Autumn 2006 Newsletter

INS IDE THIS ISSU E

�Wherever you go in life, you�ll be a part of a society� a neighborhood, a community, a state, our great nation. Be active in that society.

Do something in and with your life.� -George J. Mitchell

From managing a health clinic in the vast highlands of Tibet to excavating fossils on the Kenyan savanna, the Col-legium students spent the summer of 2006 enriching their educations and developing context for their futures. Stu-dents who intern with high profile government organizations or conduct biomedical research with faculty are able to solidify career goals and gain valuable experience in the field. Students abroad gain global perspective and sensi-tivity as they hone their language and research skills. The Collegium provides guidance for these talented students, helping them find the right internship or country to develop their interests and helping them apply for funding for their experience. As these students take the first steps towards their futures, the Honors Collegium makes their paths a little bit smoother.

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

AUTUMN 2006

Staff Updates: Collegium welcomes new director; Col-legium activities

2-3

Scholarship & Fellowship: Rhodes and Marshall nominees

3

Summer Stories: Collegium students� summer endeavors

4-9

Updates and Events: Changes and upcoming student events.

10

Collegium Communiqué THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

Discovering, Discovering, Discovering, Learning, Changing:Learning, Changing:Learning, Changing: Collegium Student Collegium Student Collegium Student

Summers Summers Summers at Home and Abroat Home and Abroat Home and Abroadadad

The Honors Collegium welcomes new Director, Professor David Tomasko

PAGE 2 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

Hello Everyone! I am very excited to step into the Director�s role starting this autumn. The co-directors whom I replace, Professor Kay Meyer and Professor Linda Harlow, have told me all about the great group of students that comprise the Collegium. Re-becca, Dana, and our new Program Assistant Jennifer have already begun laying out some exciting programs and activities for the coming year as you will see elsewhere in the newsletter. As you may know, the entering student profile for the University continues to improve and this means that members of the Col-legium are part of an ever more prestigious group. We want nothing less than to see each and every one of them fulfill their potential and experience all that this institution and community have to offer. Since I am new to the position, Kay and Linda, as well as the rest of the staff, will be helping me navigate through this first year while I maintain a full teaching load in the Depart-ment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. As we move forward, I want you know that I am personally committed to playing any role necessary to help the Collegium students achieve their goals. I am delighted to work with this talented group of students and hope that you share my excitement. - David David L. Tomasko, PhD Director, Honors Collegium

While the students spent their summers developing career interests and global perspective, the summer of-fered Collegium staff chances to further develop and enrich the Honors Collegium. Collegium Programming Coordinator, Rebecca Ward, joined other Ohio State University representatives at the Call to Serve Cam-paign in Washington D.C.. Ohio State is one of six pilot schools invited by Partnership for Public Service to help determine sustainable ways to attract college students to careers and internships in federal public ser-vice. During their visit, representatives attended seminars sponsored by the U.S. State Department and the

CIA University�s Intelligence Language Institute where they learned about the variety of opportunities for federal public service, particularly service in the study of foreign languages. Rebecca can now provide more informed advising for students interested in pursuing internships in public service or policy, giving Ohio State�s Collegium students an extra edge in their explo-ration of career options.

Collegium Scholarships & Fellowships Coordinator, Dana Vredeveld, spent ten days this summer in the United Kingdom, attending the National Asso-ciation of Fellowship Advisors Higher Education Symposia. Universities from all over the United Kingdom spoke to advisors and educators about their graduate programs and current American scholars shared their stu-dent experiences. The purpose of the Symposia was to create �an extended conversation about issues that have an impact on scholarship students studying in the region, American university fellowship advisors, and Eng-land, Scotland and Ireland based universities that host our [American] stu-

dents�. The seminars and exchange of ideas between scholarship advisors allow Dana to better understand the expectations placed on scholarship stu-

dents, as well as the academic and funding opportunities available to them. With her summer experiences as additional tools, Dana is now even better equipped to prepare OSU students interested in graduate scholar-ships and fellowships.

What We�ve Been Up To:

Dana Vredeveld in Cambridge, England

Scholarship Applicants Take Note! Truman & Goldwater campus deadlines have been moved up to November 15th, from their former dates in early Janu-

ary. This change will put us on the same schedule as our benchmark institutions and allow OSU to continue our success-ful preparation of students for these important competitions

Collegium Prepares Rhodes and Marshall Scholarship Nominees

excited to join the hard-working staff of the Hon-ors Collegium. Autumn welcomes another new face to the Col-legium, our student assistant, Kyle Fannin. Kyle is a second year student majoring in Business with a minor in Human Nutrition. After gradua-tion, he hopes to make an impact in public health through hospital administration.

