ODI Autumn 2024 Graduates
ODI Autumn 2024 Graduates
The holidays are a special time for everyone, but some ODI students will receive an extra special gift this December: their diploma from The Ohio State University. Read on to learn more about our outstanding ODI graduates.
Maddie Dougherty
Maddie Dougherty
For Maddie Dougherty, college isn’t just about learning—it’s also for helping others learn as well.
The fourth-year mechanical engineering major’s ODI journey has primarily been with Scholarship and Supplemental Academic Services (S-SAS), where she serves as a peer educator, tutoring in math and physics.
“It’s been really fulfilling to be a tutor at ODI,” Dougherty commented. “I started tutoring my freshman year when my neighbor needed a little extra help in her math courses. We became friends over the years, and when she learned that ODI was looking for tutors, she encouraged me to apply.”
The Cleveland native also teaches outside of Hale Hall as a TA for introductory engineering courses.
“The best part is always seeing when something clicks,” she explained. “It’s fun when I’m able to relate the concepts to something in the real world, like driving cars when I’m teaching acceleration. That often puts it into perspective for students, and it’s great to see them build that understanding.”
While she enjoys tutoring others, Dougherty also has a passion for learning that stems from a childhood interest in coding.
“My school started a robotics club in middle school. The first day I could, I signed up, thinking it would be interesting,” Dougherty noted. “As soon as I did that, my dad planted the idea of ‘Oh, she’s going to be a mechanical engineer,’ and that stuck with me. Since then, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.”
Outside of the classroom, Dougherty fuels her love of engineering by working with EcoCAR, a student organization that competes to transform donated automobiles into more efficient hybrid-electric vehicles. She also completed a co-op with the Naval Nuclear Laboratory in Pittsburgh in Spring 2023, assisting in the continual support of nuclear energy for the navy.
“I was able to work on some really hard technology and coding problems. I was doing calculations and solving problems that I had no experience in yet,” Dougherty stated. “That was intimidating, but they were supportive and patient, and they taught me everything I needed to know.”
Following her graduation from The Ohio State University this December, Dougherty will return to the Naval Nuclear Laboratory as a full-time employee. She is also considering a training program that would allow her to earn a master’s degree while working at the organization’s various locations in New York, South Carolina, and Idaho.
Dougherty now looks ahead to receiving her degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in computer and information science, but that hasn’t stopped her from reflecting on her Buckeye journey.
“If I could, I would tell my past self to take it easy,” Dougherty said. “You don’t need to be in ten different clubs to stand out for an internship, and you don’t need to have an internship every single summer. Just relax, take your classes, work hard, and everything will work out.”
Shawn Gardner
Shawn Gardner
Graduation is a bright spot for every student. For Shawn Gardner, however, it’s more than that: It’s a light at the end of one of the darkest tunnels of her life.
"I went through a lot of hardships during my time here," noted the newly graduated ODI Scholar (YSP). "There was a time when I was out of school; I had dropped out just to re-enroll and flunk out again." Gardner said she also had a lot of mental health issues, and at one time, survived a suicide attempt.
Without ODI, the Dayton native says she never would have been able to graduate and perhaps would not even be alive.
“It was a really dark time in my life, and Dr. [Chila] Thomas was really there for me and continued to reach out and motivate me,” Gardner commented. “The only reason I came back to school was because Dr. Thomas set up a meeting for me with Dr. Wendy Smooth, and that really is what got me back on track.”
This December, that track culminated with Gardner’s graduation, where she earned a degree in English creative writing, an outlet of hers from a young age.
“I’ve been doing creative writing since I was literally a child. Second grade is when it became super serious,” Gardner said. “I would create five-page short stories while my classmates were just learning how to read and write.”
As a Buckeye, Gardner connected with other creative writers through Never Let Your Pen Dry and the Grove Creative Writing Community. She was also involved in the Black Student Association (BSA) and SHADES, an organization for queer students of color.
“My YSP Academic Success Partner, Imani, really encouraged me to get involved,” Gardner explained. “That was always where I found my people, and I always felt at home.”
As she looks toward a career in copywriting or freelance composition after graduation, Gardner is glad to have been a Buckeye. “I really was trying to fight the school spirit for so long, but once you get involved, you really do feel such a sense of pride for the university,” she noted.
