February 20, 2008

Scholars Celebration Gives Prospective Students Glimpse at Honors Program

Ohio Wesleyan Admission Representative Jane Hahn chats with an admitted student and her family during last year’s Scholars Celebration reception.

“Before the Scholars Celebration, I had already visited campus twice, but I was still deciding between attending Ohio Wesleyan or another Ohio private school,” says Erin Gursky ’11. “When I came to OWU for the event, everyone was so welcoming and made me feel like they really wanted me to be a part of the school. This wasn’t just the feeling I received from the admission staff, but from the professors and students as well. I also learned about all the amazing opportunities honors students have at Ohio Wesleyan. I decided on the way home that I would spend the next four years of my life at OWU where I felt I truly belonged.”

Gursky’s decision is the very choice Laurie Patton and other members of the admission staff hope prospective students make. “While the main purpose of this special event is to recognize the achievements of these fine scholars, there are other benefits as well,” Patton says. “We invite students and parents to take advantage of an extended visit, which could include an overnight on campus, class visitations, appointments with faculty and coaches, campus tours, and more. This is a great chance for students to get a really in-depth look at Ohio Wesleyan and in particular, the Honors Program.”

Jimmy Johnson ’08 is a student who appreciates that in-depth look he got while attending the Scholars Celebration. “I knew leaving the dinner that at Ohio Wesleyan, I would be valued as a student and as a scholar,” Johnson says. “The event was a delightful taste of what opportunities were to come in the Honors Program. I later took Dr. (Jed) Burtt’s honors tutorial, the Tropical Biology honors seminar with which I traveled to Costa Rica. Now I am a candidate for zoology departmental honors through the research I am doing on pinworm parasites. The opportunity to excel academically through engaging and unique experiences in the Honors Program was a substantial draw to attend Ohio Wesleyan.”

The Scholars Celebration is an event for prospective students who have received scholarships at the Faculty, Trustee, and Presidential levels. Last year, more than 80 students from 17 states attended the event.

For details about this year’s Scholars Celebration, visit admission.owu.edu/scholarsCelebration.html. The deadline to register for the event is February 25.

– Ericka Kurtz