Stephanie Baxter’s happy to stand with Ohio State
She came to Columbus for grad school and wants everyone to know: This community can offer you a niche and the resources to succeed.
Stephanie Baxter, an optometrist in South Bend, Indiana, is a member of the Board of Directors with The Ohio State University Alumni Association. (Photo by Jodi Miller)
As a graduate student in optometry, Stephanie Baxter ’08 OD found her Ohio State experience was less about football games and more about discovering herself. Though initially reluctant to choose such a large university, Baxter soon hit her stride and developed a love for giving back to other Buckeyes. Her favorite memories reflect this personal growth.
Driven by gratitude for her quest toward a Doctor of Optometry degree, Baxter now serves on the alumni association board to show others that Ohio State can empower all students to find their path. She gives back so others can feel supported to become their best selves, just as she did.
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Yours is a bit of a nontraditional Ohio State story. Tell us what brought you here.
I considered attending Ohio State for undergraduate, but ultimately decided against it. The university just seemed so big, and I was afraid I would get lost and become just a number on campus. So, I decided to do my undergraduate studies at the University of Toledo.
However, once I’d finished my bachelor’s degree and began looking at optometry schools, Ohio State again came to the forefront of my mind. I looked at several options and kept coming back to Ohio State. Even though the university is very large, it felt as though the College of Optometry was a good fit for me in terms of size. I was also blown away by the reputation of the program. Those things together made the choice to attend for graduate school much easier for me.
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What is one of your favorite memories from your time at Ohio State?
You know, I always read or listen to stories of people telling their favorite memories from their time here, and it’s often something connected to an experience at Mirror Lake, or a game day celebration, or maybe something major that happened on the Oval. Attending as an optometry student, my experiences are significantly different. What I value most from my time on campus is being able to connect to the Younkin Success Center. Here was a free resource that provided support for all the major questions we were asking as young adults: How do you balance life, studying, work … ? How do you manage stress?
I remember discovering Younkin shortly after arriving on campus because it was right across the street from the College of Optometry. I remember being a bit overwhelmed about all the changes that were happening in my life at that moment. At Younkin, I was able to find resources to really help me create a plan that I could follow for the next few years as I worked my way through optometry school.
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Tell us about your decision to serve as an alumni association board member.
Before I joined the alumni association board, I was a member of the College of Optometry’s alumni society board. I was asked to join that organization shortly after graduation, and honestly, at first I was a bit scared of what that might entail. The thing is, though, it never feels like a chore to give my time to Ohio State.
The university has so much to offer — not just to our students and alumni but also to the larger community. There are many ways to be involved as a Buckeye. I wanted to amplify that message however I could. There is so much value in this organization, and I truly feel like the university wants you to be successful, wants me to be successful. It feels good to promote Ohio State and to give back in any way I can. Board service is just one way I can do that.
