Korri Basinger
Korri Basinger had a lot of choices to make when she arrived at Ohio University. One of the first in her family to go to college, she found support from her first-year learning community, college advisers and professors.
She chose Environmental Biology as her major, then added two minors (Spanish and Political Science) and two certificates (European Studies and Environmental Studies).
Q: What was your ah-ha moment at OHIO—that point where you said to yourself, “I’ve got this!”?
I would probably say it was a few weeks into my first semester. I was playing sand volleyball one night with a few new friends after a very stressful day, and I just realized halfway through the game that these moments made it worth all the stress and unknowingness. I realized that in that moment I made the right choice, I had that ah-ha moment and all the doubt I had went away and was replaced with relief that the first choice I made for my future was the right one.
Q: What are your next steps/future plans?
I plan on taking a year off and joining Peace Corps or AmeriCorps and then heading to grad school the next fall.
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?
The hardest hill I had to climb was figuring out “how to college,” if you will. I am one of the first people in my family to go to college, and I had a hard time undergoing the transition from high school to college, especially because I had no one with previous experience to help guide me through the process. The first few weeks on campus really were an eye opener for me, I overcame a lot of my stress and got help from Wilson Hall (I owe a lot to Stevi Miller she helped me so much and my appreciation for her is through the roof) and by having to take the UC class, which was a blessing in disguise not only was it a nice Ohio University 101 class that gave me beneficial tools and resources, but it also gave me some lifelong friends.
Q: What stands out in your mind as you think about graduating despite COVID?
A. All the struggles everyone has been through over the last year, yet everyone (the professors, front-line workers, and staff at OHIO) who made it possible for the transition to online classes to make it possible for me to be able to graduate (with a maybe an in-person ceremony and everything!).
Q: Who were your favorite professors and how did they make an impact on your life?
Dr. Kirstine Taylor opened my eyes to the real world and helped me remove the veil of privilege I had being a white person. I had never once touched the topics that her class was all about — mass incarceration and structural racism. She taught us how it still impacts our justice system today, and the books we read by authors of color and diverse backgrounds was an experience I had never had before, and I am truly grateful she was able to teach such an important topic giving me a whole new perspective on what I wanted to do in the future and on what I could be doing now.
Dr. Nelson Hippolyte and Dr. Betsy Partyka both put so much confidence in my abilities and helped me believe in myself. They are great resources and professors and really do want the best for you. They helped nurture my love for Spanish and pushed me to finish with a minor.
Dr. Laura Saltman opened my eyes to my love for lab and microbiology. I never thought lab could be as fun or captivating until I took it with her.
Q: What are your favorite OHIO memories?
Going to football and volleyball games with my friends and sitting on College Green when the weather gets nice! And going to Union Street Diner late at night/early in the morning to get hot chocolate and French fries — those are nights I will never forget. I also love the spirit and atmosphere around Athens when we could celebrate Homecoming, there was so much energy and excitement everywhere.
Q: What’s the one thing you would tell a new OHIO student not to miss?
The experiences! I know when I was first coming in as a freshmen, I was so nervous and didn’t want to go to events or activities or org meetings because of that. But and it took me some time to realize that everyone else was just as nervous as I was, and that it was okay to put myself out there and experience things I never had the chance to do before.
Comments