Running head: SMALL-TOWN KID, BIG-CITY DREAMS 1

Small-Town Kid, Big-City Dreams

Rocco J. Bruno

Sokolov Honors College, Youngstown State University

HONR 4890C: Senior Honors Thesis Capstone

Presley Bowser

April 16, 2023

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Small-Town Kid, Big-City Dreams

Introduction

As I decided my next steps following my senior year of high school, I contemplated

exactly what it was I desired from an undergraduate experience, and it wasn’t until I met with the

Sokolov Honors College staff I knew what I truly valued was a sense of belonging and

community. Approaching my final weeks as member of the Honors College family, I have taken

a moment to reflect on my experiences as a Youngstown State University Honors Biology

student and, more importantly, the mutual impact shared between myself and my communities,

whether it be YSU, the Honors College, or Youngstown as a whole.

While my time as Penguin may soon come to an end, there is no shortage of lessons,

values, or experiences I will continue to cherish as I tackle the next objectives in my life. The

following is a discussion of the Sokolov Honors College Pillars and how I strived to contribute to

our history of academic and social excellence.

Honors Pillar Overview

The YSU Sokolov Honors College is comprised of five pillars which serve as a

foundation to foster an atmosphere conducive to success both inside and outside the classroom:

research and scholarship, leadership and engagement, volunteerism and service learning, global

citizenship, and interdisciplinary perspectives (the latter two will be discussed together). During

my time at YSU, it was these very pillars that guided my efforts and helped shape me into the

student, leader, and advocate I am today and hope to resemble in the future.
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Scholarship and Research

When I first started at Youngstown State University, I knew I wanted to make the most of

my honors college experience. As a result, I utilized the Honors Seminars as a way for me to

expand my horizons and learn topics different from my major requirements. Outside of the

required Freshman Honors Seminars, I also took part in “Let’s Talk Communications,”

“Backyard Archaeology,” “Native American History of Northeast Ohio,” and this semester,

“Honors Current Issues.” I find the seminars to be a very low-risk way of learning, especially in

fields where you don’t necessarily find yourself comfortable. For example, I chose to take the

“Let’s Talk” Seminar with Professor Mollie Hartup because I knew it would force me outside of

my comfort zone and allow me to develop into a more effective and willing communicator. Now

I find myself voluntarily giving presentations and talks to fellow students, and I couldn’t be more

enthusiastic.

To fulfill my remaining honors credit hour requirements, I mostly chose to contract my

major courses, ensuring I was walking away from my classes with something beyond the

standard course objectives. For Human Physiology, I wrote a paper about two rare vascular

diseases, Nutcracker Syndrome and May-Thurner Syndrome, and enjoyed the content so much, I

now foresee myself becoming a vascular surgeon. I also took advantage of the honors contract

while continuing to conduct my own independent neuroscience research under the guidance of

Dr. Panaitof, Ph.D. Through my honors contract I was able to share my work not only with Dr.

P, but with fellow students working in her lab on similar neuromodulation research.

The neuroscience research previously mentioned stemmed from existing work I

completed as a Research Assistant at the Akron Children’s Hospital NeuroDevelopmental

Science Center. While completing my honors independent study over the summer, I was asked to
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continue working with my research mentor Dr. Seese, M.D., Ph.D., adding an additional 100

hours to my tenure. Working for Akron Children’s and the University of Pittsburgh, I

reconstructed two non-human primate cerebellums and developed four hotspot maps defining the

regions within the cerebellum responsible for control of sympathetic arousal. In addition to my

weekly research requirements, I was also commissioned to write the protocols for Non-human

Primate Cerebellum Reconstruction and Map Development for the University of Pittsburgh

Systems Neuroscience Institute (Quite the mouthful… I know), marking my legacy for many

years to come!

As I reflect on all I have accomplished over these past few, very short years, I think I am

most proud of my research and my willingness to continue finding the time to contribute to such

a groundbreaking investigation. When I originally sought opportunities such as this, I will admit,

I was mostly doing it to satisfy the “how to get into medical school checklist,” but what I have

learned throughout the process is just how much I enjoy it and desire to pursue it as a medical

student and eventual clinician. Everything that is prescribed or recommended by physicians

today was once part of a hypothesis and study conducted behind the scenes, and I think that is an

important aspect many people forget. Moving forward, I have a much greater appreciation for the

effort put forth to provide hope for those battling disease and disability.

Leadership and Engagement

One of the main reasons I ultimately chose to attend Youngstown State University was

because of the Sokolov Honors College and the impact they have on campus and in the

surrounding community, a community I have always called home. Inspired by the Honors Pillars
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and the commitment of Honors staff and students to each other, I have strived to contribute to the

Honors mission throughout my three years as an undergraduate student.