With deadlines fast approaching, the Collegium is helping Ohio State�s Rhodes and Marshall Scholar-ship candidates put the finishing touches on their applications. This year OSU will be sending forward six students to compete for these prestigious awards. Vying for the Rhodes Scholarship are Collegium stu-dents Taylor Nelms �06, a recent graduate with a de-gree in Anthropology and Comparative Studies, and Yoonhee Ha �07 a Truman Scholar with a double ma-jor in Microbiology and Finance. Other university candidates for the Rhodes are recent graduate, Victo-ria Reyes �06, who holds a degree in International Studies and Psychology and is currently doing Ful-bright research in the Philippines, and Laura Ensign �07, a Chemical Engineer who works with developing insulin inhalants. Benjamin Jones �06, pursuing a double major in Political Science and French, and Beth Josephsen �06, an honors graduate in Theatre, compete for the Marshall, along with Taylor, Laura and Yoonhee. Of applying for these scholarships, Taylor Nelms says: �In truth, of course, it isn�t the applications themselves that matter, but the process of building them. Making connections, communicat-ing a complex argument concisely, multi-tasking� No matter what your future plans may be, the proc-ess of fashioning these applications will prepare you

for them� The Collegium was the not-so-secret weapon behind my Rhodes and Marshall applica-tions, reading and re-reading those letters of rec-ommendation, furnishing feedback on my personal statements, and offering much needed emotional support�. We are proud to support these students as OSU nominates them for these awards and we congratulate them on their outstanding achieve-ments and diligence through this process.

Top Row, left to right: Victoria Reyes, Yoonhee Ha, Laura Ensign, Beth Josephsen. Bottom Row, left to right: Ben Jones, Taylor Nelms

COLLEGIUM COMMUNIQUÉ PAGE 3

The Collegium bids farewell to Program Assistant, Stacy Haynes. Stacy is a 2004 Honors graduate of Ohio State and is applying for the Fulbright Scholarship this autumn. She has left the Collegium to teach American Culture to high school students in Peru, and hopes to pursue her Fulbright experience in Turkey next year. We wish her luck and thank her for her valuable contributions to the Collegium during her time here. Filling Stacy�s shoes is a Honors graduate from spring 2006, Jen Herman. Jen earned a dual degree in English and Evo-lution and Ecology. She hopes to pursue graduate work in rhetorical analysis and cultural studies in the future but is

Staff Farewell and Welcome

Joshua Lotz At A Glance:

What and Where: Tibet, Managing a health clinic.

Graduation Year: 2008

Area of Study: Biochemistry, Chi-nese

these problems first-hand will in-evitably be helpful in my future.

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 PAGE 4

most impressed by the resilience of the Tibetan people. Most of our patients were nomadic herd-ers who live in tents made of yak hair. The only foods avail-able locally are roasted barley,

homemade yogurt and yak meat. Despite the extremely harsh living conditions, the patients were some of the most friendly and welcoming people I've ever met. My experiences this summer brought me face to face with many health problems faced by poor nomads in modern

Tibet. Their problems are the same as those faced in other poor areas of the world. I plan to pursue a career in global health, so experiencing and addressing

Matthew Borths

I spent the summer in Tibet, managing a small medical clinic run by the Surmang Foundation, an American non-profit organi-zation. I was in charge of logis-

tics, translation and managing construction projects for the summer, and even represented the clinic when the government tried to shut us down. I was

dence of butchery with stone tools ever discovered. We did all this while fending off scorpions and interacting with the local Dassanech community, an agro-pastoralist tribe native to Northern Kenya. We can now use the evidence amassed during our seven week field season to ask questions about the develop-ment of the human mind, the inven-tion of culture, and our later migra-tion from Africa to the rest of the world. I then left Mombassa for Bowman, North Dakota. There Dr. John Hunter, a vertebrate paleontologist of Ohio State�s Department of EEOB, is working in the Badlands

studying the K-T boundary, the geological division between the Mesozoic and the Cenezoic. This is the fascinating moment when Dinosaurs bit the dust, leaving the world open to mammalian diversification and radiation. I assisted in the search for more fossil evidence of these resilient little mammals who dodged an asteroid, and eventually evolved into primates then bipedal homi-nids. This summer saw the fulfillment of many childhood aspirations, from seeing an elephant in the wild, to touching a Triceratops horn still locked in the earth, but it also helped define what ques-tions I want to pursue in the com-ing months, years and even in my later career. What do fossils re-veal about behavior? How does the environment shape a species physically and mentally? The questions roll on, and I can�t help but get caught up in the rush of discovery.

