Aarushi Arora, a first-year in engineering, isn’t too far from home at Ohio State — just 13 miles from Dublin, Ohio. Growing up with a single parent who worked in customer service, doing all she could to support her three daughters, Arora felt shut out of her affluent suburban community.
Kendra White, a second-year in psychology, was the only student in her graduating class to attend Ohio State. From Racine, Ohio, an Appalachian town struggling with disparities such as poverty and the opioid crisis, she had to push past opposition and doubt about coming to Ohio State from her background.
Angelique Latham, a second-year in communication, grew up with dreams of traveling outside of Ohio and being a production assistant in the film industry for a summer in California. Although she received a full Morrill Scholarship, she said supporting herself and coming from a community burdened by financial setback still limited her experiences and opportunities.
Khaila Washington, a first-year in social work, is the first in her family to go to college because she said she “didn’t want to be another statistic” in her community. Growing up in a dangerous neighborhood extended to all areas of her life, including in the classroom.
Essence Robinson, a fifth-year in human development and family science, began her Ohio State career at the Mansfield campus. Transferring to the Columbus campus in her second year proved to be challenging, as she came with no financial support or knowledge of resources on campus. Robinson was also confronted with the struggles she faced in her past throughout school, including an undiagnosed learning disability.