Past Students
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Catherine Ford
As I stepped onto the Ohio State University’s campus for the very first time as a college student, I couldn’t help but notice the slogan USG had adopted for the academic year: “Do Something Great!” That phrase seemed to be everywhere, on bulletin boards in my residence hall, on various posers scattered around campus - there was even an entire website devoted to doing something great! Not surprisingly, I was a little overwhelmed by this supposed pressure to be “great.” I’d just graduated with a class of forty-one girls, and was now being thrust into a school setting that welcomed over fifty thousand students per academic year. And there were going to be boys living down the hall from me!
Once I’d gotten over the shock of co-ed residence hall life, other worries began to set in. How were my professors going to distinguish me from the other three hundred students seated in the lecture hall? What was I going to do with all this spare time on my hands? And most importantly, I’m allowed to wear pajamas to class at 3:30 in the afternoon? Luckily for me, I found a wonderful support system within the Honors Program to provide the answers to all my questions, and then some. During my very first week, I was paired with an amazing Honors Advisor who patiently explained the daunting prospect of filling out an Honors Contract. When I returned to my room after classes, I discovered I’d received an e-mail from my Honors Peer Contact reminding me to attend the Honors Scheduling Bonanza, so I could meet with the professors who were teaching Honors courses that quarter. It was such a comfort to know that people were looking out for me, and that I wasn’t going to be lost in a sea of red hooded-sweatshirts.
Over the years, I’ve come to realize how often the Honors and Scholars Program seems to help out with the little, everyday things – and sometimes the not-so-little things. Weekly, I’m sent an H&S Bulletin that outlines all the upcoming events that could be of interest to Honors and Scholars students. Thanks to the bulletin, I’ve eaten Chinese food and discussed global politics with prominent professors, I’ve attended the Lunch & Learn program to find out what it takes to get into law school, I even got to travel to London for ten days with ninety of my peers – and that was during my first quarter! All in all, the Honors & Scholars Program has really provided a niche for at Ohio State, becoming a member of the Honors Program was one of the best decisions I ever made.
Editor’s Note:
Balancing a part-time job as a residence hall office assistant with an engaging psychology major certainly has not been the bottom line for Catherine Ford. Although she felt pressure to excel when she enrolled at Ohio State, Cat turned those demands into a source of motivation to always do her best. As president of her hall council, Cat strove to provide opportunities for her fellow residents to connect with one another. Additionally, given her personal appreciation for the kindness extended by her Honors Peer Contact, Cat became mentor herself so that she could return the favor. Giving back has been a consistent theme throughout Cat’s undergraduate career. As trip leader for an alternative spring break trip to Quito, Ecuador, Cat facilitated pre-departure meetings and coordinated a series of volunteer experiences for participants. Through Honors Ambassador and the Honors & Scholars Host program she worked diligently to provide a perspective hoping her experiences might help prospective students decide whether Ohio State Honors was indeed a place that they could call home. She also somehow found time to tutor elementary students through the Adopt-A-School Program, serve as secretary of the Talking Monkey Improvisational and Sketch Comedy Group, participate in both intramural soccer and the Mountaineering Club and lend her time to the OSU Film & Video Society. Given her stellar track record, it’s difficult to believe that Cat Ford ever had doubts about her ability to “do something great.”
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