On June 10th I left North America to join Dr. Jack Harris of Rutgers University on the east bank of Lake Turkana in Kenya, an area famous for fossils of our ancient ancestors. We excavated foot-prints of Homo erectus and un-earthed some of the earliest evi-

At A Glance:

What and Where: Archeological ex-cavation, Kenya and Badlands, ND.


Area of Study: Geological Sciences, Anthropology

At A Glance:

What and Where: Studying art, Tuscany, Italy


Area of Study: Molecular Genetics, Art


be filled. It was not until I pushed a fresh dripping paint-brush toward the canvas that I realized I was living a dream. I was studying art in the birth-place of the Renaissance, at-tempting to capture the same Tuscan vistas that adorned Da Vinci�s paintings. I was painting where works of art had been created for centuries and where masters were inspired to create

the same basic artistic principles that I was about to learn. The realization brought indescribable feelings of joy, responsibility, and challenge. I was humbled and honored to be facing the canvas in Florence in the shadow of masters.

I studied art in Florence, Italy, this summer. The first day of painting class remains vivid in my mind. I walked briskly to keep up with the class as we approached our first site assign-ment on the banks of the Arno River in Firenze. I could think of nothing but the elusive Italian vista and the daunting blank canvas at my side demanding to

that I would be working as a research assistant to a professor who specialized in epidemiol-ogical studies of nutrition in the elderly. As my internship pro-gressed with background read-ing, numerous site visits to sen-ior centers, and data analysis, I

began to see �the layers of the onion,� as my supervisor was fond of saying. It was much

Emily Nurre

Carolyn Wait

more complicated than the cut and dried examples I was used to seeing in classes. In the end, I learned what research is all about: gaining a deeper under-standing of everyday life and the world around us, complete with all of its wonders, com-plexities and imperfections.

At A Glance:

What and Where: Research Assistant in nutrition, U. of Maryland


Area of Study: Human Nutrition, Dietetics

Her tears slid down her weath-ered cheek and into her stan-dard-issue breakfast of cheese on toast and cornflakes. I pa-tiently sat by this elderly woman as she tried to regain control of the emotions that had surfaced

during the interview about health, depression and appetite. I never quite envisioned that I would end up at a senior center just outside of Washington, D.C. when I set out to find what else research involved beyond push-ing test tubes in a lab. I drove out to the University of Mary-land-College Park knowing only

�Research�[is] about gaining a deeper understanding of everyday life and the world around us, complete with all of its wonders, complexities and imperfections�

Mridula Manohar:

At A Glance:

What and Where: Research and Sci-ence Seminar, Proctor & Gamble


Area of Study: Biochemistry

could dream up.


well. At the end of the week we were interviewed for a full 12 week internship; I received an offer, and will pursue the intern-ship next summer. The experi-ence was valuable because I was able to see how my field of study applies in the �real world� and how I can use my current knowl-edge to improve consumer goods. Although I am still drawn to the research in biochemistry that I

conduct at Ohio State, this experience has opened an-other door and given me more options I can explore for my future career.

For a week in August I partici-pated in the Research and Sci-ence seminar with Procter & Gamble. I toured the labs and facilities, and met with adminis-trators, including A.G. Lafley, P&G�s CEO. We participated in many case studies that empha-sized teamwork and problem solving skills and had the chance to talk with consumers as

Olivia Twu: �It�s up to you,� said Jenny, a post-doc from England. �It�s up to me,� I said to myself as I for-mulated the next experiment in my mind. It was then that I real-ized my role: I wasn�t a summer intern, I was simply another brain from which ideas were expected to spring and flow. At the National Institute of Dia-

I also traveled in India for a month. The day I spent in Agra, touring the Taj Ma-hal, was a more enriching experience than any history class I�ve taken.

