Tiffany Jefferson

Hometown: Milwaukee, WI

PASS affiliation: PASS Peer Leader

Any other leadership positions you have held: I am also a resident advisor in Stradley Hall this year.

How did you hear about PASS and why did you choose to apply?- During my orientation I went to a diversity presentation hosted by Chinwe and she discussed the PASS and My Advisor programs with us. I thought it was interesting and decided to apply.

Why did you apply to become a PASS Peer Leader?- One of the PASS Peer Leader’s last year cornered me and told me that I should apply. She said it was fun and was a great experience for her and she said that she wanted that fir me as well.

What do you see as one or two benefits of PASS?- A major benefit is of course getting to know your advisor on a more personal level. They are your biggest resources here on campus and getting to know them is very beneficial to graduating on time.
Another benefit is meeting and bonding with students who are in the same place as you.

Favorite thing about OSU:I love how OSU is so big, yet so small. As large as it is, it is easy for someone to find their place among the many societies that exist here.

Sarah Repasky

Hometown: Tampa, FL

PASS affiliation: PASS Peer Leader

Organizations/Clubs:I am Also part of Alpha Psi Lamda, Phi Eta Sigma, and National Society of Collegiate Scholars.

How did you hear about PASS and why did you choose to apply?- I heard about PASS from a brochure I received in the mail before I moved to Columbus and I chose to apply because I felt that PASS offered many helpful programs for my first year, such as an advisor, service opportunities, Peer Leaders, and a helpful community to ease the transition to college.

Why did you apply to become a PASS Peer Leader?- I applied to become a Peer Leader because I enjoyed my first year as a PASS member and I wanted to be able to give back to the community that helped me. I also wanted to broaden my leadership experience and help to make the transition from high school to college easier for future Buckeyes.

What do you see as one or two benefits of PASS?- Two benefits of PASS are one, that the program makes the massive OSU campus, etc., manageable by breaking the system down and showing students the many classes, facilities and resources that OSU has to offer; and two, the leaders of the PASS honestly care about all their students and want them to succeed and are willing to offer any assitance they can.

Favorite thing about OSU:My favorite thing about Ohio State is that it is full of opportunity. Any course, any club, and anything is possible to do or to start somewhere on campus - and that, to me, is fantastic.

Lea Madry

Hometown: Dublin, OH

PASS affiliation: PASS Peer Leader

Any other leadership positions you have held: Currently, I'm the President of the SERVICE Squad, a PASS Peer Leader, and a Trustee on the Metropolitan Columbus League of Women Voters Board. I'm a part of Politics, Society, and Law Scholars program, Mirrors Sophomore Class Honorary, the Social Justice Cohort, and I LOVE working at the OSU Department of Sociology in the Undergraduate Student Services Office. Last year, I was also the Site Liaison for the League of Women Voters, the Recruitment Chair for the SERVICE Squad, a part of the Social Justice Cohort, a part of Leadership Ohio State, and a part of Leadershape 2007

How did you hear about PASS and why did you choose to apply?- I heard about PASS by mail during the summer before my freshman year. I decided to apply because PASS focuses on key components of my pre-professional/collegial life: service, scholarship, community, diversity awareness, and so forth. As a soon-to-be-freshman, I was excited to begin my college career as a part of a program that focused on so many areas of my academic and co-curricular life interests.

What do you see as one or two benefits of PASS?- To me, it seems that one of the biggest benefit of PASS is enrichment of a student’s entire OSU experience. In PASS, student get to know anywhere from 20 to 50 students—individuals who also value academics, community, and service—who they will run into on the oval or High Street, who they’ll work with as a part of other OSU organizations and groups, and who they’ll have classes with; the student networking value of PASS is absolutely priceless, not to mention the connection with OSU staff and advisors that PASS enables! Also under the umbrella of OSU experience, students learn the ins-and-outs not only of OSU from other OSU students, but they learn these things from their Peer Leaders: people who volunteers hours and hours of their time to personally make sure that the students of PASS have the best OSU experience possible for their first year! Also, PASS students’ OSU experience is greatly enriched by personal relationships with academic advisors and by simply being a part of a program that values and supports students’ academic excellence! My final point in how PASS enriches a student’s entire OSU experience is two words: community service. I believe that it’s imperative to give back to the community through service; but also, no matter whether you’re applying to join a campus organization, for graduate or professional school, or for a job- a consistent and recorded habit of community service is absolutely vital. To many employers, faculty, and organization leaders, evidence of community service provides a clue to your character, work ethic, and ability to balance time!
The other enormous benefit of PASS, and to me- the most important, is the opportunities PASS offers for each student to begin the process of getting to know him or herself as a college student, an adult, a friend, a student, a leader, a scholar, and any other role a he or she wishes to play. PASS offers students diverse workshops, activities, community service, community building, and awareness opportunities where students can explore their strengths, their limitations, how they tend to behave in certain situations, what their values truly are, and the kind of person they want to be. People always say that college is a time to learn who you are and develop into who you wish to be; I believe that’s truth and that PASS puts students in a positive and beneficial situation in which this kind of self development is completely unavoidable!

