Qué Pasa, OSU? - go to site

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Making Columbus Your HomeA Guide for New Graduate Students for the Next Two-Six YearsBy Cyndi Freeman , Director, Graduate Student Recruitment and Diversity Initiatives, The Graduate SchoolPHOTO BY BRUNO RIBEIROYour life has been a series of questionsand answers that have brought you to thispoint: you are about to become a graduateor professional student at The Ohio StateUniversity. For the next two, four, six oreight years, Columbus is where you willbe living and learning. Being able to makethis your “home” will be important to yoursuccess as a student.You will need to understand the demographicsof Columbus and Ohio State. Thisis much more than race and ethnicity. OhioState is the largest university in the UnitedStates; 39,209 undergraduate studentsand 10,097 graduate students, in the 16thlargest city. Ohio’s Latin@/Hispanic populationcomprises 2.3 percent of the totalstate population. According to the OhioDepartment of Development, most of theHispanic population growth has takenplace within the last 10 years. Since 2000the number of Latino/Hispanic individualsin Ohio increased by 22.4 percent. Threeout of every ten Latino/Hispanic lives inone of the three major cities Cleveland,Columbus, or Toledo. Overall, nearly 90percent of Ohio’s Latino/Hispanic residentslive in urban areas.With a growing, vital and diverseLatino population, Columbus is havingsome growing pains, but great opportunitiesas well. You need to make themost of this life experience. Socialactivities, cultural events, recreationand professional development are allpart of your experience in Columbus.And the city is full of surprises. WhenI arrived here threeyears ago, I was surprisedthat chorizo was available in themain meat case at Giant Eagle! There aremarkets specializing in Latino cuisineacross the city from Morse Road on theNorthside to the Westside. And thereare loads of dining options as well; fromthe taco trucks to Peruvian, Columbian,Venezuelan, Puerto Rico, Mexican andSpanish. While nothing is like yourgrandmother’s cooking, a taste of somethinglike home can really help.There are also annual events in thecity to help you connect with interestingpeople and have fun: from Red, White andBoom, to Comfest, to Festival Latino, andthe Dios Los Niños, Columbus has much tooffer. The Ohio Latino Commission, www.ochla.ohio.gov, provides a great deal ofinformation to the Latino community.Here are my recommendations for whatyou should seek to discover, which I hopewill help get you started here Columbus.Take a look at Columbus as a touristmight. Use Experience Columbus as a guide(www.experiencecolumbus.com) to findout about parks, museums, the zoo, annualevents and more..While your time is very precious, volunteeringmay offer just the connectionyou need to your new community.Whether your involvement in on-campusor in the community, not only will yoube providing service to others, but you'llalso be meeting other volunteers — likemindedbut diverse individuals who couldbe potential new friends.Subscribe to the Columbus Dispatch,one of the easiest ways to get the scoopon your new hometown is by reading thelocal paper. You will learn about the community,the local political scene and youhave to love the Sunday coupons!Might sound old fashioned, but get alibrary card. Libraries are more than books,you can check out DVDs, and find outabout local events.If you have children, register them forschool. The sooner your child can establisha regular routine, the easier it will be forthem to settle in.Don’t forget to get your driver’s licenseand license plates.Register to vote; make sure your voiceis heard here!Contact insurance companies, includinghousehold, auto and health. Find outif you need any changes.Make sure you connect with the Latinocommunity at The Ohio State University.¿Qué Pasa, OSU? supports a wonderfulweb link for Latino organizations, www.quepasa.osu.edu/organizations.Also, some final advice: don’t be afraidto ask questions and reach out. There arelots of people here, and they have not onlysurvived the experience you are beginning…but they have thrived!12
The Road Is CallingHow Study Abroad Can Complete Your College ExperienceBy Anna Gerber , Public Relations Coordinator, The Office of International AffairsHave you ever dreamed of studying centuries-oldarchitecture in Italy, of researchinganimal welfare in Australia, or justliving with a host family in Argentina?Every year, more than 60,000students step foot on Ohio State’scampuses to further their educationthrough academic, research, and professionalexperiences and many of themhave dreams about traveling they maybelieve impossible. In fact, the Officeof International Affairs at Ohio Statefacilitates international opportunitiesfor students and administers a varietyof study abroad programs. Ohio Stateoffers over 100 study abroad programsin 40 different countries, all of which aredesigned to celebrate diverse cultures,foster the exchange of ideas and supportthe growing international dimension ofOhio State. Study abroad is any internationalexperience gained in anothercountry, including classes, study-toursand internships. Close to 20 percent ofundergraduates have a study abroadexperience before they