Experiential Learning Grant recipients announced

Ohio University has awarded Undergraduate Experiential Learning Stewardship Grants to eight faculty and staff members. 

This new grant is designed to support efforts of faculty, staff, and student organizations to offer new or expanded experiential learning opportunities to undergraduate students.  Such opportunities include community engagement, internships, leadership, research, creative endeavor, and study away. The goals of the funding stream are to expand access to experiential learning, foster inclusive environments in experiential settings, and encourage collaboration across units. 

 “While this grant opportunity is new, experiential learning at Ohio University is not. These recipients and the many other stand-out proposals we received tell a rich story about the experiential landscape here. We’re delighted to have a way to spotlight those efforts and continue to encourage innovation and growth in experiential pedagogy, both curricularly and co-curricularly,” said Lindsey Rudibaugh, director of undergraduate experiential learning. 

The inaugural recipients represent diverse disciplines, the full spectrum of experiential learning, and multiple OHIO campuses.

Hayley Haugen, Associate Professor of English at Ohio University Southern, was awarded $13,000 to support student development and distribution of Envoi, a literary magazine.

Mary Nally, Director of the Center for Campus and Community Engagement, received $12,000 for the expansion of the Center’s Community-Based Internship program.

Willem Roosenburg, Professor of Biological Sciences, was granted $5,250 to expand undergraduate research opportunities in his turtle population study on Poplar Island.

Melissa Thomas, Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, received $11,916 to support student researchers in Project Hoffnung which provides breast cancer outreach in Amish and Mennonite communities. 

Matthew Thompson, Program Manager of CoLab, and Jennifer Harvey, Library Events Coordinator, were awarded $10,555 to expand workshop offerings in the CoLab, a resource available to the full student body.

MaryKathyrine Tran, Assistant Director of the Women’s Center, was granted $6,910 to support the Center's ALAANA Women’s Leadership Cohort program.

Andrew Weems, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, received $13,370 for equipment to facilitate plastics upcycling education.

Amy Wolfe, Assistant Professor of Education at Ohio University Chillicothe, was awarded $14,997 to expand the Patton Professional Development Network to the Chillicothe campus and community.

All faculty, staff, and student organizations on the Athens and regional campuses are eligible to submit proposals.  More information about the next funding cycle will be available on the Undergraduate Experiential Learning office’s grants web page once the University has more clarity about the impact of COVID-19 on the upcoming academic year.