During my time in Honors, I have had the pleasure of working with local area high

schools as an honors ambassador, and more recently, as a source of perspective for pre-medical

students. Using my own medical school journey and MCAT experience as a “guinea pig” of

sorts, I have had the chance to hopefully make life easier for those who follow. Working closely

with Mollie, I was able to establish a pipeline program between the Honors College and my

research mentor Dr. Ronnie Seese, M.D., Ph.D., from Akron Children’s Hospital to make non-

lab-based research experiences more accessible to students. I have also had the chance to present

my neuroscience research to my peers, educate them about how to find pre-med internships that

best suit their needs, and share my experiences and study strategies for the MCAT. Finally, after

speaking with Mollie about the need for YSU to establish a pre-health committee, I hear it is on

the future agenda! Going through the grueling process that is preparing and ultimately applying

to medical school, I wanted to make sure I could use my experiences to pave a better path for

those who will eventually follow in my footsteps. I am quite proud of what we were able to do as

a small honors college and look forward to seeing the positive impact for years to come.

As a YSU student, I have also tried to do my part to positively impact those around me,

and I think that is best exemplified by my job as a peer tutor at the Resch Academic Success

Center. After finishing Organic Chemistry 1 & 2, I was one of three students selected by Dr.

Peter Norris, Ph.D., to serve as his personal student tutors. I took on this role with great

responsibility and looked forward each week to helping my students find, within themselves, the

perseverance and determination necessary to succeed. As I entered my senior year, my

responsibilities somewhat shifted, and I had the chance to mentor two students who were new to
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the OChem tutoring team. I always hear the saying “do what you love and don’t worry about the

money” when people refer to their jobs, but I don’t think I ever really understood it until I began

working with Mike, Kevin, and Dr. Norris every week. In fact, I loved my job so much, I wrote

my own book to help students consolidate the information and placed copies within the ASC for

student and tutor use. However, that is not to say I have always been the one teaching; I have

learned so much not only from my peers, but from the students I taught. There were certainly

times when I was asked a question I simply had no idea how to answer, and I think those were

some of the best moments. Admitting you are clueless to a bunch of students who expect you to

know everything can be quite intimidating but working with them to learn it together is

unbelievably rewarding.

Due to my personality, I think I naturally gravitate to leadership roles or to lending a

helping hand as I have previously described. It has always been my nature to take a step back

and help the next one in line, and the experiences I have had at YSU continue to reinforce how

much I truly enjoy everything I do. Once I find myself comfortable in a situation and

comfortable with those around me, you better believe we succeed together, or we fail together.

Volunteerism and Service-Learning

One aspect I respect most about the Sokolov Honors College is their requirement for

students to complete annual service. I do not think there is a better indication of one’s

commitment to their community than to volunteer their own time in the pursuit of helping others.

Beginning Summer of my sophomore year of high school, I have been volunteering at St.

Joseph Hospital, first in the Ambulatory Care Center and now, due to my accumulated

experience, in the Preoperative Department, where I am blessed to interact with both patients and
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their families. As a Mercy Health volunteer, I am a jack-of-all trades and my duties are invested

in easing the burden of staff and ensuring the comfortability of patients before surgery and their

families during surgery. My typical day consists of receiving patients from the waiting room,

taking their height and weight, grabbing them extra pillows and blankets, and informing families

their loved ones have gone back for surgery.

Due to experiences I have had with my own family’s health, I always envisioned

volunteering in a hospital. On the many occasions I have sat in the waiting room, not as a patient

but as a family member, it was the volunteers who made certain I felt the most comfortable, and I

always appreciated their effort. Because of individuals like them and knowing how it feels to be

an anxious loved-one, I try my best to make sure patients and families know I am available,

should they need anything. And if something outside my comfortability is asked of me, I always

forward that information on to someone who can better answer their call because let’s face it…

the hospital is never a place individuals hope to be.

I have been in my current position for two years, and it has been the highlight of my

week since I started. Nothing is more joyous than being able to serve the needs of people who

require it most. In many cases, I am the first staff member within the Preoperative Department

patients and their families see on their day of surgery, so I have the special opportunity to ease

their anxiety from the beginning. We might have been wearing masks, but you’d be surprised

how many smiles you can discern in the eyes of patients by simply asking them how they are

doing and truly listening to their response.

As I look to my community, the need for high quality healthcare is pressing, and many

times, it is where one lives and their immediate environment that dictates their outcomes. As a

future physician, I hope to expand my understanding of these social determinants and learn from
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diverse perspectives to better serve this community’s needs in the future. A wise man by the

name of Dr. Peter Norris once told me, “if you hope to change your community, the best thing

you could do is leave, learn something new from somewhere else, and bring it back home,” and

that is exactly what my plans are. My heart lives in Youngstown and I look forward to once

again serving this community by providing the high-quality care our residents deserve.