graduate.The global society in which we livehas made it increasingly important forstudents to have a broad understanding ofworld cultures, and an international experienceis becoming a crucial part of theireducation. Students need to have a globalperspective in order to be competitive intheir personal and professional lives, as theworld becomes an interdependent andinterconnected society.Evan Davis, a junior studying internationalstudies and political science, hasbeen on two study abroad experiences –one to Turkey, and one to Bolivia. “Studyabroad is an amazing experience that haschanged me as an individual by openingmy mind to new ideas, new cultures andnew viewpoints,” said Davis. “You learna lot about yourself and the world, nomatter what country you travel to.”In order to accommodate students’demanding schedules, the Office ofInternational Affairs offers a variety ofstudy abroad programs to help themcomplete some of their required courseworkabroad, during a time that works withtheir schedule. Programs are offered incountries around the world, with coursesoffered in almost any subject.There are two different kinds of OhioState sponsored study abroad programsfor students to choose from — shorttermand quarter-length. Quarter-lengthprograms vary from three to 10 weeks,and in most cases, consist of a group ofOhio State students studying togetherwith an Ohio State faculty or staff memberacting as a resident director. Short-termprograms offer students an experience,usually taught in English, that won’t interferewith their class time. An Ohio Statefaculty member teaches a pre-departureclass on campus, and then leads a programabroad for a period of time lasting from10 days to three weeks. Students usuallyreceive credit for their class on campus, aswell as their study time abroad.“The 10-day trip was the perfectamount of time to get a feel for the countryI was visiting, without having to miss anytime at Ohio State,” said sophomore developmentstudies major Ellen Noe of herspring break study in Bolivia.In addition to Ohio State sponsoredprograms, there are also co-sponsoredprograms, international exchangeprograms, and individualized studyprograms. Co-sponsored programs aremanaged by another U.S. or foreign institution,and allow students to becomeenrolled at another university in courseswith local and other foreign students.International exchange programs allowOhio State students to go abroad to anoverseas institution, while that schoolsends some of their students to OhioState to study. For students that cannotfind a program that quite fits their needs,they can design an individualized studyprogram, which will allow them to participatein an academic or work-relatedprogram, such as an internship, servicelearning,or research experience in anothercountry.There are many scholarship andfunding options available to study abroadstudents. Program costs vary widelydepending on the length, location, andtype of study abroad program, and scholarshipsare administered by the Office ofInternational Affairs. Students are eligibleto receive scholarships based on a numberof criteria, including demonstrated financialneed, hometown, major or course ofstudy, and even the region of the worldwhere they plan to study abroad.“The grant I received through Honorsand Scholars helped my family and I withsome of the program costs,” says sophomoreDevin Oliver. “My study abroad experienceopened my eyes to different careerpaths that I might consider, and reinforcedmy desire to learn a second language.I know that the experiences I had whileabroad will stick with me for life. It wastruly a life changing experience.”The most important thing to rememberwhen considering a study abroad programis to plan ahead. Attending an Office ofInternational Affairs “Getting Started”session is the first step to receive all thebasic information about study abroad.Students should speak to a study abroadcoordinator about their plans, as well astouch base with their academic advisor toassure that a study abroad program willfulfill their academic requirements. Takingthe proper steps and planning ahead canhelp alleviate some of the stress, and allowstudents to get the most of their internationalexperience. Play your cards right,and study abroad will be an experiencethat will prepare you to become a responsibleglobal citizen while creating memoriesthat you will cherish for a lifetime.PHOTO BY SIGURD DECROOS, SXCwww.quepasa.osu.edu Summer Quarter 2010 13
Page 1 and 2: Volume XVIINumber 4Summer 2010An In
Page 3: EditorMichael J. AlaridDesignerBrun
Page 7 and 8: Miguel GuevaraUndergraduate Focuses
Page 9 and 10: PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARIA SANCHEZbefo
Page 11: The Multicultural Center Is Your Sa
Page 15 and 16: Staying ConnectedA Call to Action f
Page 17 and 18: Hispanic Awareness WeekPHOTO BY GIO
Page 19 and 20: www.quepasa.osu.edu Summer Quarter
Page 21 and 22: PHOTO BY TH.OMAS, UNDER A CREATIVE
Page 23 and 24: Jairo Alza is the first person is h
Page 25 and 26: A winner of the prestigious Morrill
Page 27 and 28: Juliana Ramirez is the first person
Page 29 and 30: Name Citizen Major Degree CollegeGa
Page 31: Master's DegreesName Citizen Major

Qué Pasa, OSU? - go to site

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?