Luke Ciminillo Delamotte

Luke Ciminillo Delamotte is a second-year undergraduate student double majoring in city and regional planning and economics and is a global ambassador.

What have been your favorite moments or memories from your time at Ohio State?

My favorite memory from Ohio State so far has to be from spring break 2020. I was taking an architecture class at the time and part of that class included a trip to London over spring break. Being abroad, even just for 10 days, was amazing. I had never been outside of the United States before, so the whole experience was new to me. I got to see and learn so much about London and England, make new friends and have a ton of fun. What makes the trip the most memorable though was right when it ended, we all went into lockdown. It felt like my time in London was the big finale before a year of staying in my house, the perfect sendoff. Hands down, it has been my favorite reason to have to quarantine so far.

What piece of advice would you give a new incoming student?

If I could give an incoming student any advice it would be to dive in right away. I did not join any clubs or student organizations the first semester of my freshman year. I went to class and that was pretty much it. I thought I should take the time to adjust to college classes before doing any extracurriculars, but I ended just being bored. The next semester I decided to try out a few student orgs. I realized how much I was missing out that first semester. I could have been meeting people who had similar interests, learning new things and making new friends. So, if you are an incoming student, I would recommend doing as many things outside of the classroom as you can, because you never know, a global pandemic may just pop up.

How did you choose your major/minors? And how do you like your studies so far?

I had never heard of city planning before, but I came across a TedTalk by a city planner who discussed his field and his work. I thought that it sounded really interesting, so I took the introductory class at Ohio State and declared my major at the end of the semester. I’ve been enjoying my studies so far. What I really appreciate about city and regional planning is that the field is so broad. One class I’m learning about how to make cities more resilient, the next I am learning about how to utilize and facilitate public participation, and the next I am learning how to design a great public place. I can easily say that I’ve never been bored in any of my courses.

What was an instance at Ohio State that made you really proud?

One of my proudest moments at Ohio State actually occurred before I was in college. The State of Ohio has a program which allows high school students to take college classes at a public university. Being from Columbus, I was able to take classes at Ohio State. By the time I graduated high school, I had completed about 60 credit hours' worth of college classes. While it wasn’t curing the common cold or ending world hunger, I was proud, nonetheless.

Are you part of any other organizations? If so, why did you choose to join them?

In addition to global ambassadors, I am also the treasurer for the City and Regional Planning Student Association (CRPSA). I joined the club on a whim. I got an email saying that because of the pandemic, there wouldn’t be any board member elections and that they needed people to volunteer for the roles of president and treasurer. I figured why not and sent back a reply saying I’d be interested. Turns out only two people responded to that email, myself and the soon to be president of the club. I am so glad I am part of the club now. I’ve gotten to meet fellow students who are just as passionate about city planning as I am, and I’ve gotten to hear from professionals in the field.