Humanities Student Spotlight:

Huntington International Fellowships Support Interest in Business and Foreign Languages

When he arrived back on campus in September, Matt Jepsen had a very good story to tell. "What did you do last summer?" elicits the response: "I worked at the American Embassy in Bern, Switzerland."

In the winter quarter of 2007, Matt, a sophomore in French and German, was looking for a way to connect his interest in languages with Foreign Service. Surfing the Internet, Matt found an application for an unpaid internship in Switzerland through the U.S. State Department Web site. Matt then applied for and received a Huntington International Fellowship through the College’s Foreign Language Center, which helped to fund his summer internship in Switzerland.

Matt, a native of Powell, Ohio, says his parents have been very supportive through all of his adventures. While in Bern, he stayed with his "adopted family" who live about 10 minutes away from the embassy.

"Thanks to the gracious efforts of the Embassy staff, as well as the generosity of the many locals whom I met, I quickly got accustomed to this completely new environment and soon felt that Bern had become a second home to me. One thing that never ceased to amaze me, though, was the rugged, natural beauty of the Swiss landscape, for instance with the Bernese Alps, which were visible from my own neighborhood. Because of this and all the other incredible experiences I had this summer, I will surely be visiting Switzerland again in the future.”

The Huntington International Fellowships were made possible by the Huntington National Bank which created an endowed fund to benefit humanities students interested in international business and foreign languages. Facilitated by the Foreign Language Center, the program is intended to permit students majoring in the humanities (with interest and supporting work in international business and trade) to spend an extended time abroad to enhance their fluency in a foreign language, their knowledge of a foreign culture, and their understanding of the workings and environment of international commerce. To be eligible, students must be sophomores or juniors at the time of the application and have completed a minimum of the first two years of Ohio State foreign language study or its equivalent prior to the study abroad experience; and be able to demonstrate serious interest in, commitment to, and involvement in, business, commerce, or industry. Huntington International Fellowships may be used to cover travel, tuition, and living costs.

Other 2007 recipients include:
Peter Carlson (French, International Business, Marketing)
Jeffrey Karns (Japanese and Anthropology)
Adam Malone (German and International Business)
Shaun Newcomer (Chinese)
William Robinson (Chinese, Spanish, International Business)
Luke Stoneburner (Japanese and Econometrics)
Megan Quatman (Spanish and Marketing)
Stephanie Willhide (Spanish and Marketing)