Favorite thing about OSU:My favorite things about OSU, also, are intuitive: the tradition, the excellence, and the opportunity. Need I explain more?!

Denise Fong

Hometown: Parma, Ohio

PASS affiliation: Peer Coordinator

Other Organizations: The Multicultural Greek Council (MCGC), Omega Tau Zeta (OTZ), OSU Pistol Club, Wonders of Our World (WOW), The Southeast Asian Student Organization (SEASO)

Any other leadership positions you have held: I am currently the President of MCGC, Vice President of OTZ, Secretary of Pistol Club, and the Vice President of SEASO. I use to be the Programming director at Mack Hall and on the Greek Week Steering Committee.

How did you hear about PASS and why did you choose to apply?- I was at Orientation and it was on the schedule of events offered. My mom and I went to see the presentation and I liked what I saw. I decided to apply for PASS versus My Advisor because it offered more opportunities.

What is one PASS experience that you really enjoyed and why?- I liked getting to know the people in PASS. My favorite PASS experience would have to be the Peer Leader Meetings with Jenna and Kyle.

What do you see as one or two benefits of PASS?- I like the fact that the Peer Leaders take time out of their lives to help freshman with their transition into college. It’s weird just coming out of high school and leaping into college because they are different environments. Teachers have different teaching styles, so you have to adjust your learning style. I also like the trips that PASS offers. In high school, I barely went on any field trips, but when I did, they were always the greatest.

Favorite thing about OSU: The programming. OSU is a non-profit organization because we pay a lot of money for tuition, but it is invested back into the university in research funding, construction, other stuff, and programming. They always keep us busy by offering fun programs, even in the summer. OUAB has weekly programs whether it’s watching a movie, a concert, or something educational there is always something to do.

Sharee Thigpen

Hometown: Westerville, Ohio

PASS affiliation: Peer Coordinator

How did you hear about PASS and why did you choose to apply?- I found out the mailed packet. Joined My Advisor because I felt the need to be involved with something.

What is one PASS experience that you really enjoyed and why?- Acting as Peer Leader in general. I really appreciated my peer leader freshmen year and it was nice to return the favor to the in coming class.

What is one thing that you learned from a PASS event? What was the event?- Resume writing and the importance of keeping it short, to the point and easy to understand.

What do you see as one or two benefits of PASS?- Connection to the university, references in peer leaders/coordinators and college/career prep.

Favorite thing about OSU: Michigan games

Sika Dedo

Hometown: Shaker Heights, Ohio

PASS affiliation: PASS Peer Leader

How did you hear about PASS and why did you choose to apply?- I chose to be a PASS Scholar because I wanted to become involved in an organization where my academic needs were met in a social, diverse, academic environment. I learned about PASS during my summer OSU orientation. At orientation, the presenter’s enthusiasm about PASS catering to the needs I was searching for through advising and scholar opportunities really drew my attention. I then applied to be a PASS scholar and was accepted. Last year I attended workshops that dealt with academic success and went on several educational trips; one being the trip to Atlanta, Georgia. After being a member of PASS for a year, I later decided to apply to be a PASS leader.

What do you see as one or two benefits of PASS?- As a Peer Leader this year, I make an effort to be support for PASS scholars socially, academically and emotionally. I am a mentor to my scholars and get them involved in PASS opportunities.

Shayla Fields

Hometown: Dayton, Ohio

PASS affiliation: 2006-2007 Peer Leader

How did you hear about PASS and why did you choose to apply?- I received a lot of information in the mail about PASS. I figured that it wouldn’t hurt to apply for the program and considering that I was going to be new to the campus, I knew that this would enable me to meet more people and get involved around campus.

What is one PASS experience that you really enjoyed and why?- I liked the PASS Orientation at the beginning of the school year. It was nice to see so many new faces and interact with new people. The activities that we did for orientation were fun, including the scavenger hunt at the end.

What is one thing that you learned from a PASS event? What was the event?- One of the most valuable things that I learned from PASS was how to create a resume. I have never learned the correct way of doing a resume because I have never really needed to use one. Attending the Resume-Writing Workshop helped me with writing my resume correctly and I actually had to use it this past summer!

