by
Jessica Salerno Shumaker | Jun 14, 2023
This week’s CPA of Ohio is Jeena Patel, a sophomore accounting major at the University of Cincinnati.
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What was it like growing up in India and then moving to Ohio?
I lived in India for about eight years when I moved to the United States. Even though I practically grew up here, it's been different from living in India because of the language barrier and adjusting to a new language. At first, the new culture was really different, but now I've been able to be more confident about where I come from and freely share what I believe in, while still managing my American culture. Something that I take big pride in is that I can call myself an Indian, but also an American who has learned to adjust to the new cultural changes. Being able to grow up in two different countries that are drastically different is something that has taught me valuable life lessons that I'll carry with me for the rest of my life.
What do you enjoy doing outside of school?
I'm involved in a lot of different organizations. There are some that are career and major related like accounting club, but there are also some that I'm involved in just for fun. For example, I'm involved in International Bearcats (iCATS), which is a club on campus where we talk about a different country every other week and try different food from that country. I really enjoy it because it interests me, but it also gives me time and space away from schoolwork and everything. Also, I like to hang out with my roommates which helps me stay away from school stuff. I also like going home on the weekends since I live fairly close to campus.