk? Well, believe it or not, I do! I love the one-on-one conversations with people, and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting with and taking a tour with Thyrone Henderson, followed by a conversation with Molly Calhoun, and ending my Monday with a discussion with Michelle Bangen. The day was hectic, but having had the opportunity to meet Thyrone, the Director of Construction and Renovation Projections and Leadership Conferences Services, and Molly, the Associate Vice President over areas such as Facilities, Mgt., and Logistics (FML), was fantastic! I underestimated the impact a building can have on community building. The logistics behind building a new residence hall is more in depth than I realized, and I loved hearing that students’ input was take into account.
Meeting with Michelle was a catalyst for my research interests (THANK YOU, DOUG)! It turns out that the Student Wellness Center has similar initiatives that I am trying to implement at OSU. The program that is going to be implemented in the Fall semester seeks to prevent sexual misconduct and educate students on consent, which I will be aiding in collecting information and providing feedback on materials to better these initiatives. There is less focus on the international student population, so I am gathering information across the campus and meeting with other offices to fully grasp what resources are available to international students in regard to consent and the code of student conduct. I am EXCITED!
Throughout the week, I also had the opportunity to meet with Scott Boden, the Associate Director of Residence Life, and Gina Daniele, the Immigration Coordinator in the Office of International Affairs. Both contributed to my findings on resources available to international students, and it was great hearing about their backgrounds and their positions. I thrive on these one-on-one conversations and discussing peoples’ passions! It is rejuvenating meeting with various people in many areas of the university who love what they do.
Finally, to wrap up the week we took advantage of what Columbus had to offer. Our MISL/NUFP cohort went Salsa Dancing at La Fogata, again. I have not danced so much in my life, and I forgot how much I love Spanish-influenced music! People filled the room, and festive music echoed through the hall. I would have stayed the entire night dancing if my feet were not screaming for mercy after a few hours. After we left, we came home to our normal game of Spades and called it a night as we had to be up in the morning for Zoombezi Bay Waterpark! Zoombezi Bay was so much FUN! We all enjoyed the water slides, the wave pool, and the Columbus Zoo that was attached to the water park. We bonded. We swam. And then we slept. After we arrived back on campus, most of us knocked out and called it a day. It was a very exciting weekend, and I absolutely love my cohort. Besides leaving the heart of O-H-I-O, the most difficult thing about this internship ending in a couple weeks is the departure from my MISL Family. But, we are not talking about it. At least, not now.
Did I mention how much I love to talk? Well, believe it or not, I do! I love the one-on-one conversations with people, and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting with and taking a tour with Thyrone Henderson, followed by a conversation with Molly Calhoun, and ending my Monday with a discussion with Michelle Bangen. The day was hectic, but having had the opportunity to meet Thyrone, the Director of Construction and Renovation Projections and Leadership Conferences Services, and Molly, the Associate Vice President over areas such as Facilities, Mgt., and Logistics (FML), was fantastic! I underestimated the impact a building can have on community building. The logistics behind building a new residence hall is more in depth than I realized, and I loved hearing that students’ input was take into account.
Meeting with Michelle was a catalyst for my research interests (THANK YOU, DOUG)! It turns out that the Student Wellness Center has similar initiatives that I am trying to implement at OSU. The program that is going to be implemented in the Fall semester seeks to prevent sexual misconduct and educate students on consent, which I will be aiding in collecting information and providing feedback on materials to better these initiatives. There is less focus on the international student population, so I am gathering information across the campus and meeting with other offices to fully grasp what resources are available to international students in regard to consent and the code of student conduct. I am EXCITED!
Throughout the week, I also had the opportunity to meet with Scott Boden, the Associate Director of Residence Life, and Gina Daniele, the Immigration Coordinator in the Office of International Affairs. Both contributed to my findings on resources available to international students, and it was great hearing about their backgrounds and their positions. I thrive on these one-on-one conversations and discussing peoples’ passions! It is rejuvenating meeting with various people in many areas of the university who love what they do.
Finally, to wrap up the week we took advantage of what Columbus had to offer. Our MISL/NUFP cohort went Salsa Dancing at La Fogata, again. I have not danced so much in my life, and I forgot how much I love Spanish-influenced music! People filled the room, and festive music echoed through the hall. I would have stayed the entire night dancing if my feet were not screaming for mercy after a few hours. After we left, we came home to our normal game of Spades and called it a night as we had to be up in the morning for Zoombezi Bay Waterpark! Zoombezi Bay was so much FUN! We all enjoyed the water slides, the wave pool, and the Columbus Zoo that was attached to the water park. We bonded. We swam. And then we slept. After we arrived back on campus, most of us knocked out and called it a day. It was a very exciting weekend, and I absolutely love my cohort. Besides leaving the heart of O-H-I-O, the most difficult thing about this internship ending in a couple weeks is the departure from my MISL Family. But, we are not talking about it. At least, not now.