Fall 2020 by Fisher Ink

FALL 2020 \\ VOLUME XXI

Clinical Trials

Drone Delivery

Cielo Cafe

Z**M UNIVERSITY Adapting to a new, online era

ENTERPRENEURSHIP SCIENCE & TECH BOSS Startup 9 Cielo Cafe 16

Clinical Trials 5 Drones 12

PANDEMIC STUDENT EXPERIENCE Student Organizations 6 New Way of Life 10

COVID-19 PAGES

Cultivating Columbus 8 Resumes 14

cover art megan kozinski table of contents photo jessie lee

18-19

ADVISOR PRESIDENT

hannah croft bushman

charlotte geary

VP PRODUCTIONS lauren marshall

VP OPERATIONS kriti chawla

VP WRITING sean finerty

VP DESIGN

megan kozinski

VP PHOTO & BRANDING jessie lee

VP PODCAST & PROMOTIONS

grant powelson

WRITING TEAM

FALL 2020

FISHER INK MAGAZINE

katheryn chandra, han chen, stella fan, andrea hefferan, andrew shehata, catherine shong, lauren timmins

DESIGN TEAM

kriti chawla, han chen, stella fan, charlotte geary, lauren timmins, kirthana vasanth

PROMOTIONS TEAM

han chen, stella fan, jessie lee, jenny sedlatschek, andrew shehata

PODCAST TEAM

jon olbur, grant powelson

Finding Purpose in a Pandemic For me, and I’m sure many of you, this quarantined limbo we’re experiencing has caused me to feel restless, literally and figuratively. During the slower, solitary days in March, I found myself quite literally rolling around the floor trying to do something with myself. Eventually, I couldn’t sit still. Searching for purpose in those endless, interflowing days was intimidating, but I found my answer in the little things- particularly driving around my hometown of Canal Fulton, Ohio, to investigate every brick-paved street. Now, finding myself at Ohio State, away from the unexpected freedoms of a small town, that purpose has changed. Finding my niche at Ohio State has been a bit difficult- at a school with over 1,400 extracurriculars, it’s hard to zero in on a few, let alone just one. Being someone who appreciates and thrives on involvement, and the payoff of hard work, I knew becoming involved in a student organization would help define my experience here. So, I meandered to my Peer Leader’s office hours in the first semester of freshman year, inquired about my options, and discovered Fisher Ink. Everything about it was appealing to me, from the planning, to the execution and the creativity. I was excited to be involved- I find learning something new while producing part of a body of work to be a fulfilling experience. I couldn’t wait to create a page I was proud of. Quite frankly, however, my first article was a mess. I improperly saved my documents not once, not twice but three times, and I had to redesign my

article not once, not twice but three times. I was nearly clueless about Adobe Illustrator and InDesign. Hours were spent in the Digital Unions across campus trying to figure it all out. However, since I survived my initial learning curve, I’ve learned so much about the ins and outs of Fisher Ink. As my knowledge of the process has grown over the past year, so has my passion.

The incubation of quarantine has allowed me to feed into this, and find a purpose here in Columbus. My newfound purpose doesn’t end here. Rekindling old passions has been one of my saving graces as well. Returning to something you’ve lost touch with can be wonderful, and

gives you an entirely new perspective on the matter. I used to love to bake when I was younger. When I reached high school, inevitably it took a back burner to the studies and responsibilities I didn’thave when I was 9. So when quarantine freed up most of my March, I took the opportuninty to get back into baking. Now, in Columbus, I bake when I have an afternoon to myself, something I rarely did before March. I’ve found that there’s just as much virtue in finding purpose as repurposing. At home, aimless driving and baking served as activities to fill my time, but here, Fisher Ink is an outlet for my ambition. If you find yourself relating to the relentless restlessness of life in a pandemic, I encourage you to find purpose wherever you are. Inspiration, in all senses of the word, is everywhere. You can take it from places you’ve been, from distant memories, or find it in your every day life. Although mine takes the form of the magazine you’re currently holding, yours can truly be anything. You can choose to invest yourself in something extravagant and monumental, like planning out a trip to climb Mount Everest. It can also be as simple as making your perfect morning cup of coffee. Whatever it is, I wish you good luck in your journey through Ohio State and the city of Columbus. I hope you stay safe, stay healthy, and find whatever it is that excites and motivates you. Here’s to your search,

Lauren Marshall, VP of Production

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SCIENCE & TECH

Covid Vaccine Tracker Distribution Plans and Public Attitudes

ccording to the Veil of Ignorance, a philosophy method of decisionmaking when faced with morality issues, “Social and economic inequalities are to be arranged to the greatest benefit of the least advantaged, consistent with the just savings principle”, and “attached to offices and positions open to all under conditions of fair equality of opportunity.” Historically, what has helped humans resist epidemics has been mainly vaccines instead of medicine. Though the Covid-19 mortality remains low, it has taken more than one million people’s lives and continues to spread. Without a doubt, the most powerful weapon to fight off the global pandemic is a new vaccine. As long as people can widely access the vaccine, the concern regarding normal life can be addressed. Researchers around the world have been working on developing new vaccines to fight off the global pandemic. Over the past couple of months, the vaccines have been in the final stage of trials. According to the latest report, the U.S. Department of Health will determine the first Covid vaccine distributions at the end of October. Moreover, all citizens will have access to the vaccine in 2021 before September. The CDC, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suggests letting high-risk groups like elders, medical workers, or people who work for entities like the National Security Agency receive the shots first. Children and young adults would be the last on the list. Regarding the question of “which groups should have priority to get the vaccine?” professionals have different opinions. William Schaffner, a medical expert from Vanderbilt University, believes that young adults should receive the shots first. According to him, “young adults are the center to spread the infections, and the new vaccine has the best effect on their immune systems. Thus, the trials on young people will cut down the spreading.” The location is also one element for professionals to

