An OSU student explains his research at the Denman Undergraduate Research Forum.

As you learn more about the many opportunities available to students at The Ohio State University, we wanted to highlight some of our many programs offered through the University Honors & Scholars Center. Students who are members of these two distinct programs — the University Honors Program and the Ohio State Scholars Program — are motivated students who become actively involved in their college experiences both in-and-out of the classroom.

There are many ways that you can become an active part of the opportunities made available through the University Honors & Scholars Center. Our students actively seek academic challenges, and there are a variety of courses that serve to expand your knowledge in a variety of disciplines. In addition to general courses offered at the university, the following are some examples of the courses available to you through the University Honors Program: Anthropology H202: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, Business H555: Introduction to International Business or Spanish H450: Introduction to the Study of Literature and Culture in Spanish.

The Denman Undergraduate Research Forum — where students have the opportunity to display and discuss their research with interested students, faculty and staff — is just one of the many opportunities available through the University Honors & Scholars Center.

Many of our students are also active in undergraduate research. Students from all disciplines — from sciences to engineering, from business to humanities — are involved with undergraduate research. Many will participate in one of our largest events, the Denman Undergraduate Research Forum, where they have the opportunity to display and discuss their research with interested students, faculty and staff. Denman participants are also invited to apply to participate in our Research Exchange Program with the University of São Paulo (USP). Each year, students from Ohio State and USP travel to present their research at the other institution’s campus.

In addition to academic pursuits, we encourage our students to be active outside of the classroom in a variety of organizations, trips and activities that we offer through our office. One organization you may consider is Unity, our Honors & Scholars group for students interested in issues associated with diversity and multiculturalism. Students who are interested in community service find such opportunities in many of our class honor societies, as well as our Adopt-a-School Program. Our students also travel often, and have been to a variety of places, including Chicago and Washington, D.C., this year. International trips are also possible, as Honors students may participate in our London Honors Program, and Scholars students have been to places such as Bolivia, Mexico and Senegal! Two new short-term study programs are planned for next year, one that will go to Spain and Portugal, and the other is a service-learning trip to Mexico.

Members of the University Honors Program and Ohio State Scholars Program typically come from the top 20 percent of their high school class, and have standardized test scores of at least a 27ACT or 1,220SAT. Begin to think about what interests you, and what you might like to become a part of as you begin your college search. Please visit our website at http://www.honors-scholars.osu.edu for more information about our programs and application processes. You can also schedule a campus visit to talk to some students, faculty and staff involved with our programs. We look forward to working with you in your college search process, and hope you will consider our programs as a way to enhance your college experience.

For more information on the University Honors programs, please contact Maria Gabriela Vega at vega.43@osu.edu. For more information on the Ohio State Scholars Programs, please contact Armando Gaytan at gaytan.3@osu.edu.