Scholarships send students abroad

Photo courtesy of Amy Dedonato Junior Amy DeDonato poses in Matera, Italy as part of the Knowlton School of Architecture study abroad program. Part of her trip was paid for by the scholarship.

Amy DeDonato spent the first two weeks of her spring quarter on the east coast of Italy in the city of Ascoli Piceno. DeDonato is currently studying in Italy, experiencing ancient architecture and culture. This trip might not have been possible without the Wolfe Study Abroad Scholarship at Ohio State.

"Studying abroad would definitely have been nearly impossible without some form of financial aid," said Amy DeDonato, a junior in architecture, in an e-mail from Rome. "The Wolfe Scholarship has without a doubt granted me the opportunity to study abroad."

The Wolfe Study Abroad Scholarship awards 25 Ohio State students $2,000 to travel the world through the study abroad program each year.

"These scholarships have helped the university attract those students seeking ways to enrich their academic program through international experience," said Dieter Wanner, interim associate provost of international affairs in a statement.

DeDonato was accepted in the Knowlton School of Architecture study abroad program, which allows third-year students to travel to Italy and visit cities such as Florence, Naples and Capri. Students are based in Rome and take classes in Italian architectural theory, architecture studio and an Italian language course. They are also involved in many independent projects throughout the quarter.

"As we have been moving from city to city, we have been mapping and documenting our experiences through photos, videos, drawings and sketches," DeDonato said. "Our instructors really push us to look at these cities from a different perspective and pull apart each city through our own personal investigations."

Along with a myriad of projects, students are afforded the opportunity to immerse themselves in the ancient structures and civilizations that Italy has to offer.

"Studying, exploring, researching and working in Italy is absolutely essential for aspiring architects," DeDonato said.

The study abroad program offers students the chance to study in 39 different countries around the world and 20 percent of undergraduate students take part in the program before graduating, said a release from the Office of International Affairs.

The Wolfe Scholarship was established by John F. Wolfe, president and CEO of The Dispatch Printing Company and has helped students with the cost of studying abroad since 1999. Wolfe recently pledged an additional $1 million to increase the endowment of the scholarship program.

"It's opportunities like these that really help students pursue their future goals," DeDonato said.

Tyler Gillespie can be reached at gillespie.113@osu.edu.