What do you see as one or two benefits of PASS?- PASS enables students to develop closer relationships with their advisors and allows them to meet some of their peers. PASS also provides students with valuable information that can be utilized throughout their college careers.

Favorite thing about OSU: The diversity…among so many other things.

Sean Asanowicz O'Malley

Hometown: Strongsville, Ohio

PASS affiliation: PASS Peer Leader

Organizations/Clubs: Resident Advisor for BHN Complex and President of Students for Camp Heartland

How did you hear about PASS and why did you choose to apply?- I heard about PASS through a session at my freshman orientation. At the same meeting, I chose to apply because the presenter, Mr. Waite, made the program appealing for someone that was truly undecided about their major. I chose PASS because it had elements that were unlike any other organization I had looked at.

What is one PASS experience that you really enjoyed and why?- I really enjoyed the PASS ice skating event because it is always best to see how a group interacts outside of the group realm. It was great to see the majority of people I knew on campus at an event, and to be able to interact with PASS and everyone else at the same time was good stuff.

What is one thing that you learned from a PASS event? What was the event?- The end of the year feedback event was very enriching in the fact that people who truly care about something or some group are the ones that speak up. This event was definitely filled with a lot of verbal interaction, and half way through I just remember thinking how awesome it was and excited it was to be a part of.

What do you see as one or two benefits of PASS?- PASS is free sanity on a pretty insane campus. It is the only group that I am a part of where I do not have a lot of unnecessary stress, and I can just focus on some small things and turn those into big differences.

Favorite thing about OSU: the attitude of working as one. It seems like no matter what the situation, group, or viewpoints there is always something positive materializing.

Bridget Walker

Hometown: Florissant, Missouri

Activities: Black Association of North Campus Students, Women of Virtue, NAACP (OSU Chapter), Peer Leader (PASS Program), Hall Council (Floor Senator), and Undergraduate Political Science Organization.

Why I chose to participate in PASS: "I was always very involved in high school, so when I was given the opportunity to become involved in a program that emphasized community, leadership, and academic success-I couldn't pass it up. PASS gives me the opportunity to have an academic advisor ... who can spend more time with me."

What I like best about being in PASS: "I have always been told that I should know at least one faculty and one staff member. I already know my PASS Advisor and the Diversity Services Office Director. I like that there are people encouraging me to succeed and that they are there if I just need to talk."

Tip for a new freshman: "Keep in touch with your Academic Advisor! They help you stay on track so that you will graduate on time. They also suggest interesting classes; help with internships; and they keep you informed about various other opportunities available at Ohio State."

Ciara Black

Hometown: Columbus, Ohio

PASS affiliation: Peer leader and current peer coordinator

Other Organizations: President of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc; African-American Voices, Young Scholars Program.

How did you hear about PASS and why did you choose to apply?- I heard about P.A.S.S. through a mailing I received. I thought that the P.A.S.S. program would be beneficial to me in getting through my first year of school.

What is one PASS experience that you really enjoyed and why?- The one P.A.S.S. experience that I enjoyed the most was the trip we took to Washington D.C in collaboration with MUNDO and AALLP.

What is one thing that you learned from a PASS event? What was the event?- One thing that I learned from a P.A.S.S event was how to properly structure a resume`. The resume writing event was very helpful in helping me to get a job for the upcoming summer that year. Also it informed me on the resources avaliable in the Career Services office in Brown Hall as well.

What do you see as one or two benefits of PASS?- Having access to academic advisors and developing a personal relationship with them. Being able to connect real life experience with the information you learn in the classroom.

Favorite thing about OSU. My favorite thing about OSU is how it feels just right for me!!! :)

Guylando Moreno

Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio

Activities: South Area Black Student Association (President), Men of Vision, Undergraduate Students Government (Director of Diversity, and the Association of Black Leaders for Entrepreneurship.

Why I chose to participate in PASS: "I was eager to join a program in which the individuals, who were to advises me, came from similar ethnic backgrounds. Not only this, but the sense of community that characterizes the program is unlike any advising program I have ever seen."

What I like best about being in PASS: "The one-on-one, face-to-face, sit down....advising is one of the main reasons I decided to join the PASS .... The Advisors in the program give me real solutions and also.....help you to reach your full potential with a challenging well-rounded schedule. "

Tip for a new freshman: "GET INVOLVED! Being involved has been one of the most beneficial experiences of my college career. You will meet a ton of people and accomplish a great deal just by joining one student organization.....not to mention the leadership skills you will gain!"