At A Glance:

What and Where: Intern with Na-tional Institute of Diabetes, Digestive & Kidney Disease, Washington D.C.



betes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, part of the National In-stitute of Health, I was assigned a project to characterize monoclonal antibodies using liquid chroma-tography and mass spectrometry. Researching with the National Institute of Health was enriching in that I was able to work inde-pendently on a project not previ-ously detailed in scientific litera-

ture. Everything from devel-oping the methods and ex-periments to analyzing the data were part of my experi-ence. The benefit of working at a large multi-billion dollar government institution was the opportunity to meet peo-ple from all over the world and to have sophisticated tools and equipment available to perform any experiment I

Amy Eakins

take in and manipulate infor-mation� I�d like to do research in the differences between how children and adults learn.

At A Glance:

What and Where: Boonshoft Mu-seum of Discovery, Dayton, Ohio


Area of Study: Anthropology, English


This summer I volunteered in the archeology and education departments at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery in Day-ton, Ohio. I worked with �Ancient Expedition,� a class where the kids learned about ancient Egypt. I also volun-teered at an archaeological dig north of Dayton at a Fort An-cient Native American village,

similar to Sunwatch Indian Vil-lage, that was discovered four-teen years ago. We dug out square-meter pits in the ground, searching for artifacts like pot-tery, bone, and charcoal frag-ments, and then sifted the soil for smaller pieces. On the day before the site was closed for the season, one of the interns found an intact jawbone! I loved seeing the kids at camp

get fired up about science and invention. It really made me realize how much influence I had over their educational development and showed me how much I love helping kids learn to enjoy education and dis-covery. I�ve always been interested in how people

and observed emergency rooms in numerous sites varying from a rural clinic to the largest public hospital in Santiago. My re-search and personal experiences in the Dominican Republic showed me firsthand the com-plex challenges facing healthcare in the developing world, diffi-culties that can be further exac-erbated by a corrupt or unre-sponsive government. One ex-ample is the vertidero, the Santi-ago city dump. It has become a grave threat to the city residents because of urban growth. In addition to the hazardous fumes that drift into the city, two neighborhoods have grown within its borders. Many of the people living there subsist by collecting materials from the dump for resale. While the situation is grim, many non-governmental organizations are

This summer, I spent eight weeks living and studying in the Dominican Republic. I focused on environmental, health, and nutrition issues. I lived with a host family in Jarabacoa. My study abroad group also spent time visiting and living in rural communities and metropolitan areas to gather data for our re-search. My own thesis focused on trauma care systems in the Cibao region where I lived. I interviewed patients and doctors

Michael Jaung

working with the city to im-prove health and economy in this area. In the future they hope to convert the dump to a controlled landfill. These ex-periences have solidified my interest in public health and whet my appetite to further ex-plore other corners of our world.

At A Glance:

What and Where: Studied health and nutrition, Dominican Republic


Area of Study: Microbiology

Anjali Chavan

Heather Sweetser I was a camp counselor at Al-Waha, a Concordia Language Village in Vergas, Minnesota. Talk about an experience! I have new found respect for camp counselors. Basic training was heaps easier; I certainly had more time off! The idea behind the Concordia Language Villages is to send

At A Glance:

What and Where: Counselor at Al-Waha Language Village, Minnesota


Area of Study: Arabic, International Studies


For eight weeks, I worked in Washington D.C. as a research intern for Good Jobs First, a non-profit organization. The NGO is one of the nation�s �leading re-source center[s] for grassroots groups and public officials seek-ing to make economic develop-

ment subsidies more account-able, while also promoting smart growth policies that enhance the well-being of working families.� The summer not only broadened

my horizons, but also helped me hone my research skills. As an intern, I assisted on numerous short projects ranging from sprawl issues in Michigan and Minnesota to applying for a re-searcher�s card at the Library of Congress. Along with these en-deavors, I also was assigned the laborious task of gathering infor-mation about �tax increment financing� or as we in-the-know call it �TIF�. While this intern-ship provided me with increased insight into a subject that I was not familiar with, it also taught me that I am more suited to an

active public service position. Everyone in D.C. has a passion; this discovery amazed and de-lighted me. I never met one per-son who was apathetic. Being in D.C. taught me that there are others who want to realize the same goals I do; it was a truly enlightening experience.

kids, ages 8-18, to immersion ex-periences where they can learn a language in settings that recreate the experiences they would have were they to go to villages in for-eign countries. The Arabic village had its own challenge, since the Arab world represents 22 coun-tries! We had counselors from Egypt, Sudan, and Tunisia, as well as those of us from America. Unfortunately we were under-

staffed; a lot of counsel-ors were denied visas from the American Government. The ex-perience was a good one for me; teaching the small learning groups (we called them mughamara - or adventure in Arabic) were the best part of my days. This reinforced my goal of teaching Arabic in the future!

