Going global: Six students receive Wolfe Study Abroad Scholarships

Six College of Engineering students were awarded $2,500 Wolfe Study Abroad Scholarships to help fund their upcoming study abroad trips.

The competitive scholarship helps students experience other cultures and fulfill their passions.

“In today’s world, it is essential to gain international experience and learn about other cultures in order to actively participate in our increasingly global society,” Education Abroad Director Grace Johnson said via email.

Mitizi Fernandez, a third-year electrical engineering major, will attend Ohio State’s India Engineering and Education Service-Learning Experience, which introduces students to the history, culture and society of India. It also includes a volunteer and service opportunity with Barefoot College, which works to empower women in impoverished rural communities.

Born in Guadalajara, Mexico and raised in Toledo, Ohio, Fernandez first knew she wanted to be an electrical engineer when she became the electrical lead for her high school’s FIRST Robotics Team. She said the trip will help her reach her professional goal of working for a diverse company that encourages their employees to do volunteer work in the community.

“Being a LASER (Latino and Latin American Space for Enrichment) mentor has taught me how important it is to personally give back to the community. Nothing can compare with the relationships I built with the high school students. Like myself, Barefoot College knows the importance of building personal relationships with the people in the community.”

Second-year chemical engineering major Leah Soppin is excited to explore engineering in ancient Greece during a two-week trip this May.

“Upon receiving the Wolfe Scholarship, I knew I had made a right decision by including a study abroad experience as part of my undergraduate education,” said Soppin. “I am so excited to see what engineering looks like and what other engineers do in another country this upcoming May.”

Studying abroad also helps students build career skills.

Collin Stipe, a third-year electrical engineering major, will travel to CERN (Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire), in Geneva, Switzerland, to experience in how engineers in other cultures and regions of the world solve problems and manage innovation.

“This experience will allow me to develop my teamwork and leadership skills while gaining valuable multidisciplinary experience with different engineering and business majors,” said Stipe.

Scholarships were also awarded to Martin Koelsch, a landscape architecture major who will travel to multiple European countries; Derek Luth, an architecture major who will travel to multiple European countries; and Jacqueline Moss, a civil engineering major who will travel to Spain.

The Wolfe Study Abroad Scholarship Endowed Fund was established in 1999 by John Wolfe of the Dispatch Printing Company. In order to be eligible, students must be enrolled full-time in a degree-granting program at Ohio State, be an Ohio resident who graduated from an Ohio high school, have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0, be a sophomore, junior or senior at the time of the program, and must have applied or been admitted to an Ohio State-approved study abroad program.

Students will share their trip experiences on the Office of International Affairs website.

Written by Kyjah Coryat