Abi Flory
Adaptable. That’s how Abi Flory describes her fellow Ohio University classmates who are graduating during COVID.
“Something that stands out in my mind is how adaptable this class of graduates is. We were able to overcome a lot of challenges that living through a global pandemic presented us, and we were able to graduate in the process,” says Flory, a History Pre-Law major with minors in Anthropology and English.
Before the pandemic, Flory was able to take advantage of study abroad in Ireland, and she took on leadership positions on campus, including serving as secretary and co-editor of S.T.A.R.S. (Students Teaching About Racism in Society).
Now, she’s planning her next career moves.
Q: What are your next steps/future plans?
I plan on getting my paralegal certificate from Duke University, getting certified as a paralegal by NALA, volunteering abroad for a few months, and then moving to Florida to become a paralegal.
Q: Who were your favorite professors and how did they make an impact on your life?
Some of my favorite professors were Dr. Miriam Shadis, Dr. Mariana Dantas, and Dr. Kevin Uhalde (all in the history department). They are all very kind and supportive individuals who absolutely refuse to let their students not come to their full potential. The coursework in their classes really helped me to realize what aspects of history I was interested in. I think it is important to have people like that in your life, and I want to be able to be that person for someone later in my life.
(Uhalde had to brag a little about Flory, noting that she has received competitive departmental scholarships every year she’s been at OHIO: Frederick H. Boston Scholarship in 2018; Roger and Katherine Feinthel History Scholarship in 2019; and John and Alexandra Preston Scholarship in History in 2020.)
Q: What was your ah-ha moment at OHIO—that point where you said to yourself, “I’ve got this!”?
I think when I changed my major from History to History Pre-Law. I had been really struggling to figure out what exactly it was that I wanted to do with my major, and at some point, during my junior year, I changed my major to History Pre-Law after someone told me about what a paralegal was. I think that was the moment when I really gained the confidence to pursue something I was really interested in.
Q: What was the hardest hill you had to climb (not counting Jeff Hill) at OHIO? And how did you overcome challenges or obstacles in your path?
Learning how to study. I really learned what study skills worked for me while I was at OHIO, and I think that contributed to my success.
Q: What are your favorite OHIO memories?
I think my favorite memories include studying abroad in Galway, Ireland and making friends that I will have for a long time.
Q: What’s the one thing you would tell a new OHIO student not to miss?
One thing I would tell a new Ohio student not to miss is the bike path, it’s beautiful when the trees are in full bloom.
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