consider. “People in the states with severe epidemics are the target to receive the vaccine first,” Dr. Francis Collins from the National Institutes of Health says, “We will also consider the volunteers who take placebo in the clinical trials to have priority to take the shots.” However, the plans for fair distribution are controversial to the public. Many people disagree with the plan. “I think people who would like to pay for the vaccine should get shots first,” says Emily Malkienge, a 26-year-old graduate student majoring in theatre. “Covid is a big disaster for performing artists since the limitations of virtual work. I would like to pay for the shot to get a sense of safety and go back to work on my project.” Tian Wang, an international student who has to stay in the U.S. due to the global pandemic, also agrees that people with urgency to pay for the vaccine should get the shots first. “During the special circumstance, I have trouble going back to my country, which means I have to stay here for a while.” Tian thinks that it is tough for her and many international students who cannot go back to their home country, “I haven’t returned home for a year, and now I still don’t know when I could go back.” Tian points out her worries about the policy of her current status, “I’m okay to stay here, but I need to be safe. Even the local citizens have to wait to get the shot, I am not sure how long I have to wait. But I’m willing to pay for the shot if it was available.” Others have differing opinions with regard to the age of potential vaccinetakers. Steve Walsh, a 45-year-old father

“There is no need to rush if the research matters for people’s health.”

The Wexner Medical Center held clinical trials for COVID-19.

of three, wishes his children to take the vaccine in advance. He disagrees that children should be the last group to receive the vaccine. “Children’s immune systems have not been developed. I want all my kids to be safe and healthy. And I don’t want this disease to leave a sequel for my kids’ futures.” He adds that he agrees that the elders should be among those who take the vaccine first. “My parents are both in their mid70s, I’m worried about the potential risks to threaten their health,” says Walsh. He thinks that the significance of the new vaccine should not only create a safe environment, but also give people a sense of inner security. That way, they won’t have to be concerned too much about the health of people such as their families. While the questions of how to distribute equally and the means of distribution are highly debatable among the public, another problem has appeared. Many people do not want to take the vaccine. According to a CNN survey, 20 percent of respondents would choose not to take a vaccine. Millie Tseng, who is in this group, asserts that she concerns the credibility and safety of the new vaccine. “There are only 26 types of vaccine that appeared in the world through hundreds of years. I am not sure if the clinical trial can be done without concerns in a few months.” Millie believes that trustable research takes time, especially for the widely-used vaccine, “I understand the urgency that people have for the vaccine, and I want some medical treatment to stop the pandemic as well. But I would rather wait until the vaccine is 100% safe. There is no need to rush if the research matters for people’s health.”

Inspiration

Actions student organizations take in response to COVID-19

from

story & design han chen photo www.amomentofmagic.com

Magic

“Navigating this new environment with everything being virtual has been very challenging...”

n her house at the beginning of March, Claire Schroeder recalled a fun visit with kids at the Pediatric Congenital Heart Association. They were jumping up and down as characters walked in. Claire, currently a fourthyear nursing student at The Ohio State University, suddenly received an announcement of the school shutdown. She was concerned about the lack of everyday college life but more so, the medically vulnerable kids she had been helping along with A Moment of Magic, whose mission is to “restore childhood magic.” After living through the stay-at-home order and “Stay Safe Ohio,” people gradually started walking on previously empty streets. With careful practice, the reopening of restaurants, hospitals, malls and other businesses came not long after, despite the order prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people. Schools, in turn, remained closed. Students, faculty and school workers felt

“

anxious and worried. On one particular Facebook page, volunteers dress like princesses and superheroes to lead arts-and-crafts live streams, from decorating ideas to live chat with Magic Makers. The audiences are special-hospitalized kids, children with special needs and youngsters who need the magic that has been taken away due to medical conditions or other factors. This is A Moment of Magic Foundation, a non-profit organization supporting kids by magical performance and volunteer activities, such as bedside visits, large event appearances, sing-alongs and so forth. Partnered with many institutions, the Foundation now has 22 chapters across the country. The Ohio State Chapter is where Claire works and serves as the president. According to Claire, a weekly routine consists of one organization meeting, and members answer hotline calls five times a day on average.

“Navigating this new environment with everything being virtual has been very challenging,” says Claire, “especially being an organization that relies heavily on these in-person events.” A Moment of Magic is among the lucky few to stay active whereas other organizations involved with dance, choral and instrument are in pending status due to social distancing. According to Claire, the chapter has partnered with different organizations like Pediatric Congenital Heart Association and Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. They’ve also been to butterfly walks and Autism Speaks walks. However, those events are not happening during the pandemic. The shortage of bonding events, fundraising and networking opportunities result in less social interaction. Some other organizations plan friend speed dating, game or movie nights via Zoom. Despite these efforts, fewer have actually joined in.

I see it as an opportunity to be able to spread magic across the entire United States and across the world”

FISHER INK MAGAZINE FALL 2020

PANDEMIC

Volunteers dressed as popular characters greet children, bringing them a “moment of magic.”

For this non-profit organization, transformation to a virtual setting is only the first step. The question is how they can make more creative programmings and raise awareness of this unique volunteer artwork. “We find that a lot of our new members have found us through Instagram [and other social media],” says Claire. That’s the logic behind posing arts-and-crafts videos on Facebook and other videos on Instagram to continually attract more volunteers and partnerships. More so, parents and caregivers believe A Moment of Magic is beneficial for their kids’ enjoyment and development. Because the main participants of this national organization are students from different college chapters, Claire decided to follow Ohio State’s lead on the Spring Involvement Fair. The whole team will continue to post inspiring content on social media to reach out to people. “I see it [COVID-19] as an opportunity to be able to spread magic across the entire United States and across the world.” Says Claire. Despite the limitation of face-to-face interaction, being virtual means this practice of love for kids, once limited to locals, now is something kids in need and volunteers can find access to.

