The Ohio Union is where the Honors Project Symposium for the College of Arts and Sciences takes place. Credit: Daniel Bush | Campus Photo Editor
For most arts and sciences honors students at Ohio State, the Honors Project Symposium is a milestone in their college careers.
That event takes place on Dec. 8 in the Ohio Union, where the College of Arts and Sciences will appreciate those from the Autumn 2025 semester.
Arts and Sciences requires all honors students to participate in some form of presentation about the experiences they need to have before they graduate. The experiences fall into many categories, such as internships, studies abroad and research opportunities.
They can also opt for a thesis defense or a forum that’s approved on a case-by-case basis. However, the symposium is slowly becoming the most popular way to demonstrate their experiences.
“The Honors Project is demonstrating students’ ability to go above and beyond in an experiential sense,” said Rebecca Sallade, the honors project coordinator for the program. “At our first Honors Project Symposium, there were only three students. Then, we went to thirty, and next spring will be 300.”
The symposium began as a requirement for Arts and Sciences Honors students in 2022, with the first one being held last fall. The intention was for students to look back upon what they have done throughout their time at Ohio State, according to Lindsey Chamberlain, assistant dean of academic enrichment and honors program director.
Despite running for a couple years, the symposium has seen a vast range of presentations.
According to both Chamberlain and Sallade, one student, Meghan Hubbard, who presented in the spring of 2025, combined several study abroad credits with over 150 hours of writing an album to complete the project.
Another student, Greyson Osterfeld, who will be presenting on Monday, combined the Psychology Undergraduate Teaching Experience program with his Honors Peer Mentor Program internship to finish the presentation.
“When you present your project, that helps you sort of reflect on it and identify the most important parts,” Chamberlain said.
The college is acting as a spearhead in terms of these presentations and symposiums. They were the first college to embrace this focus on experiences, Chamberlain said.
“We wanted to formalize experiential learning,” Chamberlain said.
Eventually, all colleges across Ohio State will have similar requirements when it comes to experiences. However, the specifics of them will be determined by the colleges.
“We don’t want students to feel like they have to fit into a box,” Sallade said. “We found that students were really passionate about other things, so why not broaden the lens to incorporate them?”
