Kristin Anderson, University Relations, (517) 353-8819 or ander284@msu.edu
12/10/2002
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Jeremy Harder will receive some welcome financial relief on his study abroad trip to Ireland next semester, with the first 2002-03 Residential Option in Arts and Letters Program (ROIAL) Ruth Dahlberg Smith Study Abroad Scholarship.
Harder, son of Clark and Linda Harder of Owosso, is a senior majoring in English at Michigan State University. He will be studying English literature in Dublin from Feb. 23 to April 30.
The $1,000 Smith scholarship was created to honor the mother of Elizabeth Alexander, an MSU physician and professor of human medicine. The award was established this year to assist ROIAL students with financial support for studying abroad.
"I think Jeremy is a great first recipient of this scholarship," Alexander said. "He is a good student who will gain a greater understanding of our world as a global community from this international study program." Harder won the scholarship based on a his membership in the ROIAL program, academic standing and essay about what he hopes to learn while studying abroad and what he will be able to contribute to the program upon his return.
"Since I took an Irish literature class, I have wanted to study overseas through MSU," Harder said. "Receiving this scholarship is definitely an honor and a surprise, because there are so many top-notch students in the ROIAL program. Aside from the great personal experiences I look forward to in Ireland, I think this is a good resume and character builder."
His program features many field trips to familiarize students with the history, culture and art of Ireland. During the semester he will meet three days per week in discussion sections and with Irish lecturers who will speak on Irish history, art, music, drama and poetry. He also will write extensively about his experiences at places such as the Dublin International Film Festival, the C�irt Literature Festival in Galway and Yeats country in Sligo.
Alexander said she plans on making the scholarship an ongoing fellowship that will help support ROIAL students wanting to participate in study abroad programs.
"I've been connected to the ROIAL program and have seen the superior students it attracts who are going into the humanities," Alexander said. "I established this award because there aren't as many scholarship opportunities for students majoring in English, history or foreign languages who want to study abroad."
At MSU, Harder has worked for three years in the Office of the University Physician and was nominated for the student employee of the year award in 2002, where he was the runner-up. He also is a member of the National Collegiate Honor Society and plans to graduate in May hoping to pursue a career in designing and developing Web-based media.
ROIAL brings together students with common academic interests in the arts and humanities to share in a residential living environment. ROIAL works to motivate its students to participate in cooperative learning experiences in languages, writing, humanities and the arts.
Offering students 183 programs in more than 57 countries on six continents, the MSU study abroad program is one of the largest and most prestigious in the United States. Because of the academic, personal, professional and international learning opportunities it offers, study abroad is quickly becoming a normal and integrated part of the educational experience at MSU.