Operating an organization at this difficult time requires energy and time management. While Claire is a fulltime student, she works 12-hour shifts at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The study time left to her is down to two hours, not to mention the time to preview and review the material presented in class. It is clear that this is a stressful time for everyone. However, there are positives to working with the children. “I’ve learned so much from the kids,” says Claire, “but one of the biggest things is how to be brave, and the kids are so fearless.” Without Claire and other volunteers telling the kids, children naturally found out about the wide-spread coronavirus themselves or through their parents and extended family. Even in the midst of not knowing, there’s a meaning behind it. For kids, that’s the company, comfort and courage. It’s during this unusual time that everybody learned the importance and need for volunteer service. It’s a way of helping each other overcome anxiety and stress. While everyone is anxious at some points in life, supporting people one knows, loves and cares about is one of the most profound things that can be done.

“It is a very challenging time that really needs that magic,” says Claire. Student organizations exist because they want to make an impact. They’re here to help their fellow students succeed through various activities. Nevertheless, they need support from students as well. The virtual environment may not seem exciting to some students, but there’s always a unique meaning behind one’s act if they are willing to help out.

“

We’re looking at finding new

creative ways to bring magic to the kids

”

STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Cultivating Columbus

New student-run organization tackles the food security issue in Columbus through community gardens story & design kriti chawla

olumbus, Ohio is booming with urban development. The city is constantly increasing in population and expanding its infrastructure. But, metropolises create larger carbon footprints due to inflated use of resources, such as food. Outsourcing food from farms is becoming increasingly difficult as transportation costs rise. Households with food insecurity are faced with the inconvenience of traveling long distances to stores with healthy food options. According to healthypeople. gov, food insecurity is defined as the “disruption of food intake or eating patterns because of lack of money and other resources.” These factors contribute to the food security issue in Columbus that grows each and every day.

research on the food shopping behaviors between households that are food secure versus insecure. They found that “[food insecure] households were almost twice as likely to walk” as well as over four times as likely to use public transportation as a means to get to food stores in comparison to food secure households. On top of that, the most accessible food stores for food insecure households rarely stock healthy food items. Building community gardens will decrease the city’s carbon footprint, decrease the overall food insecurity within the community, and provide healthy food options. Cultivate Columbus also recently gained a partnership with Columbus City Schools. Rustagi says the club plans to “help develop environmental curriculums for the students” within

We need to find a way we can produce food in cities ...urban agriculture is the way to do that. Urban agriculture is the process of distributing sustainable and locally produced foods within urban settings. A new student-run organization at The Ohio State University, called Cultivate Columbus, plans on combating the food security issue in Columbus with community gardens. Their hope — with the idea of urban agriculture in mind — is to provide better access to locally sourced food that is healthy and sustainable. “Our vision is to create community gardens around Columbus, Ohio that are supported by [Ohio State] students,” says President Sonam Rustagi, a secondyear majoring in Economics. With the food security problem in Columbus, households are finding it harder to receive quality food due to urban development in the city. Ohio State’s College of Social Work conducted

Columbus City Schools. While the district has community gardens, they currently do not have a curriculum plan that would allow students to work with the gardens. Cultivate Columbus is working alongside a Farm-to-School coordinator to bridge the gap between the classroom education setting and the gardens to build a community that works towards sustainability. Farm-to-School, considered an Ohio State extension, is a program working towards changing food purchasing patterns and education practices at various education sites, such as early care, K-12 and beyond. Cultivate Columbus will be reaching out to students with ways to engage in volunteer opportunities, as well as other ways to stay involved with the urban agriculture setting in Columbus. The club’s current focus is to work with existing communities, like FISHER INK MAGAZINE

FALL 2020

Columbus City Schools, and have Ohio State students work with them. However, the long-term goal for Cultivate Columbus is to one day have gardens built right here at Ohio State for students to call their own. The club believes urban agriculture is the foodfuture of Columbus and other big cities. To disregard this would ignore a solution to the food security issue that currently resides in the Columbus area. Since the majority of the current semester is predominantly in the winter, the cultivation of gardens is unforeseeable as of now. However, Cultivate Columbus aspires to start working on more projects in the springtime. Students at Ohio State can look forward to new projects and working with Cultivate Columbus in the future. “We need to find a way we can produce food in cities to decrease [the] carbon footprint, as well as decrease transportation costs, and urban agriculture is the way to do that,” says Rustagi.

In comparison to Food Secure Households, Food Insecure Households are

more likely to walk,

more likely to take transportation,

to get to food stores.

ENTREPRENEURSHIPENTREPRENEURSHIP

Student Startups:

The Keenan Center’s innovation experience story sean finerty design charlotte geary photo via kaitlin flintroy

his year, the Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship has once again hosted its Best of Student Startup (BOSS) series, a semester-long program for student-driven startups. BOSS provides an opportunity for Ohio State students teams to create and pitch new products, services or technologies to a panel of entrepreneurs and leaders. Over 40 student startup teams participated in a series of entrepreneurship workshops and developed pitch presentations for their business ideas during the course of the Autumn 2020 semester. Inception and Structure The long running program began in 2013. Initially, it was solely a pitch competition with several rounds for students to compete in for funding. Jake Cohen, the program director for collaboration and events for the Keenan Center, discussed some of the characteristics of the program after it was revamped in 2017. “The program is designed to get students connected to the Keenan Center’s resources and the entrepreneurship ecosystem,” he says. Within a semester, 3 workshops are facilitated by a different startup leader in Columbus. The focus of these workshops is to have students learn from leaders in the entrepreneurship community and entrepreneurs themselves. They are designed to be wide-ranging. They provide a broad context that anyone can benefit from, whether that be students just starting to form their idea, or those that are far along in the startup process. Overview of Workshops The first workshop has teams identify their key problem and essentially determine whether it is one that is worth solving. Teams subsequently come up with a solution statement, are introduced to customer validation and overall answer the question of whether or not their business is viable.

