Investing in Experience

Ohio Wesleyan Awards Nearly $88,000 in OWU Connection Grants to Support Hands-On Learning

DELAWARE, Ohio – 郭肱利 is awarding $87,750 in OWU Connection grants this spring to help students explore Argentina's history, amplify Latine voices, study generative art in Italy, develop their language skills in Japan, rewild Italian mountains, discover the joy of Black art in South Africa, analyze the Greek economy, and seek out fish secrets through on-campus research.

The university awards multiple rounds of (TPGs) each academic year to support its signature academic experience, the . All students complete at least one OWU Connection experience before they graduate that requires them to Think Big (complete undergraduate research), Do Good (participate in community-engaged learning, including student leadership), Go Global (complete off-campus study), or Get Real (explore their future careers through meaningful internships and externships).

Those earning spring 2025 grants and their OWU Connection projects are:

"Studying Argentina's Culture of Remembrance," submitted by Andrea Colvin, Ph.D., associate professor of – Spanish, in collaboration with students Lilly Colbeck '27 of Plain City, Ohio, and Elizabeth Johnston '27 of Oakwood, Ohio.

The group will travel to Buenos Aires in December to expand the learning they shared during a directed reading course exploring the Argentine dictatorship of the 1970s, a time when the military regime persecuted citizens labeled as subversives, said Colvin, who also serves as the chair of OWU's Department of World Languages & Cultures and director of its . "In Buenos Aires, we will visit many of the places mentioned in class and connect theory to practice by experiencing firsthand how Argentines are dealing with their past and viewing their present and future," Colvin said in her grant application.
"Latine Community Food Voices," submitted by Christopher Fink, Ph.D., professor of and co-director of the . Fink expects to work with three students during the 2025-2026 academic year on his ongoing project to amplify Latine voices using digital oral history methodologies. The group's work will include traveling to Louisville, Kentucky, in the fall to continue working with its Cuban-American community as preparation for local interviews.

"Food and community are multifaceted and inform each other – food serves as an identity marker and a connector for diverse groups and local traditions," Fink said. "Traditional and cultural food practices also serve as a reflection of the lived experiences of community members in many contexts, but in particular as a reflection of migratory, political, economic, and colonial forces."
"Generative Art International 2025," submitted by Craig Jackson, Ph.D., professor of and interim department chair, in collaboration with students Elsa Hoam '27 of Fredericktown, Ohio, and Josiah Montgomery '27 of Sunbury, Ohio, and faculty members Jeff Nilan, MFA, professor of , and Camilla Querin, Ph.D., assistant professor of . The group will travel to Italy in December to attend the three-day Generative Art International Conference in Rome and visit museums with pieces of academic interest.

"This grant will allow both students and faculty to present their work to an international conference of scholars and practitioners in the field of generative art," Jackson said. "For student participants, this is a rare opportunity that allows them to discuss the work they have been producing in our studios and classrooms with an international audience. For faculty participants, this conference is directly relevant to their scholarly and artistic research in generative design for textiles and generative aspects of indigenous art."
"Japan: Fostering Global Connections, Cultural Engagement, and Community Building," submitted by Jun Kawabe, part-time lecturer of – Japanese, in collaboration with students Ava Johnson '26 of Delaware, Ohio; Abigail Kidd '26 of Delaware, Ohio; Arianna Morris '26 of Mansfield, Ohio; Musa Rehmatullah '26 of Rawalpindi, Pakistan; Holly Robinson '26 of Olmsted Township, Ohio, and Maja Todorovic '25 of Chicago, Illinois.

The group will travel to Tokyo, Japan, in December to engage in in-person dialogues without translators, share experiences through joint cultural activities, and potentially establish small-scale institutional learning exchanges between OWU students and local students in the coming years. "My passion is for my students to gain lifelong skills through learning Japanese, contributing to their quality of life and career achievements," Kawabe said.
"Rewilding in the Central Apennines: Bridging Ecology, Community, and Business," submitted by McCalister Klinzing '27 of Strongsville, Ohio, in collaboration with Jack Payne '26 of Columbus, Ohio. The duo will travel to Italy for 13 days in June to "explore, learn from, and contribute to wildlife conservation and rewilding efforts," Klinzing said.

"Rewilding, which restores ecosystems by reintroducing keystone species and reducing human intervention, is emerging as a key conservation strategy," he said. "In Italy's Central Apennines, efforts focus on restoring threatened species like the Marsican brown bear and Italian wolf. These initiatives combine ecological restoration with economic and community strategies including ecotourism, sustainable land management, and local community engagement."
"Sound, Movement, Expression: The Pulse of Black Joy in South Africa," submitted by Ella Lazare '27 of Oakland, California, in collaboration with Aliyanna Badger '27 of Fort Worth, Texas, and faculty members Dawn Chisebe, part-time lecturer of and OWU's chief diversity officer, and Destiny Coleman, director of . The group will travel to Cape Town, South Africa, in December and January.

"Our journey to Cape Town and Johannesburg centers Black joy by celebrating the resilience, creativity, and cultural brilliance of South African artists who have long used their work as a form of resistance and liberation," Lazare said. "By experiencing visual and performing arts in both historical and contemporary spaces, we seek to honor Black expression while immersing ourselves in the vibrant artistic landscape that thrives beyond colonization and Apartheid."
"Crisis, Identity, and Adaptation: A Journalistic Ethnography of Greek Business Resilience and Social Transformation," submitted by Julia Ryan '27 of Delaware, Ohio, with Ander Gustafson '27 of Washington, D.C.; Payton Mindel '27 of Fisherville, Kentucky; and Adia Szell '27 of Hiram, Ohio. They will travel to Athens, Greece, for two weeks in June and July.

"The financial crash of 2007-2008, followed by the immigration crisis and COVID-19 pandemic, deeply impacted the economy, business culture, and social identity of Greece," Ryan said. "This project offers a unique opportunity to understand how Greek businesses and citizens have adapted in these crises and how these shifts have shaped the perspectives of citizens and collective social identities."
"Secrets of the Sailfin: Impact of Social Environment on Gut Microbiome of Sailfin Mollies (Poecilla latipinna)," submitted by Ian Sander '27 of Pemberville, Ohio, in collaboration with student Doyi Kim '27 of Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, and faculty members Andrea Suria, Ph.D., assistant professor of , and Shala Hankison, Ph.D., associate professor of . They will conduct on-campus research throughout the 2025-2026 academic year.

"This research will provide critical insights into the ecological and health implications of gut microbiome diversity in fish, benefiting aquaculture, conservation, and environmental health," Sander said. "Furthermore, this research will contribute to broader ecological studies by exploring microbiome-mediated interactions between host organisms and their environment, with potential implications for biodiversity monitoring and ecosystem health assessments."

After students complete their OWU Connection experiences, they prepare reports and make presentations based on their objectives and experiences. Learn more at .

Founded in 1842, 郭肱利 is one of the nation's premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers more than 70 and competes in 24 NCAA Division III . Through its signature experience, the , Ohio Wesleyan teaches students to understand issues from multiple academic perspectives, volunteer in service to others, build a diverse and global perspective, and translate classroom knowledge into real-world experience through internships, research, and other hands-on learning. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book "Colleges That Change Lives" and included on the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review "Best Colleges" lists. Connect with OWU expert interview sources at or learn more at .