Global Citizenship and Interdisciplinary Perspectives

Growing up in an interconnected world, it is easy to see that despite our unique attributes

and cultures, our decisions are far-reaching. By simply looking at your phone or pulling up the

Google search engine, you are instantly overwhelmed by information streaming in from all parts

of the world. As a result, as people, we cannot just see ourselves as citizens of our respective

countries, but citizens of a shared world, with shared responsibilities. To me, that is exactly what

it means to be a global citizen. Understanding that our differences will only continue to fade, I

have found enjoyment in becoming familiar with different cultures and perspectives, while also

striving to keep the traditions of my family’s past alive for generations to come.

One of my more eye-opening experiences at Youngstown State has been volunteering my

time through the International Pen Pals Program. As a member of this organization, I am paired

with a student from Vietnam who is attempting to learn English so she can better succeed in this

globalized society we often refer to. While my main goal is to correct my pen pal’s mistakes and

assist her in her efforts, I can confidently say I probably learned just as much as her. I have been

exposed to such a beautifully unique culture I likely wouldn’t have experienced otherwise, and I

am so grateful I took the time to apply for the position. Additionally, I also enjoy taking the time

to become familiar with my classmates, who stem from all walks of life, various religions, and

even different parts of the world. Living in Northeast Ohio for my entire life, I always had the
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sense I was almost living in a bubble, but there are little pockets sprinkled here and there where I

found the opportunity to engage with diverse perspectives.

It is these perspectives I really look forward to learning from as I graduate and attend

medical school at Ohio State University, ranked #14 in the United States for diversity of its class.

The age old saying goes, “you don’t know, what you don’t know,” so I welcome the idea of

finding where I can improve in recognition of cultures and social issues, enabling me to better

serve the patients who will eventually be in my care. Let’s face it… growth, whether personal or

societal, cannot occur without change, and by utilizing the transformative power of perspective

to learn from each other, we can revolutionize medicine for all. In addition to this “traditional”

style of learning, as a physician, I hope to work for the government as part of a global health

team. Not only will this give me an excuse to travel, something I feel I have missed out on

immensely, but I will be given the privilege of serving some of the world’s neediest populations,

while learning all about their customs (Pretty sweet gig if you ask me!).

So, while I feel I have certainly grown immensely in my understanding of those different

from myself, I can willingly admit I have a long way to go. Learning is, after all, a lifelong

process.
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Lifelong Learning and Intrapersonal Development

As I start to look toward the end of my final semester at Youngstown State University, I

am left feeling both grateful and inspired; grateful to have my dreams within arms-reach and

inspired to change the world. Graduating high school in May of 2020, I was part of the incoming

class who was forced to adapt to new ways and a new world, transitioning from in-person

coursework at a small public school to online coursework at a sizeable university. Despite the

obvious challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, and some additional hiccups with

faculty and staff during the first few weeks of my freshman year, I would argue my time at YSU

was well worth it. If nothing else, YSU taught me to take responsibility for my own education

and prepared me for what life would be like in the “real world.”

Under the guidance of a few exceptional mentors (Dr. Peter Norris, Dr. Carmen Panaitof,

and Professor Mollie Hartup), I learned not just how to fight for myself and my aspirations, but

also how to fight for my community and those around me. For as long as I can remember, my

ambition was always to serve as a catalyst for positive change in the world, and what I have

learned as I battled to gain acceptance to some of the top medical schools in the country is I am

capable of a lot more than I give myself credit. After all, only those crazy enough to believe they

can accomplish something of such great magnitude are those who ever stand a chance of

actually doing it.

As I begin my transition to Columbus and shift from Penguin to Buckeye, I plan to carry

with me that intrinsic motivation that has brought me this far. With access to immense medical

resources and cutting-edge research, I hope to leave my mark on Ohio State, just as I did YSU,

and contribute to a storied history of revolutionizing medicine. While attending medical school, I

also hope to share and learn from diverse perspectives, promoting change and inspiring growth,
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whether personal or societal. After graduating from The Ohio State University College of

Medicine, I intend to work for the United States government, fulfilling my lifelong dream of

serving my nation and those around the world. However, a part of me knows I will eventually

find my way back home.

It is “home” and this sense of community I will always be most grateful for as I continue

to fight for my aspirations. I have been a Youngstown kid my entire life, and nothing quite puts a

chip on my shoulder like being considered an underdog. We may have a shortage of industry, a

shortage of regional activities, and a shortage of parking, but there is no shortage of grit,

determination, and perseverance among those who seek to make a difference. With limited

resources, I have put myself in a position to compete against students from Johns Hopkins,

Carnegie Mellon, Dartmouth, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, MIT, and Cornell, so forgive me for

questioning the title. If there is one thing I can leave with those who will soon follow a similar

path, it is the power of faith. Along your journey, you will encounter someone who will say you

are not destined to pursue your dreams, it is not a matter of if but when, and when that time

comes, you must remember your motivation is intrinsic and the only one capable of holding you

back is yourself. You may be a small-town kid, but that doesn’t mean you can never have big-

city dreams.