Regina Loayza

When I started my freshman year at Ohio State, I thought, “How am I ever going to stand out and find my own path?” I didn’t know then just how many opportunities would come my way as a Buckeye — nor how the university would expose me to so many unique experiences and majors that could advance my personal passions around climate and social justice, sustainability and inclusive environmental policy.

But as I pursued my interests around environmental law and realized there was a whole, niche major devoted to environmental policy, I found opportunities to enact my passion for advocacy in countless ways and places through Ohio State.

While I’ve always been hungry for real world learning experiences that would advance my interests, these types of experiences were only made available to me through the power of scholarships. My parents left Peru for America when I was nine months old, and coming from an immigrant background, I knew how important it was to them for me to pursue higher education. Scholarships created access to this dream by opening doors to Ohio State.

Once here, I was excited to become a leader in the Undergraduate Student Government, to engage in research in the College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Science’s soil lab and to join several Latina-serving student organizations.

While I’ve always been hungry for real world learning experiences that would advance my interests, these types of experiences were only made available to me through the power of scholarships. - Regina Loayza, fourth-year environment and natural resources major

But, equally important, I also gained tremendous learning experiences beyond campus. The Office of Diversity and Inclusion presented me with the chance to do an internship with Latina Columbus City Council member Barroso de Padilla. The John Glenn College of Public Affairs gave me the opportunity to gain professional experience with the U.S. Senate through the Washington Academic Internship Program. And the Office of International Affairs, provided me with the opportunity to study abroad through an immersive program built around agriculture, sustainability and diversity.

These are the kind of extracurricular, career-related opportunities that drew me to Ohio State when I was researching potential colleges. Thanks to scholarship support, I could take full advantage of them.  When I attend law school next fall, I will continue to be grateful for the support I’ve been given by the Buckeye community.