Honors Experiences
Spring 2021: Honors English Composition
This spring semester, I participated in my first honors experience. I enrolled in the seminar Honors English Composition, or ENGL 2089. For the experience, I attended class every week and completed assignments relevant to the core objectives of the class. I learned about different rhetorical strategies and applied them to different articles and multimodal texts throughout the semester. At the beginning of the semester, while I had discussed some of these topics in my English class before, I was not confident in my essay writing. However, by the end of the semester, I had improved immensely. Therefore, for my example piece, I have included my final essay from my seminar. In the essay, I discuss a controversy in our society and conduct a research analysis on the topic. For my topic, I chose sex education. I looked at how teachers, educators, and others with influence in our education systems feel we should improve the sex education curriculum. Using a variety of primary sources, I discussed the different takes on this controversy and suggest that there is a solution to it. I feel that this paper exemplifies my experience in this honors seminar because it shows the progression of my writing ability from the start to the end of the semester. Also, it highlights several core objectives we learned throughout the course.
Summer 2021: UHP Discover
During my summer, I participated in UHP Discover as a pre-approved honors experience. I matched with a faculty mentor, Dr. David Niven, and his research project for the duration of the program. Dr. Niven’s project was entitled: Life and Death Decisions: County District Attorneys and the Death Penalty in Texas. For this project, I worked on discovering if it is the prosecutor or the county’s population that influences the death penalty rate. Some examples of my work were examining newspaper articles to find information regarding the DAs; organizing census data going back to 1970; collecting election data from presidential races and ballot proposition elections. In addition to this work, I also attended research seminar sessions each Friday to enhance my current knowledge of the research process and components of researching through the library.
Working with Dr. Niven on this project has opened my eyes to how broadly research can be applied. I came into this project believing that research was typically just for academia or only used in STEM. This was quickly thrown out the window as I learned more about Dr. Niven’s previous and current work. While I don’t plan to continue my career in pure research, I have found a new appreciation for how research is used in other fields.
The table is provided by Dr. David Niven. The table is an example of some of the work that I have completed over the summer. It highlights the disparity between White and Black victims and how that affects the death penalty.
Blind Injustice: LAW 2002
This spring semester, I had the privilege of enrolling in Blind Injustice: The Psychology and Politics of Wrongful Convictions, taught by Professor Mark Godsey at UC Law School. The course focuses on various aspects of the American criminal justice system that lead to wrongful convictions. Professor Godsey invited a speaker each week, some of whom were wrongfully convicted. Some of the speakers included Amanda Knox, a wrongfully convicted woman; Justice Michael Donnelly, an Ohio Supreme Court Justice; and Nancy Smith, an Ohio Innocence Project client that was later exonerated during our class tenure.
Ultimately, to say this class inspired me would be an understatement. Particularly, Nancy Smith’s case illuminated the severe consequences a wrongful conviction has on a family and a community. I grew up in the county Nancy Smith was convicted in, and I currently live in the county over. Ironically, you could say her case hit home for me. Through learning and developing my expertise in this area, I have already begun to inform my family and friends about the current state of our criminal justice system and what we, as citizens, can do to rectify the situation within our communities.
My final project for this course was a paper and presentation about a wrongful conviction in the U.S., specifically one that had a book or movie adaptation. I chose a case about a man named Ronald Cotton. Mr. Cotton was wrongfully convicted of rape in the 1980s. In my paper, I used my knowledge of aspects of the system that contribute to wrongful conviction to analyze what went wrong in Mr. Cotton’s case. This paper represents the culmination of my learning throughout the semester and is a catalyst for my continuing passion for criminal justice reform.
Summer 2022: UHP Discover
This summer, I participated in UHP Discover; an honors experience centered on non-STEM research. Specifically, I had the privilege of working on Dr. Ivan Ivanov's research project, ‘Adaptability of Organizations in the Post-COVID World'. International Organizations, such as the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, faced the difficult task of formulating responses to effectively and efficiently combat COVID-19. My role in the research was to accumulate a database that summarized all official documents published by the respective international organizations that dealt with COVID-19. Then, I sorted the documents for the EU into broad categories, such as financial measures, technological developments, and vaccinations. Along with my work for Dr. Ivanov, I also attended sessions on professional development that corresponded with our research environment.
Working with Dr. Ivanov has not only solidified my understanding of international relations, but also enhanced my interest in pursuing further study in the discipline. It was fascinating connecting my previous knowledge of international organizations with research that advances the field. I hope to continue to foster my passion for international affairs and relations as I continue my academic career at UC.
This document is a summary of the work that I completed over the summer. Using the databases I created, I formulated my thoughts and conclusions on the ability of international organizations in the wake of COVID-19. The report is the culmination of the research I completed and is a testament to the databases it is based on.
Autumn 2022: Study Abroad
This past semester I had the privilege of studying abroad at the University of Birmingham in Birmingham, England. During my time there I was enrolled in three modules (classes): International Relations Theory, Human Rights and Development, and History of Political Ideas. My time abroad was influential academically and personally. My courses taught me a different perspective on the discipline of Political Science. The focus of the subject is different abroad which was great for diversifying my academic schedule.
I became a lot more independent and confident. I traveled all over the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and France. During my travels, I learned how to be self-sufficient and adaptable to different circumstances. For example, when traveling to Dublin, I was put on a different connection to Wales than the rest of my friends. This meant I would be going to Shrewsbury, a small town in England, all by myself at 10:00 p.m. While I did end up making it to Wales safely, the experience helped me work on adapting to problems that arise last minute.
For my showcase, I decided to show pictures of my travels across the United Kingdom. The pictures exemplify my honours experience because they highlight the new skills that I developed while traveling: resilience, adaptability, and organisation. With each place I visited, I strengthened these skills. Each picture comes from a different point in my travels or from a different experience. Together, as a gallery, they showcase all of the new experiences that lead to my growth as a person. At the end of the semester, I can confidently say that I am more secure in my independence. I hope to use these skills going forward at UC and post-graduation.
Autumn 2022: Study Abroad
This spring, I’ve continued my study abroad experience at the University of Birmingham in Birmingham, England. As I’ve reflected on how best to summarize my experience, one quote in particular has stood out to me. In Taylor Swift’s song “You’re On Your Own, Kid” (2022) she sings:
'Cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned
Everything you lose is a step you take
So, make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it
You've got no reason to be afraid
You're on your own, kid
Yeah, you can face this
Ms. Swift’s words have resonated with me as I’ve gone through the reflection process because of how well they encompass my study abroad journey. In Swift’s song, she experiences fear and apprehension at the start. But, as she progresses, she learns that she can handle what comes her way and enjoy the experiences. Coming back for a second semester in the UK was daunting. It meant more adjustments and time zone math, but it also held the promise of exciting adventures. As I’ve spent more time living in a different country, I’ve become more independent, open-minded, and confident. I’ve learned that I can “face this” and I’m capable of doing something that once intimidated me. Now, because of this experience, I plan to come back to England and hopefully work in the legal field after graduating from law school.
To represent this experience, I’ve chosen to highlight different pictures from my travels and adventures. Each picture showcased represents another page turned, a step taken, or a friendship bracelet made. Separately, they symbolize a trip or a good memory, but collectively, they create a timeline of my development and growth. I’ll be the first to admit that it's bittersweet leaving the UK, but I have confidence that the skills and memories I’ve acquired here will last a lifetime.