During Autumn 2024 nearly 500 students engaged with the Undergraduate Fellowship Office (UFO) across more than 30 events. Whether attending an information session, participating in a writing or interview workshop, or catching one of UFO’s invited presentations around campus, UFO staff has enjoyed meeting and working with students at all levels of their undergraduate education experience.
To increase the reach of UFO this fall, in addition to typical programming, the office included a few new events in the fall line-up. Students attended “Fellowships 101” sessions, which focused on opportunities for first and second-year students as well as one about post-undergraduate opportunities. With targeted information sessions about the Critical Language Scholarship and DAAD-RISE, more students on campus than in recent years worked on applications for those opportunities abroad. Additionally, UFO held group interview workshops to help applicants to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Rhodes Scholarship, and Marshall Scholarship prepare in advance of interview invitations.
Partners around campus invited UFO to share fellowship-related programming to introduce students to opportunities that will support their academic and career development. Some events included presentations for:
- Knowlton School of Architecture
- International Affairs Scholars Program
- Stamps Eminence Scholars seminars
- Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry’s “Situating Your Research” series
- Global Leadership Initiative in the Office of Academic Affairs
- Department of Physics, Introductory Physics Seminar
Presentations are an important part of the fellowship process, because students learn about the objectives of the awards, selection criteria, and application timelines. As UFO staff reflect on autumn 2024, they also want to acknowledge all of the students who worked on fellowship applications this fall. UFO supported more than 115 Ohio State students who applied for at least 12 different nationally competitive fellowships with deadlines this fall. The biggest applicant pools were for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program with 54 applicants and the DAAD-RISE program with 29 applicants.
While some of the fellowship competitions are complete and recipients have been notified, most of the students who submitted applications this fall won’t know their award status until well into spring semester. Still, UFO celebrates the process of applying as much as the news that applicants have won a fellowship. Over the course of composing an application, students reflect on their previous experiences, imagine their plans for the future, and explain how a particular fellowship can help them bridge the gap between where they’ve been and where they want to go.
Reflecting on the Autumn semester, Claire Sweigart, Program Director for High Impact Practices stated, “we are so proud of all the students who have dedicated time to reflecting on their Ohio State experience and future goals through the fellowship process. We are also incredibly grateful to all the faculty and staff who have supported these students, through reviewing applications, writing recommendations, and serving as mock interviewers. We look forward to working together to continue supporting students as they create vibrant futures for themselves and others.”
At the end of this busy semester, join UFO in honoring the engagement of students pursuing nationally competitive scholarships and awards.
To learn more about Ohio State’s nominees and fellowship winners, check out our Instagram feed! Reach out to fellowships@osu.edu with questions or requests for presentations.