Ohio State students earn course credit through community service

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Ohio State students earn course credit through community service

Big Brothers Big Sisters partnership pairs Ohio State, elementary students

A new program at The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business is enabling Olivia Darmanie, a marketing major, to hone her communication skills in the classroom. The classroom, however, is not on Ohio State's campus.

Darmanie is one of 10 participants in a pilot program that pairs Ohio State students with second- and third-graders at Weinland Park Elementary School near the university's Columbus campus. Ohio State's Leading Through Service class is a partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Central Ohio.

When Darmanie first began meeting with her Little Sister when the program began last spring, she worked on helping the second-grader open up.

"We were really working on her being able to express her emotions because sometimes that can be really hard, especially when you're little and may not be able to understand the whole spectrum of emotions," Darmanie said.

"She'd just always say either, '[I'm feeling] good or bad.' And we're like, 'OK, well let's break that down a little bit.' And by the end [of the semester], she was able to articulate really well, 'Well, I'm feeling frustrated because of this class.' We were really working on her emotional ability to regulate."

By helping her Little Sister express herself, Darmanie said she enhanced her own communication skills.

"When you're working with someone who's in second grade, I realize patience is a really important virtue," she said. "I definitely learned some of my own emotional regulation, working with her."

Darmanie and several other Ohio State students from last spring's cohort have returned to participate in the mentoring program at Weinland Park Elementary this academic year. The students spend one class period each week with their Weinland Park counterparts. Mentors help their "Littles" cultivate emotional intelligence and leadership skills, as well as gain an understanding of basic business principles.

In addition to the personal satisfaction that comes with volunteering, the Ohio State students receive course credit.

The Leading Through Service class marks the first time Fisher students have received course credit for community service, said Cynthia Turner, Fisher's strategic advisor to the dean.

"One goal was to have, at the end of the semester, the Littles knowing a little bit more about business, a little bit more about Fisher and Ohio State," she said.

"But what I thought was unique about this program is the ability for our students, in a safe space, to develop emotional intelligence skills, being able to engage with students who are often from different backgrounds, learning how to inspire those students."

To prepare to interact with their mentees, the Ohio State students attended weekly Leading Through Service classroom sessions at the university. Terry Esper, a professor of logistics who teaches the class, said the curriculum aligns with BBBS's goals of matching children who need guidance with responsible adults.

"We developed a class that was focused on the importance of mentoring as it relates to being an effective business leader. Of course, the essence of the engagement with Big Brothers Big Sisters is all around mentorship," he said.

"This was a really good opportunity for us to leverage this idea of mentoring someone who's significantly younger than you and how that would play out if we were to apply that to a business organization."

Gabriella Perkins, BBBS public service strategist, said the organization's partnership with Ohio State offers numerous benefits for the Weinland Park Elementary students. The advantages include connecting with young adults from whom they can learn both social skills and entrepreneurial concepts.

"We are focusing on, for our Littles, providing them with that one supportive adult. But on the other end of that for our Ohio State students, we're providing them with some service learning and leadership," she said. "[Ohio State students] came up with an idea for a lemonade stand that they work on with the Little as well. What that looks like is a business plan, and they work through that throughout the year."

Samantha Roman, a human resources major, said she decided to return to the Leading Through Service program this academic year so that she can strengthen the bond that she formed with her Little Sister last spring.

"Every single time that I got to go with my Little, whether it was rain or shine outside, I feel like I always took something with me, especially when it comes to working with younger people," Roman said. "Since it was my first experience [mentoring], I didn't even know if I was going to be able to interact with her or connect with her on the level that I did, but I'm so glad I got the opportunity. And that's what motivates me to come back this year."

Juan Colon, who is majoring in real estate and urban analysis as well as political science, said he bonded with his Little Brother by teaching him strategy through chess.

"I started bringing my chessboard, and during our free time we'd play chess. And through that, I was able to connect with him more. He was more comfortable talking to me," Colon said. "He called me his best friend, and that really touched me. … Chess is what built our connection."

Mike Zebedee Musungu, a finance major, said he returned to the mentoring program this year to help his Little Brother explore academic and career options and encourage him to maximize his potential.

"Seeing him having fun, just being a kid, that's also one of the also reasons why I decided to continue," Musungu said. "But also to try and tap into his creativity and give him the opportunity to understand that he can be something."

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