My definition of a global citizen scholar is a student that actively engages with the world around them, reflects on their own identity, and seeks to learn more about the identities of others. Too many individuals progress through life with only one perspective – the global citizen scholar, however, looks beyond the familiarity of their own experience in order to gain a greater connection to the global community.

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My first step on the way to be a global citizen scholar was taking Gateway to University Honors. This course primarily introduced me to the framework of UC’s University Honors Program, the requirements for participating and graduating as a University Honors Scholar, and how to set up this learning portfolio to share my experiences with others. Furthermore, the Gateway to University Honors course was in a way my first honors experience. It exposed me to students of all different backgrounds with diverse talent and aspirations. It demonstrated the What? – So what? – Now what? method of meaningful reflection. Most importantly, it illustrated what the University Honors program can do for students like myself who actively pursue opportunities to become global citizen scholars.

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Another huge step in my journey to become a global citizen scholar was being placed with international roommates Living with Abhi and Dhruv became one of the highlights of my freshman year as it gave me an opportunity to reflect on my own experiences and those of others. Rather than attending a university 20 minutes from their neighborhood and being able to see their family regularly like I could, my roommates chose to be educated thousands of miles from home. Instead of beginning the school year with several friends from high school, they started their UC careers from the ground up. At other times, cultural differences like our preference of room temperature or choice in background music while showering offered opportunities to compromise and empathize with each other. My favorite memories from my first year at UC are watching Abhi and Dhruv try their first coneys from Skyline and dancing to their favorite songs from back home. I am so grateful to my roommates for helping me to relate more meaningfully to the community of international students at the University of Cincinnati, which in turn gives context to my own experiences.

My participation in the Bearcat Buddies Lead Tutor program enhanced my first year experience immensely. While on a weekly basis I simply worked on math skills with second graders, my ultimate impact as a tutor was to enhance the quality of education in the Cincinnati Public Schools system by representing the University of Cincinnati and  forming relationships with local children and families. My additional training as a lead tutor allowed me to reflect on my own background as I completed a poverty simulation and discovered my implicit biases. I feel much more connected to my community and aware of the challenges that many local families face.

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The sudden shift to online learning after spring break offered unique challenges and prompted me to reflect on my own situation. While in quarantine, I struggled to remain positive and was often anxious about the uncertainty of the future. Many of my summer plans changed drastically or were canceled altogether. I learned that I will not be able to be an Honors Retreat Leader in the way I intended. However, reading about the experiences of healthcare professionals, small business owners, and low-income families in Cincinnati and globally helped me put my situation into perspective.

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The spring of 2020 represents a period of personal growth for me and a meaningful conclusion to my first year at the University of Cincinnati. Following the murder of George Floyd on May 25th, I began to educate myself on the systematic racism that is present in our society and look for ways I could take action. I posted on social media as many students did to share my stance with others, signed petitions to defund police departments nationally, donated to the Black Lives Matter movement, and protested in downtown Cincinnati. Through my learning, it has become clear that no amount of work on my part will allow me to fully understand the reality of racism in the United States, but that so much more work is necessary. The hardest but most important step has been confronting family and friends about their privilege and the damaging effects of their silence.

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When I move to Cleveland in the fall for my first co-op, I am looking forward to taking these lessons from my first year at the University of Cincinnati into a new community and discovering how I can make a difference for people in need. I will strive to encourage others to do the same and continue my journey to becoming a global citizen scholar.

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