The Ohio State University ‘19
Industrial Design Major and Engineering Minor
15 years at CSG

Laying the foundation for success

I’ve never viewed myself as being particularly academically gifted, but the environment at CSG allowed me to excel even at my weakest subjects. As I became more responsible for my education, I found that for any extra effort I was willing to put in, my teachers were more than ready to meet me halfway. The unending support and encouragement that I received at CSG helped me become not only a more dedicated student, but a more empathetic person as well.

Beyond the classroom

I focused a lot of my efforts on activities outside of the classroom that allowed me to express and challenge myself in different ways. I was involved in Tennis, Robotics, Choir, Grace Notes, Theater Light Crew, and Student Council throughout my high school career. I could not have imagined being brave enough to try and commit myself to so many and vastly different activities. I surprised myself because they were all done out of genuine interest and passion. This kind of overwhelming curiosity will stay with me for the rest of my life. Being involved in such different areas of activity, I was able to develop applicable skills but also gain a vast amount of knowledge firsthand. Experiencing so many different things allows me to think and approach even the simplest tasks from multiple, unique angles.

Finding a college home

The college process did not go as smoothly as I had originally anticipated, (but I would soon discover that this would be a consistent pattern throughout my young adult life.) Even with a strong and thorough application, (double checked by my infallible college counselor), we were both baffled with some of the results. While initially disappointed, I do believe that I ended up at exactly the right school for me. The larger class sizes took some time to get used to, but they challenged me to grow even more. The campus offers such a wide variety of activities to satiate my curiosity. In the past years, I’ve experienced being an Army cadet in ROTC, becoming more involved in social activism, suffering the pain of a Mechanical Engineering student, and the hard-earned victory of becoming an Industrial Designer.

MEANINGFUL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Throughout my CSG career, I was fortunate enough to be recognized by the faculty and my peers. By my senior year, I had been Class President for 3 years; Robotics Design Component Team Lead for 2 years; and Robotics Team Captain, Tennis Captain, Lighting Crew Head, and Choir and Grace Notes Section Leader for a year. I was also honored to receive the Virginia Colgan McCloud Award which is given annually to a senior who, “in the opinion of her classmates, best exemplifies the qualities of friendship, responsibility, and continuing loyalty to the school.” As a junior I was recognized with the Vassar College Trophy, which is awarded “to the student who, in the opinion of her classmates and teachers, demonstrates outstanding scholarship, leadership in the service of the school, and good citizenship.” In addition, I was named a Scholar Athlete by The Columbus Dispatch, and was presented with the Walz Music Cup, an award given to “that choir member who, through her leadership, loyalty, and musical ability, has made the strongest possible contribution to the organization she serves.”

The awards and recognition were absolutely amazing to receive, but more importantly, these allowed me to realize, recognize, and find confidence in my own abilities and strengths. Growing up in a time in which grades were the main measurement of success, it was comforting to know that I was not doomed to a life of mediocrity because I didn’t have a 4.0 GPA. To this day, regardless of the type of activity, organization, or class of which I am a part, my peers, teachers, and professors acknowledge and look to me as a leader. This is an honor I will never forget and will continue to strive for and uphold in the future.

Future ambitions

After being accepted into OSU’s Industrial Design program, I hope to continue my passion of creating meaningful connections. Currently, I am involved with and designing for three student organizations, designing for local businesses, as well as commissioning original pieces of furniture. Since the design program is a strict 4-year program, I look forward to coming to terms and justifying my 6 years of undergraduate studies with an engineering minor and many internships (fingers crossed!).