The goal is for students “to focus on solving a problem that’s worth solving and back that up with research,” says Cohen. Presentation is the focal point of the second workshop. Teams learn about utilizing their pitch deck, take a crash course in effective public speaking and learn how to put together a concise presentation. In the last workshop, teams deal with strategy. The startup teams receive advice on their marketing strategy and future operations associated with getting their respective business off the ground. Furthermore, teams deal with finances and go over what funding they need depending on what stage they’re at. Final Pitch After the workshops, the program gives the opportunity to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges à la “Shark Tank.” The judges ask questions and give feedback and ultimately 5 teams are selected to pitch again to a new set of judges. The first place team is awarded $2,000 towards their startup idea, the second place team receiving $1,500. Since the finale is free and open to the public, the third place team is the recipient of the “People’s Choice Award” which is awarded to the team receiving the most votes from the audience aside from the first or second place teams. The People’s Choice team also receives $500 towards their startup. Successes and Past Finalists “One thing that’s really unique about the program is it’s really open to anyone no matter what stage of the entrepreneurship process that they’re at,” says Cohen. Whether there are first-time students with a fresh idea initially dipping their toes into entrepreneurship, or teams that have an already established business, there’s an opportunity for everyone to benefit. The program has also seen a diverse student base in terms of both ideas.

“Every year with our BOSS finalists, there’s a really wide range of the finalists and where they are at with their idea,” Cohen says. Past finalists have included students entering the beginning stages of funding, as well as already established businesses looking to grow and expand. The program has seen many success stories as well. One of the many examples is David Butcher, a student who went through the BOSS program with the idea to start a food truck. Butcher won the program, and has now opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Dayton. Adapting the Program to a Virtual Setting Due to the ongoing COVID-19, the BOSS series has been conducted completely virtually this year through Zoom. Despite this, Cohen believes that not much has changed about the program. “We’re really lucky because I think this program lends itself well to a virtual format,” he says. He cites the benefits of virtual settings, such as greater access to students not living on campus and more opportunities to engage with experienced entrepreneurs. Conclusion Whether you are a student just starting to get into entrepreneurship, or one looking to gain new incite and resources for your idea, Cohen believes that BOSS is the “perfect program” for participants to obtain the guidance that they need to turn their ideas into a reality.

“The program is designed to get students connected to the Keenan Center’s resources and the entrepreneurship ecosystem.”

Students are purchasing their meals virtually due to the pandemic.

The New Normal

How the pandemic is changing technology usage with food delivery services and everyday life story kathryn chandra design charlotte geary photo kirthana vasanth & andrew shehata

“This is the new normal” is a phrase many have drilled into their brains over the last few months. There are new changes every day. What is considered safe is changing, and businesses are forced to adapt to these changes. When the lockdown began, people mostly stayed home. All non-essential businesses closed — malls, retail, offices and restaurant dining areas, as well as many other entities. As a result, the food and grocery delivery service industry boomed. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Instacart hired 300,000 new shoppers resulting from a 500 percent increase in orders.

Over the summer, Reilly Voye and Hailey Kleinhans, two sophomores at The Ohio State University, worked for Doordash and Instacart respectively. Both girls started in March, after their normal jobs shut down. As Hailey puts it, there were “more opportunities from it” because a lot of people didn’t want to go to grocery stores. The girls also didn’t have much to do — dine-in restaurants were closed, movie theatres and malls were closed and typical summer activities like going to the pool or beach were almost impossible. Both services have similar job applications and processes: the system required a little bit of basic information and a background check.

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Hailey says she had to wait for an Instacart credit card before she could begin, while Reilly began right after the background check. The work was pretty self-explanatory: Hailey opened the app and orders popped up on the dashboard. Then, one could pick an order to pick up or shop for. Hailey would go to the store, pick up the items, pay with the Instacart credit card and leave the groceries at the door. Hailey could either hand it to the customer directly or leave it at the door, but if she did the latter, she had to send a picture to the customer. She says her pay included a small commission of every order plus tip, and larger orders meant more money. Meanwhile,

PANDEMIC

Reilly simply picked up her order and delivered it, usually leaving it outside the customer’s door. She was paid in a similar fashion, but she raves of one benefit to Doordashing — peak pay, where she received an extra one to five dollars for every order — depending on how busy it was. For Reilly, Friday and Saturday nights were when she made the most money. Luckily, she says that people were pretty generous with tips in her area. “Orders became smaller and I was getting less orders because more and more people started Doordashing,” says Reilly, concerning a decreased frequency of orders as weeks passed. Hailey says that most of her business came from “March to May-ish or June” and that it was mostly families. She says

For customers, these services provided a safe delivery method for meals. The “leave at the door” option became increasingly popular, allowing customers to receive meals with as little contact as possible. Reilly also emphasizes Doordash’s efforts to follow health guidelines and says, “It was pretty contactless, which was especially good at the beginning because you didn’t want to really see anyone during COVID-19.” The restaurant usually brought the meal to her car, or if she had to go inside, there were no other people around. However, Instacart couldn’t provide this extent of contactless options for Hailey, as she had to enter the stores. While working food services like DoorDash and Instacart allowed many to keep busy and make some extra

restaurants to diversify, and large chains that previously held exclusive contracts with certain providers are looking to broaden their horizons. These restaurants are receiving more business through delivery services, now that they offer service through

that this was probably because “parents during the day had to stay home with the kids because they were home from school,” meaning they didn’t have much time for a grocery store run. In July and August, the Instacart clientele included more of the elderly, many of whom were still wary of leaving home. Both girls, as well as their customers, reaped benefits from their respective services. It was very convenient, considering they were balancing working with finishing the semester. As Hailey says, “a lot of other businesses were closed and not hiring, or not looking to hire.” Both services allow employees to work when they can and create their own schedule; they can pick up a few orders between classes, or if they are simply bored. They can listen to music, wear what they want and even take a sibling along for the trip.

