The Committee on Engaged Learning is pleased to announce $68,457.26 in Odyssey
  funding to 13 projects, all of which focus on connecting classroom learning
  with practical applications and/or professional development or career
  exploration. Since 2005, the Committee on Engaged Learning has awarded
  $4,907,451.60 in competitive Odyssey grants to support 1,505 projects by
  ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ students and faculty.
  Global Awareness Projects
  
    Jennifer Dearolf
    Exploring the Belize Coral Reef
    
      In May, Dr. Dearolf and students from her Marine Biology class, along with
      Dr. Vidal-Torreira, Associate Professor of Spanish, will visit Ambergris
      Caye, an island off the cost of Belize, where they will explore the coral
      reef and study its organisms while learning from marine biology
      professionals, assessing the success of conservation efforts, and
      collecting data for a research project.
    
   
  
    Chloe Stevenson ‘25
    
      Culturally Immersive Shadowing Experience in Spain
    
    Supervised by Jennifer Dearolf
    
      Chloe will join a pre-med clinical shadowing program in Spain for three
      weeks this summer where she will have the opportunity to experience
      different medical and cultural settings while practicing her Spanish
      language skills.
    
   
 
  Professional and Leadership Development
  
    Keeley Ausburn ‘24
    
      Professional Field Experience: Arkansas 6th District Court
    
    Supervised by Kimberly Maslin
    
      Through this summer experience, Keeley will assist judges with research
      and writing projects and observe a range of court proceedings which she
      expects will grow her understanding of judicial decision-making and of
      non-litigation careers in the judiciary.
    
   
  
    
        Cameron Deal ‘24
    
    
        Professional Field Experience: Sports Management
    
    
        Supervised by Buck Buchanan
    
    
        Cameron will spend the summer working with the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ and Mayflower High School football teams and coaching staff to better understand the day-to-day operations of careers in sports management.
    
   
  
    
        Cade England ’24 & Alex Price ‘24
    
    
        Professional Field Experience: Costa Rica Conservation
    
    
        Supervised by Maureen McClung
    
    
        Cade and Alex will spend the summer working at the Children’s Eternal Rainforest in Costa Rica where they will conduct research and participate in service work with a special focus on the amphibian population in the area while gaining a better understanding of the working life of conservation biologists as they prepare to choose their own careers in conservation.
    
   
  
    
        Kobi Greer ‘24
    
    
        Photography Summer Session at Penland School of Crafts: Wet-Plate Collodion
    
    
        Supervised by Maxine Payne
    
    
        Kobi will participate in a wet-plate collodion summer session which will expand her skills in photography and prepare her for her senior year capstone as an Art major and for post-graduate opportunities.
    
   
  
    
        Yaritza Hernandez ‘24
    
    
        Official ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Internship: Advanced Allergy and Asthma Clinic
    
    
        Supervised by Jennifer Dearolf
    
    
        Yaritza expects to increase her understanding of medical terminology, etiquette, and protocols while shadowing a specialist doctor in this summer internship at a small clinic.
    
   
  
    
        Hannah Wheeler ‘25
    
    
        Official ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Internship: The Funk Heritage Center
    
    
        Supervised by Anne Goldberg
    
    
        Through this summer internship, Hannah will have the opportunity to document historical artifacts in writing and photography in and to record this documentation in a standard museum software program, skills that will contribute to her development as a museum professional.
    
   
 
  Special Projects
  
    
        Lauren Seckington ‘23
    
    
        The Parliament of the World’s Religions
    
    
        Supervised by Emmy Corey
    
    
        In August, Lauren will attend the 2023 Parliament of World’s Religions after which she will prepare a journalistic paper and photo essay capturing her experience and learnings, including exploration of religious studies and interfaith work careers.
    
   
  
    
        Daniel Edquist-Whelan
    
    
        Model United Nations 2023
    
    
        Dr. Edquist-Whelan and 23 students will prepare for and attend the American Model UN (AMUN) conference in the Fall where the College will field teams to represent two countries, an experience which develops students’ skills in research, policy-oriented writing, public speaking, caucusing and negotiating, and other professional competencies.
    
   
 
  Undergraduate Research
  
    
        Eliana Oden ‘25
    
    
        Physics of Volleyball
    
    
        Supervised by Todd Tinsley
    
    
        Eliana will spend the summer studying the trajectories of volleyballs, specifically with serving, using 2-dimensional data from video cameras to reconstruct 3-dimensional information about the flight of the ball.
    
   
  
    
        John Schaller ‘25
    
    
        Replication of G-quadruplex DNA by Translesion Polymerases
    
    
        Supervised by Julie Gunderson
    
    
        John will participate in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program where he will work on a biomedical research project exploring DNA replication under the guidance of Dr. Eoff and in collaboration with other students.
    
   
  
    
        Shamindri Tennakoon
    
    
        Undergraduate Research in Paleobiology: Fossil Mollusks Across Time and Space
    
    
        Over the summer, Dr. Tennakoon and two students will conduct paleobiological research to better understand the evolutionary history of fossil mollusks and will visit the Florida Museum of Natural History where the students will have the chance to gain experience in curatorial methods, expand their dataset, and begin making professional connections.