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Students thrive through experiential learning opportunities funded by the College of Arts and Sciences
OHIO's College of Arts and Sciences launched the Experiential Learning Fund to help students overcome financial barriers and experience global learning opportunities. This article features five students who used the fund to study abroad and intern in various fields.
Isabellia Moyers-Chavez, '26, Henry Gorsuch, '26 | October 18, 2024
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Experiential learning is a profound opportunity for students at Ohio University, but it may sometimes be inhibited by cost.
The new Experiential Learning Fund from the College of Arts and Sciences makes it possible for students to receive the financial aid they need and have the adventures of a lifetime. This resource exists thanks to the generous contributions of alumni and donors. Whether the students are learning about Tokyo’s pop culture or conserving wildlife in Maryland, this fund can helps students achieve their dreams and contribute to their academic and personal growth.
Here are some stories of students who had life-changing experiences this past year thanks to this fund.
Overcoming challenges in Tokyo
Tyler McAllister found his study abroad experience in Japan transformative. The College of Arts and Sciences' Experiential Learning Fund made it possible for him to not only cover tuition but also travel outside of Tokyo, allowing for a deeper immersion in Japanese culture as an international studies major.
“It helped me with both the tuition and the travel," McAllister said. "I had a trip to Nagoya, which is a more rural area, and stayed with a friend.”
McAllister’s experience wasn’t just academic; it had a profound personal impact. The trip helped him overcome social anxiety and pushed him out of his comfort zone.
“Before the trip, I was really shy and quiet, and I mean, I still kind of am, but not to the extent that I was," he explained. "It definitely helped me get rid of a lot of my social anxiety, if not all of it.”
Traveling abroad gave McAllister valuable insights into Japan's culture and language beyond what he learned in textbooks. “There’s a difference between “book learning” the language and actually learning...just not slang, but just like words that they normally use over there,” he explained. "I learned the word for mobile phone was ‘keitai denwa’ in Japanese, but over there they used ‘sumaho,’ which is smartphone."
There’s only so much you can learn from textbooks.
Analyzing security in Cambridge, England
Lily Waskiewicz’s experience in the Cambridge Security Initiative at Cambridge University was an eye-opening journey that deepened her passion for international law. As a political science pre-law major, Waskiewicz worked on a research project analyzing the effectiveness of sanctions, comparing South Africa during apartheid to current sanctions on Russia.
"I looked at the most successful sanctioning episode in modern history... and why those variables aren’t present in Russia," she explained. Her research not only challenged her understanding of global sanctions but allowed her to make meaningful contributions to the field.
The remarkable people she met matched the program’s intensity.
“The youngest person was 19, and the oldest was 56, a lieutenant colonel in the British Armed Forces,” Waskiewicz recalled.
She described being surrounded by intelligence officers, military doctors and even a former CIA director. The program offered lectures on topics ranging from nuclear deterrence to covert operations.
"I learned about intelligence systems and counterintelligence, subjects I had never studied before,” she added.
Waskiewicz credits the fund with making her trip possible.
"The Experiential Learning Fund was huge for covering my flight," she said.
Waskiewicz said this experience has cemented her career goals, as she’s now applying for a Fulbright Scholarship to pursue a master's degree in international peace and security at King's College London.
Environmental justice in Kenya
Mallory Budai’s study abroad experience in Kenya focused on environmental justice and climate change, a transformative opportunity for the environmental science and sustainability major. The Experiential Learning Fund provided the financial support she needed to participate.
Budai first learned about the program through an email from her human geography professor. “It was about environmental justice, climate change and sustainability—all things I’m passionate about,” she said. The chance to travel to Kenya and study these issues in real-time was a perfect fit for her major.
Budai engaged in community-based research that allowed her to witness the effects of environmental degradation on local populations. “It was incredible to see the direct impact that climate change has on people’s daily lives,” she said. The hands-on learning experience deepened her understanding of the global environmental crisis.
Reflecting on the program, Budai emphasized how much the College of Arts and Sciences Experiential Learning Fund made a difference. “Without the fund, I wouldn’t have been able to afford the trip,” she explained. “It made the entire experience possible.”
Budai’s time in Kenya reaffirmed her commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. “This experience changed my perspective on how interconnected environmental and social justice issues are,” she said. Moving forward, she hopes to apply what she learned to a career focused on tackling climate change.
Applying research at the NRC
Donnie Schiffbauer, a senior majoring in geography-meteorology, spent his summer interning with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in Rockville, Maryland. During his time with the NRC’s Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, Schiffbauer worked closely with the Division of Risk Analysis, specifically within the Fire and External Hazards Branch.
His primary responsibility involved reviewing climate change outlooks to assess future flooding hazards in the Midwest. Schiffbauer admitted that much of his work went beyond the meteorology courses he took at Ohio University, leaning heavily into hydrology.
The internship also opened Schiffbauer’s eyes to career possibilities beyond traditional meteorology roles. “I realized that while my meteorology background was helpful, I was working more as an environmental scientist,” he said. “It showed me that I could work in earth sciences without necessarily being a meteorologist.”
This experience made me realize, I can do this.
Schiffbauer credits the College of Arts and Sciences Experiential Learning Fund with making the experience possible. “Without the fund, I wouldn’t have been able to do the internship at all,” he said. “It allowed me to pursue this opportunity and even save some money.”
Looking back, Schiffbauer said the hands-on experience boosted his confidence as he prepares to enter the workforce. “You learn a lot in the classroom, but you don’t really know how to apply it until you’re out there doing the work. This internship showed me I’m ready.”
Wildlife conservation on Polar Island
Katie Gardner’s Internship on Poplar Island was an unforgettable journey into the world of wildlife conservation. Gardner, a sophomore studying wildlife and conservation biology, worked closely with diamondback terrapins, capturing and studying them in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay. “We would go out on Monday, set nets, check the nets and traps every day and collect the terrapins that were inside… then after that, we would release them back to where we happened to catch them.” Gardner explained.
A highlight of her internship was seeing hatchling terrapins emerge at the end of the season. “We had seven hatchlings that day and it was so great,” she recalled. By the end of the week, her team witnessed 21 hatchlings. Gardner also handled various wildlife, including snapping turtles and non-venomous snakes, pushing her beyond her comfort zone. “There were some things that threw me off at first,” she said. "but I was able to kind of just go with it, and I think overall it was a really good experience.”
Gardner’s internship also offered a chance to work closely with a supportive team of professionals, including undergraduates, a graduate student and Dr. Willem Roosenberg, who oversaw the research. "We all worked together really well," she noted. "Each of us had at least two things that we were really good at or could do quickly and in a well-controlled way."
Gardner appreciated how her team members balanced responsibilities based on their strengths, allowing her to focus on what she enjoyed most. "I preferred to be out nesting versus being on the boat everyday checking traps," Gardner said.
This internship solidified her interest in fieldwork. "I realized that I could do it," Gardner said. "I wanted to… and I really enjoyed it." The Experiential Learning Fund helped cover essential costs like field gear and travel expenses. “It was really nice and it was a big boost to me,” she said.
Learn more
If you are interested in learning more about how you can help provide experiential learning opportunities for students, please contact the Office of Development at 800-592-3863 or giving@ohio.edu. You may also make an online gift to the College of Arts and Sciences Experiential Learning Fund.