In April, sophomore Mariah Muhammad double majoring in criminal justice and English was announced as one of Ohio State's 150 Sesquicentennial Scholars — 32 of which are in the Arts and Sciences. The Sesquicentennial Student Leadership Scholarship program aims to increase access and affordability, as well as recognize students’ academic and non-academic accomplishments and diverse interests.

How or why did you choose your major?

I would love to go into the FBI and help solve the problems I see in America from the inside out. Also, I love reading the news so through my research from the FBI and the government as a whole, I would want to write it about it as well through articles found on websites.

What does being a Sesquicentennial Scholar mean to you?

Being a Sesquicentennial Scholar means being an academic based, well-rounded individual. It is an honor to have that title at The Ohio State University because this university has already got a title that holds weight when said, then to add being a Sesquicentennial Scholar is just icing on the cake! 

Explain what you love about being in the College of Arts and Sciences at Ohio State.

What I love about being in the College of Arts and Sciences at The Ohio State University is that the faculty is very concerned with their students and are always offering such great events to meet with professors in their department and get to know more about the opportunities coming from their major. This department connects with many people’s interests and that’s what makes it dynamic. 

How do you hope to inspire the next generation?

How I hope to inspire the next generation is by showing the importance of motivation for what I hope to achieve. I truly believe the saying, “You can do anything you put your mind to.” Sometimes, specifically towards minorities, we don’t see our potential and our talents. However, if other minorities have a role model that they can relate to, I believe it could motivate them as well to do what they see other leaders doing.