Introduction

Coming to college from a very small town in North Central Indiana, I would say I was very sheltered. The adjustment to being a college student was very tough on me, and that is not even factoring in the point that I was an honors student. In fact, I truly didn't think I was going to last through the first semester. Everything changed when my K-201 Computer in Business professor—who happened to be teaching the first class where I completed an honors contract—told me, "You CAN do this! And not only can you do this, but you can do it well." That moment shifted my entire mindset. I realized that while I couldn’t control everything happening around me, I could control my effort. From that day forward, I committed to giving my best every single day, knowing that even if I failed, I would have given it everything I had. 

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At times during my first semester, I wondered why I chose to do my first ever honors contract in K-201 as it has a reputation for being one of the more difficult Kelley classes. My overarching project in this course consisted of 5 mini-projects that built upon the class topics + were more difficult in complexity. It definitely hit on the engaged learning experience of applied learning as not only was I using my class-room knowledge on the projects, but had to use problem solving and other external research skills to be able to solve the problems being presented to me. As someone who thrives on structure and following the book, I initially struggled when faced with skills that weren’t covered in depth during lectures. However, I quickly learned that stepping back, taking a deep breath, and approaching problems with a clear mind often led me to better starting points. This experience pushed me outside my comfort zone and helped me develop confidence in my ability to adapt and find solutions. I also was engaged in service learning this semester, where a requirement for one of my classes was to have a volunteer experience. My group chose to volunteer at Indianapolis ZooBoo, and it was such as fun experience in addition to being a classroom requirement.

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The transition into the spring semester of my freshman year felt much easier. I was more mentally prepared for the expectations set before me, and I also was used to the routine. This particular semester was when I began volunteering at Paws' Pantry. This experience really made me fall in love with volunteering. If you want to read more about my different volunteer experiences, click here! My honors course this semester was H-200: Introduction to Honors, which is referenced in my Showcase Artifact 1. I particular enjoyed this class as there was a ton of self-reflection, which is noted in my "I am" and "I want to become" statements.

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Moving into my sophomore year, my honors contract for the fall semester was conducted in BUS-L 312: Business Ethics. For this project, I wrote two 3-5 page papers about two different documentaries covering popular ethical issues in business. This project strengthened my research skills as an Honors student due to my in depth search into these dilemmas. In the following spring semester, I took Honors I-Core. This experience is referenced in my Showcase Artifact 2.​ I would say, with absolutely zero hesitation, that this was my toughest semester academically. I was challenged week after week, and sometimes felt as though I was at my limit. I would simultaneously say that this was the semester I was most proud of. I held an internship at Republic Airways, referenced in Showcase Artifact 3, and earned all A's while working 20+ hours a week. This was the first semester that I had worked while going to school, and I was very proud of my ability to balance school, work, and my personal life. Following I-CORE, I completed my second internship over the summer. This period was full of professional (and self) development.

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My third and final year at IU Indianapolis began with taking BUS-J 402: Honors Strategic Management. This was an Honors course in Kelley designed to teach students how to craft a strategy + how to analyze the strategy of a company. I loved this course, as I am a very strategic thinker. One of applied learning components from this course was comparing the strategies of Amazon + Costco. An interesting feature of BUS-J 402 is that participation is heavily graded. In order to earn an 100% participation score, each student aim to speak 3x a class period. As someone who is pretty reserved, this was such a challenge. However, it pushed me to be more outspoken and vocal.

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Finally, that brings me to where I am today— closely approaching graduation. Currently, my Honors course is BUS-W 494: Herman B. Wells Seminar. This course covers the important topic of how to be a leader in all facets of life. The main outcome for this course is to work with a group to create a strategic enrollment plan for IU Indianapolis, and to increase the number of students pursuing post-secondary education as a whole.

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When I look back on my three years at IU Indianapolis, I am proud of what I have accomplished. Not only am I graduating in three years, but I am being honored as a 2025 Outstanding Senior + a Chancellor's Scholar (the top student from each academic school on campus). Beyond the academic accolades, I am even more proud of the person I have become. I am a friend, teammate, volunteer, and a cheerleader for those around me.

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