There’s a thread in Josh Badzik’s story that, if you follow it back far enough, was instrumental in shaping his journey from being a high school student in Loveland, Ohio, to a Business Buckeye at Ohio State and, eventually, to a Washington, D.C., intern.

Scholarships.

“Knowing that Ohio State was going to be an affordable option because of scholarships definitely was a factor for me from the outset when applying,” said Badzik, who graduates this spring with degrees in economics and public policy analysis. “I wanted to be able to seek out and engage in real-world experiences outside of the classroom, and I wanted these experiences to be determined, first and foremost, by interest not financial need.”

Badzik’s interest has ultimately focused on the intersection of public and private policy — a professional pursuit that mirrors his status as a student studying business at Fisher and public policy at the John Glenn College of Public Affairs. The four scholarships Badzik earned throughout his academic career at Ohio State made it possible for him to pursue a number of key opportunities, including the internship experience, which he says solidified his near-term plans to explore a career in public-private consulting and perhaps eventually law school. Last year, Badzik was selected as part of the Glenn College’s Washington Academic Internship Program (WAIP), where he interned virtually in the Office of the Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT).

“That internship was what I wanted to do more than anything in the world, and it was because of scholarships that I was able to,” Badzik said. “It’s difficult for undergraduate students in that program to be matched as fellows in any law-related field, and most of the other fellows I worked with were second- and third-year law students. I was the youngest person in the office by six or seven years.”

As part of the Office of the Chief Counsel’s team at the DoT, Badzik worked on projects stemming from Freedom of Information requests and assisted on casework for current litigation related to the office’s mission of identifying waste, fraud and abuse.

“It reaffirmed my interest in the regulatory field,” he said. “It boosted my confidence and proved that I had earned the place I was in, doing the work I was doing. It also reinforced my understanding that I needed to pursue many different projects and experiences before thinking about any type of graduate school. It was the reason I chose to go into government consulting.”

Badzik, the recipient of the 2021 Walter M. Rudin Junior Pace Setter Award at Fisher and a 2022 recipient of the Office of Student Life’s Outstanding Senior Award, will join Deloitte as a government and public services analyst at its Columbus office following graduation this spring. The decision to blend his passion for the public and private sectors with consulting was forged, in part, by his business experiences at Fisher.

“The business core was really crucial in preparing me for my internships, leadership roles on student organizations and full-time employment,” Badzik said. “The Honors Contract program was my favorite Fisher experience over the past four years. Dr. Stephanie Wapner takes the Fisher core curriculum and flips it on its head, giving each individual student ownership over their education, growth and professional development.”

Programs such as Honors Contract also helped Badzik pave the way for internships with U.S. Senator Rob Portman and U.S. Representative Brad Wenstrup — experiences he then parlayed into numerous leadership roles at Ohio State. He served as chief justice of Undergraduate Student Government’s (USG) judicial panel, a role in which he was responsible for overseeing the execution and adherence to the organization’s bylaws, election procedures and its constitution.

He was also appointed by Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther to the University Area Commission (UAC), where he served alongside other city commissioners, represented Ohio State students, faculty and staff who live and work at the Columbus campus, and advised City Council on issues relating to the area.

“A lot of people might look at my role on UAC and ask why give a student who is inexperienced a vote that’s equal to other neighbors,” Badzik said. “But I also live in that neighborhood, as do plenty of other Ohio state students. Being on UAC gives a voice to these students. It’s been a really positive experience.”

As his time as an Ohio State student wrapped up this spring, Badzik reflected on the impact that the generosity of others has had on him. He hopes his gratitude for that support is evident through his work with USG and UAC, as well as his efforts to pay his experience forward — even if it’s just advice from a graduating Business Buckeye.

“During my freshman year, I read somewhere that despite having over 800 buildings on campus, the average student only steps foot in about 10 per year,” he said. “This didn’t sit right with me, so I made it a point to far exceed this. One thing I made myself do was visit each library and dining hall at least once during the year.”

“My favorite advice to give to incoming students is to explore campus, especially new parts where you don’t normally eat, sleep, study or workout. I have found some of my favorite spots and buildings on campus this way.”