cash while finishing the semester, there were a few bumps in the road. When grocery stores experienced shortages in March, it was harder for Hailey to find everything on a customer’s list. Usually, this meant she had to spend even more time in the store because she had to “scan every item, and if they were out of it, [she] had to wait for the person to text [her]”. It definitely took a toll on social interaction levels. What does the future of these services look like? It may be too early to tell, according to CNBC. In July, about 68 percent of restaurants in the United States were allowed to open, but up to 30 percent of independent restaurants may never reopen. Different states have been opening at different rates, meaning that delivery usage may be higher in those opening more slowly. The pandemic has also encouraged lots of

more than one app. However, economic recession may cause people to cut back on spending, especially for restaurant meals with high tax, tip and delivery fees. While some things have shifted towards normalcy, there’s still a long way to go. More and more people are seeing these changes, such as Doordashing a meal instead of going to a restaurant or Instacarting instead of spending hours at the grocery store, as beneficial. So is this the “new normal?” We have yet to find out.

“A lot of other businesses were closed and not hiring, or not looking to hire”

“It was pretty contactless, which was especially good at the beginning because you didn’t want to really see anyone during COVID”

Grocery stores are more empty due to increased usage of platforms like Instacart.

Drone Delivery Discussing a breakthrough for e-commerce

story andrew shehata design lauren timmins

ver the past few years, Amazon has focused on expanding its logistic capabilities. Most notably is the introduction of their delivery vehicles and airline, Amazon Air. Now their 2013 concept of Prime Air, a combination of the two, is one step closer to fruition. Prime Air is Amazon’s proposed automated drone delivery service. According to Amazon, they will be able to deliver packages weighing under five pounds to consumers in 30 minutes or less. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted Amazon approval in August to begin delivering packages to consumers while trialing the service. Although it will take some time for Amazon to develop its delivery network, this is a major advancement for the delivery industry. Dr. Annibal Sodero, an Ohio State University professor specializing in supply chain technology, weighed in on the matter. With regards to federal regulations on drones, it “is no longer a barrier or impediment,” says Sodero. “We do have a very well-established technology … so the costs ... are going down real quick right now,” says Sodero.

Amazon is not the only company racing to deploy drone delivery to consumers. Walmart, Google and UPS are all working to deploy these services as well. The drones that Walmart is using, from Flytrex Aviation, can carry packages weighing up to 6.6 pounds for up to 6.2 miles. Amazon’s latest drone, in comparison, can carry packages of up to five pounds for up to 15 miles. “Drone delivery is perhaps more environmentally friendly … As we see rising e-commerce, you don’t want to see much traffic of trucks,” says Sodero. Google is using its sister company, Wing, to develop deliveries of food, supplies and consumer goods to people all across the world. One of their goals is a reduction in overall carbon and greenhouse emissions, of which 28 percent comes from transportation, according to Wing. UPS is currently using its drones to deliver medical items to WakeMed Hospital in North Carolina. To take advantage of drones in rural areas, UPS is beginning to fly drones from their delivery trucks to the doorsteps of consumers.

AMAZON Maximum flight 15 miles 30 minute average delivery time Can carry 5lbs

“We have this shock which is the COVID pandemic, which is pushing retailers to adopt an innovation that is way faster than they were adopting” “When you need to go long distances in a rural area, perhaps, drones can be very helpful,” says Sodero. For UPS to deliver to these areas, “they will send a … full truckload to a central region. ... From that specific location … you can launch your drones. ... Then, you make the last mile more affordable,” says Sodero. The “last mile” of delivery, the final leg, accounts for over a third of all logistics costs. UPS started working with the Loveland, Ohio based company, Workhorse, who develops drone-delivery trucks. The UPS-Workhorse partnership began as a trial in 2017 and was reintroduced in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

UPS Drones paired with delivery vehicles, improves delivery time in rural areas Clearance for up to 55lbs

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WING Maximum flight 12 miles 2 min 47 fastest delivery time Can carry 3.3lbs

SCIENCE & TECH

“We have this shock which is the COVID pandemic, which is pushing retailers to adopt an innovation that is way faster than they were adopting,” says Sodero. Workhorse’s drones successfully delivered medical supplies in Virginia in conjunction with Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technology, DroneUp and UPS Flight Forward. One of the many benefits of drone delivery is that items can be delivered without contact, resulting in a low risk of spreading disease. UPS states their main goal for drone delivery is to more efficiently deliver to hospital campuses. Aerial drones are not the only kind being developed for use in deliveries. At Ohio State, it can be difficult for delivery trucks to navigate the few service roads that are on campus and drivers need to walk between many buildings to deliver packages. Furthermore, students often find their packages missing or misdelivered due to human error, likely because of the vast number of residencies on campus. Starship, a company that develops delivery robots, has already deployed their drones to numerous college campuses around the country. Unlike aerial drones,

these robots are terrestrial, looking and functioning like small cars. “It is really super convenient. Everybody understands how that works, it gives flexibility for the convenience stores that we have here on campus to deliver their sandwiches, their sodas, pizzas, whatever” says Sodero. Another benefit to these groundbased drones is that they can easily drive on sidewalks alongside students and they do not need to maneuver flying between buildings and trees.

“Everybody understands how that works, it gives flexibility for the convenience stores that we have here on campus to deliver their sandwiches, their sodas, pizzas, whatever”

Current logistics processes are the greatest barrier for consumers because, as Professor Sodero puts it, “typically, when you have a disruptive technology like drones, it’s difficult for companies to implement that.” As firms introduce drone delivery to their processes, they will need to tailor many aspects of their supply chain. Warehouses, websites, billing systems, job positions and other operations will have to be thoroughly redesigned to make way for this new technology. Drone delivery can offer a wide range of benefits to consumers, producers and the environment: consumers get their products faster, producers can save costs and the environment receives less emissions and noise pollution. This is an exciting new technology that has the potential to better the world as it expands. While Amazon is on their way to flying packages to your doorstep, there are many challenges ahead of them.

