This is a course that every Honors freshman is required to take. In this course, we had the opportunity to write about life ambitions and events that have sculpted the individuals we had grown to be at that stage of our college career.
This I Believe Statement
The first document given is written about my best friend, whom I think of as a sister. Enjoy.
I believe in family without blood. I believe that someone who is not related to you by birth or by marriage can be closer to you than either. I believe that God tied the two beings together for reasons that cannot be explained, but the tie he created can be stronger than the double helix forming DNA. I believe that these “family” members are brought into our lives to make the positive changes that our family cannot make. I believe that this “family” can be more bold and invested than the forced bond of siblings. I believe that the two beings involved had no choice in the distinct connection made, but that their souls chose to intertwine paths and create a journey of their own.
I believe that I have found a family in those who are not related. I am not denying the love and comfort that I receive from my family, nor am I implying that it is not of the utmost importance in my life. I live to hear my mothers voice and feel my fathers hug. I embrace my brothers antics and rejoice at the sight of relatives. However, my “sister” of twelve years, my best friend, brings me warmth that no one else has offered. My Pi Beta Phi Sorority sisters have formed my family at school in our house that has become a home. The girls that traveled for months across the United States with me as teammates know my living habits, my hard work, and accept me for exactly who I am. My ex-boyfriend and best friend knows me better than the two adults who raised me. He’s shown me care and passion in the rawest of forms. Still, no love outweighs another. Each relationship brings a new attribute. I believe that these attributes magnify and compliment each individual and impact the relationship so that it can only bring growth.
I believe a family member can be in any form. They may come as a best friend, as an adopted sibling, as an in-law, as a family friend, or even as a pet. I believe it is the love that is sent and received that makes a relationship strong. Anyone and anything that has the ability to do both can be found in a family. My dog, Shadow, is the light of my life. He is the reason I decided what my career would be. He was the deciding factor in living a life based on rescuing defenseless animals from the shameful lives they’ve been wrongfully given. And he, still, brings me a joy and a light that is unanswered by all others. He is not human, but he has the capacity to love, to be loved and to forgive.
I believe that love can be found in all critical relationships. The love within is immeasurable and priceless. The love of a family comes from within, not from a title given to the other person. Love does not come from the blood being pumped in veins. Love comes from the emotional attachment and connection that is felt between two beings. Therefore, I believe that my family is much larger than the DNA within my body. I believe in a family without blood.
Final Reflection
The second document I have added below is my “Final Reflection” from this course. It lists my aspirations during my time at UC.
_
My passions run deep within me, as they do for every honors student. I strive for the biggest goals and accomplish the hardest tasks when they are oriented towards the topics that mean the most to me. As I have stated in my about me, I love a vast array of things. From Harry Potter to Backstreet Boys and Special Olympics to rescuing dogs, I feel strongly for many different organizations.
While at UC, there will be thousands of opportunities that cross my path. Not every opportunity will scream at me, but the ones that are most targeted towards my passions, will be the ones that I not only take, but also run with. At LeaderShape 2010, I learned a lot about the person I have become and the person I am trying to be. I want nothing more than to start a non-profit, non-kill rescue shelter for dogs. I want to be successful in creating a world where all humans treat animals fairly and lovingly. Where there are not millions of dogs being unfairly euthanized because of overpopulation and where all dog fighting is put to an end. I understand that this is a task that will take decades to accomplish, but with my drive and passion for dogs, I know it is something that I will be able to do.
The first goal that I’ve set for myself to accomplish this goal is to create awareness on animal abuse, mistreatment, adoption, breeding on and around our campus. Without knowledge, we have nothing. Without the public knowing the truth, there can be no change. Through fliers, social networking, campaigning, and different organizations (Greek Community, CoB, KBS, Honors, etc.), I will be able to spread the word of my mission, and hopefully create a following of other students who feel just as deeply for dogs rights.
My second step is to start an organization on campus that will not only help spread knowledge, but also raise money for local shelters and dog owners (to spay/neuter their pets). This organization will have the hard task of spreading the word and fighting off stereotypes of misunderstood breeds (Pit Terriers, Rottweilers, etc.), as well as swaying owners to stop breeding and start spaying/neutering. I will be able to gain an experiential learning opportunity within this task. The strain it takes for one student to build such an organization is eased by their ability to connect to the community and use their networking abilities to build a strong group. I feel that within the next two years, I will definitely be able to create an opportunity with this step.
My third goal is to couple this on-campus organization with an off campus, established shelter. I would love for the organization to team up with a non-kill shelter that has the same basic values and goals as our organization. With this partnership comes expansion for both parties. We will have a well-known name backing us up on our credibility and resources, and the paired organization will have a vast amount of volunteers and extra funding. This is also a great way to incorporate community engagement into my short-term goals for this organization.