She hopes her story will help other students who are struggling with mental health feel less alone.
“It’s important to understand that you are who you are, you’re here for a purpose, and you matter. I feel like that can get lost in translation, especially in college. Since you’re so tied to your work, your performance, your presentation, and everything outward, it’s easier to get caught up in your inner world,” Gardner commented. “I learned that you really can put yourself first. Going through that dark period really led me to come back with a renewed sense of self and a renewed sense of the world around me, and that strengthened my journey.”
Gardner encourages students to seek out support and make the most of all the university offers.
“Definitely utilize your resources. ODI has been such a huge support system for me, and it can be for you, too,” she said. “I know it is so hard to ask for help, and it is so hard to put yourself out there, but it is so worth it in the end.”
If you or someone you know is an imminent danger to themselves or someone else, go to the nearest ER or call 911.
If you are thinking of harming yourself and need a safe, non-judgmental place to talk or if you are worried about someone else and need advice about what to do, call the Columbus Suicide Prevention Hotline at 614-221-5445, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 9-8-8 or 800-273-8255 (TALK), or reach the Crisis Text Line by texting 4HOPE to 741741, or visit the Commission on Student Mental Health and Well-being for additional information.
Logan Hudson
Logan Hudson
Logan Hudson never expected to graduate from The Ohio State University. In fact, the ODI Scholar (YSP) never even expected to attend college.
“Where I come from, if you don’t get into college playing sports, or you’re not super smart, you don’t have the funds to go to college,” said the native of Columbus’s Linden neighborhood. “I ended up at Ohio State solely because of YSP and the funding they gave me.”
While sports may not have gotten Hudson to Ohio State, they have been a key component in his life.
“Basketball and baseball were what brought me the friends that I have, and they were an outlet for me to deal with all of the past traumas I’ve experienced. When I play, forget about the world around me,” Hudson explained. “In college, I worked with a rec center in Linden, doing after-school sports programs for low-income community kids. Being able to provide somewhere for them to get away was really cool for me.”
Hudson’s love of sports led him to enter Ohio State as an athletic training major, but he’ll be graduating this autumn with a degree in sociology. His education took place both in the classroom and through a legal internship with Rauser and Associates.
“I’m really fascinated with people and the reasons they make the decisions they do,” Hudson noted. “I enjoy learning more about society and why the world is the way it is.”
Switching his major wasn’t the only detour on Hudson’s path to graduation, however.
“I’ve thought about dropping out a bunch of times because there were some issues with financial aid, and I’ve had some personal issues with my family,” Hudson commented. “The past five years have been really crazy. I lost my brother and my dad, I got engaged, and I just recently had a baby.”
Hudson credits ODI with giving him the financial and emotional support to persevere on his Buckeye journey.
“Dr. Chila Thomas and Trinity Phillips have been saviors for me. They’ve kept me here, and they’ve really worked hard to find the funds for me to continue going to school. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be graduating this year,” Hudson said. “Knowing I had someone to go talk to and being around other YSP students who were going through the same things was huge.”
After graduation, Hudson plans to move to Perrysburg, where he has been promoted to an operations management role at Raising Cane’s. He looks forward to raising his son as his fiancée attends law school, and he hopes to eventually pursue a graduate degree.
Hudson encourages ODI Scholars to build strong support systems during their time at Ohio State.
“Connect with your professors, students, and ODI staff. Know they have your back and that it’s okay to ask for help,” Hudson advised. “It goes a long way when you show respect and love to someone else because then they’ll show it back.”
Paisli Ivey
Paisli Ivey
As she prepares to graduate, Paisli Ivey has shined throughout her undergraduate journey at The Ohio State University, showcasing not only academic excellence but also a deep commitment to mentoring and leadership.
In 2022, she joined the Animal Science Community Alliance (ASCA), a group dedicated to supporting new students and mentoring first-year animal science majors. As a peer mentor, the Animal Science major played a key role in helping freshmen navigate college life. She also became an LSAMP Alliance Peer Mentor, guiding incoming students and building connections that have lasted well beyond the program—one of her mentees is even attending her graduation party.