Businesses have access to drone technology and the FAA has laid the legal groundwork for aerial drone delivery. Yet, these services are far and few between for consumers to access.

Internships in 2020 story lauren timmins design kriti chawla photo @fishergoglobal

How two students’ experiences were impacted by the pandemic

ver the past several months, the spread of the novel coronavirus has gravely shaken the global economy. Unemployment in the United States reached 10.4 percent, millions of workers in Europe were furloughed and major stock markets, like the Dow, still stand on tumultuous ground, according to BBC. There is no question that the economic uproar has affected everyone, but it has left college students particularly concerned about their ability to find internships or employment amidst a sea of business closures and hiring freezes. Students expecting internships for the summer of 2020 also found themselves surrounded with uncertainty. For Alex Klosterman, a participant in the Ohio Export Internship Program, his primary concerns were finishing the required coursework online and the potential for his internship to be changed to remote work. “When I was a participant in the spring, we met the companies in person, but after spring break everything went online. Internships were up in the air — we weren’t sure if they would take us in person or ask us to hop on Zoom for work,” Klosterman says. Traditionally, the Ohio Export Internship program begins in the spring semester with a three-hour, upper-level logistics course comprised of guest lecturers, an ongoing group export project with a Columbus company and student presentations. Students are evaluated throughout the course and then matched with a small to

midsize Ohio company for a 12-week, paid internship for the summer. Once COVID-19 hit, the course was moved online. Students received information about their positions in early May. Fortunately for Klosterman, he found himself in what he describes as “one of the best-case scenarios” for his position. “I was able to work in person, and I believe all of our interns were able to go to their companies in person at least once to meet with their supervisors and for training, but I was able to do it the entire time,” Klosterman says. Klosterman’s company exports over 10,000 products to 96 different countries annually, so they were extremely cautious when it came to following COVID-19 guidelines, especially since they were unsure of how long the virus could live on packaging materials at the time. Klosterman also found himself practicing social distancing guidelines at home due to his unique housing situation for the internship. “All the internships are in Ohio, and I’m from Toledo, so I wanted to be at home, but I ended up in central Ohio. Initially I panicked – I was worried I wouldn’t find housing, I didn’t have a lot of money. One year, six to eight guys rented an Airbnb, people live with uncles and aunts, they live with each other – I stayed with a friend for a few weeks. I bounced around – I had a great time! I got to get to know people who were acquaintances who said, ‘You can live with me for a few weeks,’ and we became close friends,” Klosterman says.

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FALL 2020

Ellora Majumer, a fourth-year logistics management student, found herself in a completely different position. Ellora was initially supposed to travel to Singapore for an internship during the summer through Fisher’s Global Internship Program. In March, her plans were completely turned upside down after the Office of International Affairs cancelled their global programs. “They basically said you have to find a different internship if you want to work … so [someone] from the Office of Global Business reached out to me and said, ‘Hey, we have this virtual internship if you’re interested,’” says Majumer.

“I got to get to know people who were acquaintances who said, ‘You can live with me for a few weeks,’ and we became close friends” The internship in question was facilitated by a company called Puentes Abroad. Fortunately, Fisher was able to accelerate Majumer’s application process by forwarding her paperwork for the original Singapore program, allowing her to begin her position in late May rather than early June.

STUDENT EXPERIENCE

“If you feel like you can do something, and you’re not being used to your full potential – bring it up”

Puentes matched Majumer with an Argentina-based company called Pink Mask. Pink Mask was working towards launching their product (a gel polish free from 13 chemicals) in the United States, so they brought Majumer onto the team as a market research and analysis intern. Despite working remotely with a different country, in a different field from her major and in an industry that she wasn’t familiar with, Majumer quickly began to tackle major projects for the company. “I started working on a marketing campaign, I took over their Facebook and Instagram and built them from the ground up – when I got it, they had about 40 followers, and I built it up to about 1,400,” Majumer says. As her internship progressed, Majumer took on the responsibility of managing all influencer contracts for the company. She then worked alongside the company president to determine appropriate pricing to enter the US market as well as different price points for sales and bundles of product. However, Majumer still believed there was more she could get out of her virtual experience. “I study logistics management, so one thing I wanted to learn about even though it was a marketing internship was how to tie this to logistics experience. Their products are made in China, but they wanted to ship to California, [and] they use this third party software called ShipBob. I was able to go in and play with that, things like shipping rates … when you’re selling in the United States it’s not zoned by states, the zones are determined by how far you’re shipping from. … I had someone email me from Puerto Rico and say, ‘Hey, do you sell to Puerto Rico?’ and Puerto Rico is included in the US zoning so I [told Pink Mask], ‘Hey, you can include that too.’”

For global internships, the work itself is only half of the experience – being immersed in a different culture is the second half. Puentes was able to preserve the cultural experience component of the internship through weekly meetings with a cohort of interns. “We had a speaker come in and talk about the Argentinian economy, someone talked about the Argentinian culture in general [and] our supervisors showed us pictures of places of historical significance in Argentina – the company does the work part of it, then Puentes does the cultural aspect of it so you are able to get both through this virtual internship,” Majumer says. Puentes also offered workshops that ranged from topics such as relocating to work abroad to in-depth reviews of resumes. During the weekly cohort calls, they would use part of the time to give presentations, then the rest of the time was left for the interns to discuss their experiences with the places and companies they were working for. According to Majumer, while she did marketing work, there were others who were working on agricultural or architectural projects – all from home. When asked what advice she had to give for students considering virtual internships, Majumer emphasized that time management is critical to success. She recommends having someone or something to keep one accountable as well as a clearly structured schedule. Her sister was working remotely at the same time, so the two would work from 9 a.m. to noon, have lunch together, work until 3 p.m., take another break, then complete their work for the day.

