COLUMBUS (WCMH) — A group of OSU students spent the day mentoring a Buckeye. Four hundred high school students who may not have thought of furthering their education were bused in from all around the state to get a hands-on feel for college.
It is called ‘a day in the life of a Buckeye.’ The program is giving high school Sophomores and Juniors a taste of college life and possibly encouraging them to look towards higher education.
Jamiya Hampton attends Whetstone High School, an urban Columbus school. After a half-hour orientation that included a greeting from Provost Bruce McPherson, Hampton was paired with OSU Junior Amira Fruits.
“Today I have two classes, one starts at 9:45, that is a philosophy of literature class, then theorizing of race,” Fruits explained to Hampton as they left the Ohio Union.
Their walk was a good example of classes at OSU, with a long hike across campus.
“I might have a lot of questions about that second class?” Hampton asked her mentor.
Hampton said she enjoyed philosophy and even participated in class.
She said college is an eye-opener from high school.
“How the classes are, how the professors are, the amount of responsibility that is on you, but I feel like it is different in a good way.” Hampton said after class.
This mentoring program is not just for urban students, bus loads of students came from several parts of Appalachian Ohio.
“It is a lot to take in, but I could get used to it. Would you like this kind of school? Yeah!” said Kelsey Ward from Vinton County.
Her classmate Naylan Yates plays football in high school, but said he is here for another reason. “We came here to go on a tour today, more of an academic visit,” he said.
Five years ago, then OSU freshman DaVonti’ Haynes helped create this mentor program and remembers the transition to college.
“I actually had that similar experiences, as many of these students, I know this is very intimating, I had a graduating class of 40 in high school, so coming to Ohio State it is a huge difference,” Haynes said. He is now a first-year grad student who continues to work in a program that he said works.
The 400 plus high school students were each paired based on a major they are interested in, gender, other interests and hobbies.