Her passion for helping others continued into 2023 as she mentored another group of students through LSAMP. That same year, she became an ODI Advancement Ambassador, representing CFAES and ODI at events while also learning from alumni about their experiences as Morrill Scholars. During the summer, she took her talents to Case Western, where she contributed to important research in mucosal immunology.
By 2024, Paisli’s hard work and curiosity led her to two impactful summer research projects. She studied obesity’s immunological effects in mice under the guidance of Ohio State's veterinary biosciences chair and worked on her research distinction project, focusing on foals and dietary supplementation. Her findings were presented at the Ohio State Undergraduate Research Symposium, a proud milestone. In the fall, she added another layer to her experience by serving as a teaching assistant for Animal Health and Animal Physiology labs.
Her dedication paid off with a Graduate Research Assistantship offer from the University of Georgia, where she will pursue a PhD studying mesenchymal stem cells in pigs with traumatic brain injuries. She also successfully completed her research distinction requirements, defending her thesis and earning special recognition on her diploma.
Recently, Paisli received the exciting news that she was selected as the only recipient of the prestigious 2025 American Society of Animal Science D.C. Policy Summer Internship. This opportunity will take her to Capitol Hill, where she’ll work with agriculture committee members on impactful policy work.
Throughout her time at Ohio State, Paisli has been supported by scholarships like the Morrill Scholar Prominence Scholarship, LSAMP Awards, and the CFAES Undergraduate Scholarship. She has more than repaid that support by becoming a standout leader and an inspiration to everyone in the LSAMP program.
"Paisli has a determination, generosity, and drive to make a difference that has made her an important part of the LSAMP Program," said Victoria Auger, the program manager for LSAMP. "We wish her the best as she tackles new challenges in lobbying and research."
Sabah Salem
Sabah Salem
Sabah Salem’s journey to graduating from The Ohio State University has been long—one that’s spanned majors, colleges, and even continents.
“I grew up in Saudi Arabia,” said the fourth-year ODI Scholar (JLM). “That’s where all of my siblings and I were born and raised, and then we moved to Columbus in 2010.”
Salem began her post-secondary education at Columbus State Community College (CSCC) but soon found herself at a crossroads.
“I was one of those students who was unclear on what they wanted to study. I would go to my counselor and say, ‘I want to major in this.’ Then, the next semester, I’d go back and say, ‘You know what, I actually want to major in this.’ I kept changing back and forth,” Salem explained. “I ended up taking a gap year, and in 2017, I went to Fortis College and became a medical assistant.”
Working as a Float Medical Assistant at Central Ohio Primary Care gave her critical healthcare experience while also sparking a new passion.
“I enjoyed working in the lab, especially drawing blood, and I was so fascinated with how the human body functions,” Salem noted. “I faced health challenges, and nutrition really opened my eyes and helped heal my body. Through that personal experience, I decided to major in nutrition.”
Salem returned to CSCC to continue her education and eventually transferred to Ohio State. Despite the challenges of transitioning to a large institution, she found a home in ODI and the James L. Moore Scholars Program.
“ODI was very welcoming and showed me that I belong here. I learned how to be more comfortable advocating for myself,” Salem commented. “ODI resources like tutoring made a huge difference. Whenever I encountered difficulties, I knew I could count on Ms. Chaka [ODI staffer] for support—whether it was advice, a letter of recommendation, or assistance with tuition and scholarships.”
Salem credits her success to both ODI resources and her active involvement on campus. She has served as a Social Peer Assistant, supporting transfer students from community colleges and helping them adjust to life at Ohio State.
“I believe in giving back to the programs and people who have supported me,” Salem said. “ODI has been such a big part of my journey, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to help other students feel welcome and supported, just as I did.”
After earning her diploma this autumn, Salem plans to continue her Buckeye experience through Ohio State’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences’ graduate program in Dietetics and Nutrition, with hopes of becoming a registered dietitian. “I’ve already applied for Ohio State’s master’s program, so hopefully I get accepted in March,” she noted.
Salem is proud to follow in the footsteps of her younger sister, a 2021 Ohio State graduate, becoming the second person in her family to earn a college degree.
“We came to the United States for a better education and a better life, and that has been a huge motivation for me,” she said. “Seeing my sister and I accomplish that mission by graduating from college has put a big smile on my parents’ faces. Achieving their dream of seeing us succeed means everything to me, and I’m so proud of how far we’ve come.”