My final step comes after graduation. After I have received a degree in Entrepreneurship and Finance, and I have gone to separate schooling for animal care and training, I will be able to start my own shelter. Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky do not have a large, non-kill shelter. While there are a handful of very small organizations, there is nothing as big as what I have planned. My final step is the most crucial in that it will change the lives of dogs and humans on a much larger scale. It is a long-term goal that will take me years to accomplish. It will be imperative for me to have a strong job prior to starting my shelter so that I can build up an organization at all. You must have money to spend money, and if there is one type of business that needs money, it’s a non-profit.
While this will be one of my most strenuous goals in life, I feel that this one ties the most closely to my heart. UC has pushed me into many different leadership roles and has given me networking opportunities that I would not receive anywhere else. If it weren’t for the University of Cincinnati, I would probably not be able to make this dream a reality.
Although this is my biggest aspiration, I do plan on using my time and opportunities at UC for different reasons. I plan to study abroad every year with the College of Business scholarship group that I am in. I also have been pushing myself to step up in my sorority so that I am looked at as a leader among my peers, which has worked really well so far. I do plan on looking into more scholarship’s while at UC. School is not cheap and neither are the plans that I have ahead of me. The more I save during my college years, the more I will have to spend after graduation. Logically, I will need to research what other kinds of scholarships are out there that suit me the best. Opportunities are limitless and plenty at UC, especially with the Honors Program’s backing. I know I can go far, and I will.
_
My passions run deep within me, as they do for every honors student. I strive for the biggest goals and accomplish the hardest tasks when they are oriented towards the topics that mean the most to me. As I have stated in my about me, I love a vast array of things. From Harry Potter to Backstreet Boys and Special Olympics to rescuing dogs, I feel strongly for many different organizations.
While at UC, there will be thousands of opportunities that cross my path. Not every opportunity will scream at me, but the ones that are most targeted towards my passions, will be the ones that I not only take, but also run with. At LeaderShape 2010, I learned a lot about the person I have become and the person I am trying to be. I want nothing more than to start a non-profit, non-kill rescue shelter for dogs. I want to be successful in creating a world where all humans treat animals fairly and lovingly. Where there are not millions of dogs being unfairly euthanized because of overpopulation and where all dog fighting is put to an end. I understand that this is a task that will take decades to accomplish, but with my drive and passion for dogs, I know it is something that I will be able to do.
The first goal that I’ve set for myself to accomplish this goal is to create awareness on animal abuse, mistreatment, adoption, breeding on and around our campus. Without knowledge, we have nothing. Without the public knowing the truth, there can be no change. Through fliers, social networking, campaigning, and different organizations (Greek Community, CoB, KBS, Honors, etc.), I will be able to spread the word of my mission, and hopefully create a following of other students who feel just as deeply for dogs rights.
My second step is to start an organization on campus that will not only help spread knowledge, but also raise money for local shelters and dog owners (to spay/neuter their pets). This organization will have the hard task of spreading the word and fighting off stereotypes of misunderstood breeds (Pit Terriers, Rottweilers, etc.), as well as swaying owners to stop breeding and start spaying/neutering. I will be able to gain an experiential learning opportunity within this task. The strain it takes for one student to build such an organization is eased by their ability to connect to the community and use their networking abilities to build a strong group. I feel that within the next two years, I will definitely be able to create an opportunity with this step.
My third goal is to couple this on-campus organization with an off campus, established shelter. I would love for the organization to team up with a non-kill shelter that has the same basic values and goals as our organization. With this partnership comes expansion for both parties. We will have a well-known name backing us up on our credibility and resources, and the paired organization will have a vast amount of volunteers and extra funding. This is also a great way to incorporate community engagement into my short-term goals for this organization.
My final step comes after graduation. After I have received a degree in Entrepreneurship and Finance, and I have gone to separate schooling for animal care and training, I will be able to start my own shelter. Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky do not have a large, non-kill shelter. While there are a handful of very small organizations, there is nothing as big as what I have planned. My final step is the most crucial in that it will change the lives of dogs and humans on a much larger scale. It is a long-term goal that will take me years to accomplish. It will be imperative for me to have a strong job prior to starting my shelter so that I can build up an organization at all. You must have money to spend money, and if there is one type of business that needs money, it’s a non-profit.
While this will be one of my most strenuous goals in life, I feel that this one ties the most closely to my heart. UC has pushed me into many different leadership roles and has given me networking opportunities that I would not receive anywhere else. If it weren’t for the University of Cincinnati, I would probably not be able to make this dream a reality.
Although this is my biggest aspiration, I do plan on using my time and opportunities at UC for different reasons. I plan to study abroad every year with the College of Business scholarship group that I am in. I also have been pushing myself to step up in my sorority so that I am looked at as a leader among my peers, which has worked really well so far. I do plan on looking into more scholarship’s while at UC. School is not cheap and neither are the plans that I have ahead of me. The more I save during my college years, the more I will have to spend after graduation. Logically, I will need to research what other kinds of scholarships are out there that suit me the best. Opportunities are limitless and plenty at UC, especially with the Honors Program’s backing. I know I can go far, and I will.