At A Glance:

What and Where: Intern with Good Jobs First, Washington D.C.


Area of Study: Political Science, Criminology

Meagan Grund

Matt Wohlever This summer I did biochemical research at The Ohio State Uni-versity under Dr. Richard P. Swenson, the department Chair, investigating how the cofactor FMN binds to the fla-vodoxin protein. This research project was funded by a grant through the Biochemistry De-partment�s Summer Under-graduate Research Program.

This summer I interned with the physical therapist who works with dancers from Bal-let Met in Columbus. The ex-perience has been enlighten-ing. I also worked with spe-cial needs children in a devel-opmental dance class. While I�m not sure about combining physical therapy and dance, working with these kids was a certainly a rewarding ex-perience.

At A Glance:

What and Where: Biochemical re-search, The Ohio State University



At A Glance: What and Where: Intern Ballet Met, Columbus�s Physical Therapist, teach-ing developmental dance to special needs children


Area of Study: Dance


proof into half the space I had used before. This summer was an experience in learning math and expressing my own thinking. It will certainly impact my perform-ance in my research for the rest of my life.

At A Glance:

What and Where: Ross Mathematics Program, The Ohio State University


Area of Study: Mathematics, Com-puter Science

Robert Denomme I participated in the Ross Mathe-matics Program this summer. The program was an exploration into mathematical thinking and writing. Its purpose was not to teach number theory, but how to conduct mathematical research. The program was a perfect fit for me � I have been fascinated by number theory ever since I learned to love mathematics years ago. In a discussion with

Dr. Peter March, Math Depart-ment Chair, I learned that a key to success in mathematics is to know your weaknesses. My big-gest is in proof writing and ex-planation of mathematical ideas on paper. It is one thing to be a great truth finder, but to inspire other people to care about your research you must develop your ideas on paper in an entertaining and insightful way. Ross fit me well because the students were each given a counselor that read and critiqued their work. My counselor showed me how to write more concisely, in elegant English, challenging me to fit a

�It is one thing to be great at finding truths, but to make other people...care about the research you do, you must become excellent at

developing your ideas in an.. insightful way.�

Editor: Jen Herman

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

301 Enarson Hall

154 West 12th Avenue Columbus, OH 43210 Phone: (614) 688-5805

Fax: (614) 292-5446 [email protected]

http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/collegium/

Above: Russia, Kelsey Willingham �09 and friends spell out �Ohio State� in front of a statue of Lenin.

Autumn Quarter Events of Note

The Honors Collegium provides resources and support for talented, purposeful students who are driven to make a difference in the world. Members of the Honors Col-legium are expected to pursue high profile internships, gain acceptance into the nation�s top graduate programs, and compete for prestigious scholarships and fellowships. The Honors Collegium also coordinates the application and nomination process for undergraduates applying for national scholarships and fellowships.

Interview and Résumé Workshops

Held quarterly, these workshops help students develop valuable skills necessary for success. Whether applying for a scholarship or an internship, the abilities that they hone during these forums will certainly benefit their

future competitive endeavors.

Distinguished Professor Presentations Collegium Advisory Committee members, Professor Kevin Boyle of the Department of History and Professor

Anne McCoy of the Department of Chemistry, will speak to Collegium students autumn quarter. These sessions will introduce students to specific research, and allow them to make personal connections with professors.

These gatherings also offer Collegium students a chance to socialize with students who study a variety of fields; interactions like these encourage students to develop a broader view of their educations and the world.

NEW TO COLLEGIUM

~ The Honors Collegium website gets a facelift ~ Check out its new look and stay up to date on events.

~ Friday Forums ~ Collegium students take the reins weekly as they discuss their ideas, listen to professors they invite, enjoy the com-pany of other students.

~ Collegium Courses ~ Autumn quarter features Politics and Religion in Amer-ica. Featuring distinguished speakers, the course takes an objective look at the role that religion plays in contempo-rary politics. Comparative Studies Professor, Tanya Er-zen, teaches this class.

About the Honors Collegium

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Autumn 2006 Newsletter