The Scripps Innovation Scholars program was a key reason for my decision to attend Ohio University. I was certain that I would be venturing to the United Kingdom, as I was determined to challenge myself with distance. When one of the Innovation Scholars selection team reached out to offer me a personal tour, I was grateful. To be identified as a student not only worth recruiting but also given time ahead of my acceptance helped me realize what I was actually looking for in higher education: an active community. Of course, I was thrilled by the prospect of having a class instructed by the dean, and it certainly helped that I met two of my future roommates in my cohort before class even started, but there's a more significant dimension to the small group of scholars. The experiences of the group have come to feel like collective memory. Just as I've enjoyed working on my projects, I've enjoyed witnessing my fellow students' journeys, and seeing how we can support one another in our long-term goals. 
This gathering of ambitious students has defined my OU experience and my experience in academia more broadly. Dean Titsworth, Paula Linscott, and Beth Novak have all consistently served as resources and friendly faces around Schoonover Center. My aspirations, beyond a basic desire to promote storytellers, remain wide-ranging and I've thus appreciated the fluidity of the program in accommodating my many interests. Some projects have been successful (an international remake film comparison), others have been dead ends (a planned website for OU comedy groups). Most importantly, however, I have learned and grown in the company of my peers.