Communication is also vital to navigating remote work. Majumer argues it is even more important to communicate clearly and frequently when your channels are restricted to Zoom calls and emails. She says to never worry about asking a supervisor too many questions – they would rather have someone ask and do a good job than not ask and do something wrong. Questions also provided Majumer with the opportunity to take on more important projects for the company. “I wasn’t very good at asking for more things to do, but I felt there was more I could do. I had enough time but wasn’t given enough work to fill that time, so I had to brainstorm and come up with things that I was good at or could perform well and give my supervisor this list and say, ‘Hey, is it okay if I do these things?’ Especially with people that are really busy, instead of open-ended questions that take more thought and time, it’s much easier to ask a yes-or-no question – can I do this, this and this? If you feel like you can do something, and you’re not being used to your full potential – bring it up,” Majumer says. The arrival of COVID-19 drastically changed how internships operated last summer, and will most likely continue to impact internships moving forward into 2021 as companies and interns alike continue to adapt to challenges created by the virus. Moving forward, students should be prepared to navigate new environments and new styles of communication, but most importantly be open to new experiences and the successes they find within them.

Group of students a part of the global lab in China focusing on international business.

Sip on S y n e r g y Contemporary coffee shop opens during difficult times story & photo andrea hefferan design kirthana vasanth

hen COVID-19 hit in early 2020, it sparked widespread shutdowns of businesses across the country. Many of these shutdowns became permanent. But as the doors of many established businesses started closing, one small business decided to risk opening theirs. Cielo Cafe opened on High Street on April 1, 2020. Even amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Cielo Cafe has fared well and is now a hotspot for Ohio State University students and the Columbus community alike. Operations Manager Vincent Reeder, a Columbus resident who started the cafe with his partner, said the pandemic was just one of the many setbacks they faced in opening their business. For Reeder, it was better to open the cafe now than regret never opening it at all. “Even our landlord said, ‘Every business hits bumps in the road in opening,’” says Reeder. “When it comes to us, we probably hit every bump, reversed and hit them again, and then went forward and hit them again. But we decided we wanted to do something, and we knew nothing was easy. “We didn’t want to give up and then look back and say, ‘Well, what could have been?’” It took a few months for business to pick up after opening. However, “during the summer, we didn’t have a ton of people, so I got to know our regulars,” says barista and Ohio State senior Katherine Tran. “Making those connections with people on campus is really awesome. Even though there’s more people now and I don’t know

“We didn’t want to give up and then look back and say, ‘Well, what could have been?’” 16

everyone’s name, I’m still trying to get to know all the regulars and talk to them.” Reeder wants all of his employees to make this effort. He believes an act as simple as remembering customers’ names and their usual order can make all the difference. “One of the things we try to teach our staff here is that we’re not pushing people through for them to be a number or a transaction,” says Reeder. “We address people by name and we want them to know that we recognize and acknowledge them, because everybody’s going through something during their day.” One of the many customers who often visits Cielo Cafe is Ohio State University junior Carla Goldsmith. She enjoys its convenient location, the atmosphere and the coffee itself. “I just love that it’s local and that it’s Columbus owned … it’s good to support small businesses, and it’s really close to my apartment,” says Goldsmith. “I think everyone should try Cielo. It’s really good and a great place to hang out and study.” Although open for dine-in, Cielo Cafe’s seating has been cut back significantly. Additionally, Tran and her co-workers must take extra measures to keep the cafe as safe as possible. “We’re wearing gloves and masks,” says Tran. “We’re trying to do our best to keep super clean. It’s really nice because we don’t serve a ton of different food options. It’s easy to keep things clean with just coffee and a couple sandwich options, and it’s a small space.” Even before the pandemic, Reeder and his partner faced many obstacles in getting Cielo Cafe ready for opening. They originally meant to open in 2019, but getting designs approved by their architects delayed their projected date by a few months. By early January of 2020, the two had found staff for Cielo Cafe and expected to open soon after, but that plan changed.

FISHER INK MAGAZINE FALL 2020

“We were getting ready to start training in March and open up, and then the pandemic hit,” Reeder said. “That set us back, and we didn’t know when there was the end in sight to this whole thing. We pretty much said a prayer; I said, ‘I’ll come in here by myself in April, and just open the doors up and see what happens.’ People slowly, slowly trickled in. We got to know the community very well and now we are where we are.” According to Reeder, one of the main differences between Cielo Cafe and other coffee shops is the quality and the production of the coffee itself. Cielo sells Fair Trade Organic coffee, which ensures everyone who worked to produce that coffee is treated and compensated fairly. “When we first started off, that was our main goal: serve high quality coffee for an affordable price,” says Reeder. “There’s no artificial flavors, preservatives or chemicals in [the coffee].” According to customers like Goldsmith, this process results in superior coffee. She enjoys the wide assortment of coffee she can get at Cielo Cafe that meets her standards. “This is probably my third time [at Cielo] since last week, so the coffee is really good, obviously,” says Goldsmith. “The coffee’s not super sweet; they have a bunch of different roasts you can choose from. I think they do espresso really well and have a really diverse range of coffee that really anyone likes.”

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

The inside and outside of Cielo Cafe is Vienese-inspired with its bold colors.

The coffee is not the only reason Cielo Cafe is so popular. Reeder’s hope is that the cafe becomes its own little microcosm, removed from the bustle of Columbus and daily life. “We want students to feel like when they step into the store, they’re not on campus anymore,” says Reeder. “We want to give the experience of drinking, Fair Trade Organic coffee, high-quality coffee, in a relaxing, serene environment — like you’re in a Venetian alleyway, sipping coffee.” Reeder and his partner planned this atmosphere since the very conception of the cafe. From hand-built tables to handpainted murals on the walls, Reeder and his partner were highly involved with the entire process. “We’re very happy because the way the shop looks is exactly how we want it to look,” says Reeder. “That doesn’t mean that people told us we couldn’t do it.

