The Office of International Affairs recognized recipients of this year’s Wolfe Study Abroad Scholarship this week at the 10th Annual Wolfe Study Abroad Recognition Luncheon. The 22 recipients were honored on May 5 at the Faculty Club, where they were congratulated by President E. Gordon Gee and other university leaders, past scholarship recipients, and John F. Wolfe, chairman and CEO of The Dispatch Printing Company. Each student was awarded a $2,000 scholarship to help fund their study individual long-term study abroad programs.

The Wolfe Study Abroad Scholarships Endowed Fund was established September 1, 1999 with a $1 million gift from the Robert F. Wolfe and Edgar T. Wolfe Foundation. Over the last 10 years, scholarships in the amount of $2,000 each have been distributed annually to more than 200 undergraduate students. The Wolfe Scholarship, which is administered by the Office of International Affairs, is the cornerstone of Ohio State’s study abroad programs and helps to enhance the educational experience of Ohio State students.

In 2009, Wolfe presented another $1 million gift to the university, which doubled the endowment that supports the Wolfe Study Abroad Scholarships. The financial support of these scholarships has changed the lives of a growing number of students who have had the opportunity to participate in quarter or summer-long study abroad programs.

To receive the scholarship, students must:

• Be a full-time student of sophomore, junior, or senior rank.
• Have a minimum overall GPA of 2.75.
• Be an Ohio resident who has graduated from an Ohio high school.
• Be admitted to an Ohio State approved quarter/summer-long study abroad program.

"These scholarships have helped the university attract those students seeking ways to enrich their academic program through international experience," said Dieter Wanner, Associate Provost for Global Strategies and International Affairs. "Studying abroad enables students to gain a sense of independence, become more confident, and acquire valuable skills in preparation for today’s job market."

For the 2008-09 academic year, Wolfe Study Abroad Scholarships were awarded to:

• Tyler Adams, a senior majoring in international studies (East Africa, Tanzania and Uganda)
• Ashley Bartman, a sophomore majoring in chemistry and history of art (Italy)
• Erin Blackburn-Smith, a junior majoring in sociology (Poland)
• G. Michael Bowen, a junior majoring in operations management (Netherlands)
• Amanda Bragdon, a sophomore majoring in political science and economics (Germany)
• Josephine Bryk, a senior majoring in animal sciences (East Africa, Tanzania and Uganda)
• Sarah Corbo, a junior majoring in international studies (Ecuador)
• Byron Freund, a junior majoring in international studies (Russia)
• P. Josh Hamer, a sophomore majoring in Arabic (Jordan)
• Laura Heyeck, a junior majoring in Japanese and international business (Japan)
• Jaimie Horning, a junior majoring in speech and hearing science (South Africa)
• Elliot Klosterman, a sophomore majoring in international studies (Egypt)
• Elizabeth Lemons, a junior majoring in international studies and women’s studies (Ghana)
• Lauren Luffy, a junior majoring in architecture (Italy)
• Lauren Metterle, a sophomore majoring in molecular genetics and biology (Greece)
• Heather Miller, a junior majoring in French (France)
• William Nickley, a senior majoring in industrial design (Germany)
• Emily Phelps, a junior majoring in strategic communication and Spanish (Argentina)
• Bryon Reed, a senior majoring in music education (Ireland)
• Jessica Schafer, a senior majoring in plant pathology (East Africa, Tanzania and Uganda)
• Erin Silvert-Noftle, a sophomore majoring in psychology (Spain)
• Jessica Williams, a junior majoring in international studies (France)