Why should you study abroad with the University Honors & Scholars Programs? “Why not?” says Julia Barham, a second year student in the International Affairs (IA) Scholars Program. For Julia, a double major in International Studies and Spanish from Austintown, Ohio, there was no doubt in her mind that she would study abroad. As an IA-Scholar along with 70 of her peers living in Mack Hall, Julia embarked to Bulgaria, a country she knew little about before coming to The Ohio State University. The experience was influential and inspired her to enroll in the All-Scholars Mexico course this past autumn quarter, which focuses on globalization and concludes with a 12-day study tour of Mexico City, Guadalajara, and the surrounding areas.
Robert Bonacci knew that he was destined to study abroad before coming to Ohio State. A third-year Honors student majoring in Microbiology and Spanish, Robert grew up in Akron, Ohio in a family “rich in immigrant tradition.” His mother hailed from Mexico City, Mexico, and his paternal grandparents moved from Italy in the mid-1900s. Their stories of their native countries sparked his interest “to travel to these regions to learn more about the history … and gain a greater sense of the cultures known from far away.” As he looks back on the last three years he says, “I never imagined that I'd be able to travel to England, Costa Rica, and Argentina.” For Robert, the decision to choose Ohio State went beyond the financial support he received:
“When I sat down to consider my options deeply, I realized that Ohio State offered something more: vast opportunity. I am constantly struck by the fact that a student can truly do anything he/she wants to here. I've been able to spend six months in a Spanish-speaking country, volunteer at a Costa Rican health clinic, get involved in Phi Gamma Delta, research characteristics of the Tuberculosis pathogen, and welcome 6,000 first-year students to Ohio State as an Orientation Leader. I felt that if I worked hard in my classes and the Honors Program, I would have the same opportunities to pursue the top medical schools as if I'd gone to a top-tier private university.”
Robert is also a member of the Honors Collegium, which attracts and supports highly purposeful students with well defined post-baccalaureate aspirations.
Besides their passion for study abroad, both Julia and Robert are frequent visitors to the Kuhn Honors & Scholars House, which provides high achieving students with a variety of desirable opportunities. Honors & Scholars offers outstanding options for students in all majors and disciplines through three distinct programs: The University Honors Program, The Ohio State Scholars Program, and The Honors Collegium. The Honors Program focuses primarily on the classroom experience. Students with a minimum 30 ACT composite (or a 1,340 combined Critical Reading and Math SAT score) and rank in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating class are automatically extended an invitation to join as incoming first-year students.
The Scholars Programs focus on life and learning outside of the classroom and immerse students in a series of thematic activities designed around specific academic interests. There are 14 distinct programs (described in detail the Honors & Scholars website, http://honors-scholars.ohio-state.edu) with annual first-year cohorts between 50 and 125 students. Scholars students are required to reside in designated residence halls with fellow Scholars during their first year at Ohio State.
So, what’s next for these Buckeye globetrotters? Julia hopes to be in Toledo, Spain this summer and after graduation her plans include “working on humanitarian issues in another country or helping to improve foreign affairs throughout the world.” Robert says that his time abroad has solidified his “desire to work as an infectious disease specialist in Latin America, hoping to effect change with global health policy in the region.”
For more information about The Honors & Scholars Programs go to the website or call the University Honors & Scholars Center at (614) 292-3135. If you would like to learn more about study abroad at Ohio State, visit http://oia.osu.edu. |