For example, we definitely wanted to put [an] arch [in the] back. Our architects and engineers decided we couldn’t do that, so we had to figure out a way to put one there. It was just a lot of different things that people told us we couldn’t do that we found a way to make happen.”

“We survived bumps in the road, financial problems, dealing with architects, dealing with the city”

Despite many obstacles, Reeder was able to build a successful cafe with his partner. After everything they went through, Reeder is certain they can overcome anything else that may come their way. “We survived bumps in the road, financial problems, dealing with architects, dealing with the city,” says Reeder. “We survived a whole global pandemic, we survived the killer bees that came out, we survived a little bit of everything. So we said, ‘If we can make it through this, then we can make it through anything.’”

Vincent Reeder, the operations manager at Cielo Cafe, started this place with his parner Phil. He is working alongside Katherine Tran, who is a barista and current senior at Ohio State. contact us at fisherinkmag@gmail.com or visit us at go.osu/edu/fisherink

Coping with COVID

design charlotte geary

International Trade

story han chen

“Covid-19 recession” is the term for the global economic crisis most nations are undergoing right now. One of the enormous problems of the pandemic is travel restriction. For the United States, one component of its travel-based economy is tourism services and international students. With fewer people coming into the U.S., universities, airlines and tourism industries profit less than they did before Covid. Similarly, the import of crude oil was down due to people driving less. There is more demand for medical equipment imported from other countries. Looking globally, while the U.S. imports from China, Canada and Mexico are down, the exports from China are only slightly down, given that China was able to manage the number of cases early on.

Escapism During a Pandemic story catherine shong (or rather, another way to approach it) It is a well-accepted notion that 2020 has been an absolute trainwreck. One way to avoid the constant stream of it all? Escapism. Many of us have done some sort of activity to take our minds off the pandemic: bingeing shows, gaming online, scrolling through social media to name a few. These are all fine. After all, current circumstances can leave a terrible blow for mental health. But with too much escapism we may lose a tether with reality. Instead, try the contradictory thing. Even in our dark timeline, there are still opportunities to see the good in the world. Just something small such as walking outside on a beautiful day could be enough. Appreciating the pieces of the world that aren’t burning up right now, ironically, is an escape from the negative news. In these unprecedented times, feel free to seek comfort in what we still have.

STEP/Studying Abroad

story kathryn chandra

As the semester progresses, the state of international travel remains uncertain. We know that many countries have closed their borders to Americans, and we have no timeline on when they will reopen. Consequently, many students’ STEP study abroads were cancelled. STEP is The Ohio State University’s Second Year Transformational Program that allows sophomores to write a proposal for a project they wish to complete, and the university gives them two thousand dollars to do so. Many students use their funds for study abroad and/or internships, so because of the pandemic, students couldn’t complete their projects. Luckily, these students’ STEP funds can be used through the summer of 2021, so they may be able to complete these this summer. Aside from STEP, virtual classes may have encouraged travel, as students can take long weekends to visit family and friends outside Ohio State without worrying about missing classes. FISHER INK MAGAZINE

FALL 2020

PANDEMIC

Movie Theaters/Gateway

story kriti chawla

Chewing on salty, buttery popcorn as you sit with family, friends, and strangers alike in front of a large screen was a mundane experience that soon became foreign. Due to COVID-19, theaters shut down for months and dealt with severe financial losses. Movie-goers stayed at home as upcoming movie releases got pushed further into the future. Gateway, a theater on High Street, stayed closed until August 31st, right around the start of the Autumn Semester. The theater now holds screenings with restrictions and advises their customers to purchase tickets online. Gateway also holds virtual screenings for those who would rather stay at home. You can find more information at gatewayfilmcenter.org.

Quarantine Housing

story andrea hefferan

Ohio State students who have tested positive or been exposed to someone with COVID-19 are required to go into quarantine housing. The students are isolated in dorms or nearby hotels for 12-14 days. After being exposed to someone who had tested positive, freshman Jack Rand had 3 hours to pack his things and go to Lawrence Tower, one of the quarantine residences. He was there for twelve days, staying in a single room and having his food delivered to him. “Honestly, it was very, very, boring,” Rand says. “[My day] was: wake up, study, watch TV, and go to sleep.”

Stocking Groceries

story stella fan

At the beginning of Covid-19, people went to the market to stock daily necessities, such as masks, tissues, hand sanitizer and alcohol spray. Some of them really needed those things, but some were just following the mass hysteria to store as many as possible. The phenomena caused a shortage of necessities in just a couple of weeks. Things that seemed to not relate to the virus were out of stock too, such as toilet paper and the Nintendo Switch. Though it is understandable that people want to find something to do at home such as playing video games during the quarantine, it was still peculiar that the Switch, an electronic entertainment product, was out of stock so quickly.

Voting by Mail

story andrew shehata

With a global pandemic, it was difficult for citizens to vote in the 2020 election. Normally, most states offer absentee ballots that must be requested. However, due to social distancing requirements and concerns from voters, some states offered mail-in voting. These include California, Washington D.C., Oregon and six other states. Voters received ballots in the mail regardless of if they had requested them. Politicians, including President Donald Trump, raised concerns about the integrity of mail-in-voting. On election night, Trump was ahead by many percentage points in several swing states namely, Pennsylvania and Georgia. As these states counted their absentee ballots, Biden took the lead from Trump. Claiming impropriety, Trump filed dozens of lawsuits in many states including Arizona and Michigan over the election. Currently, Biden is being declared the president-elect by the media. However, there is a small possibility that Trump will remain in office through legal avenues in the coming months. contact us at fisherinkmag@gmail.com or visit us at go.osu/edu/fisherink

photo colin peterman