The Ohio State University Office of International Affairs

“We don’t want to just use our engineering education and career to garnish profits for corporations, we want to use those skills for good. That is part of the reason it is so important to me personally, and, I think, for all humanitarian engineering students to have the ability to go abroad,” reflected Logan Cook, a chemical engineering major who participated in the Engineering in Context; Sustainable Water Treatment – Honduras program over spring break. “No matter what sector of engineering we are in, I think it is very important to understand human-centered design. That was the focus of this program, and many times I was able to directly interact with community members and hear their thoughts on the water projects being done in their community." https://bit.ly/4w3OoPR #BuckeyesAbroad The Ohio State University College of Engineering EAP Zamorano Agua Para el Pueblo Patrick Sours Ph.D.

“Navigating life in the United States feels like walking on a wooden path through an unknown swamp—like the photo of me on a trail in Yellow Springs, Ohio. I cannot see what lies beneath the path or how far it stretches, but I keep moving forward. I never imagined my life would bring me to Columbus, Ohio, far from my family in Indonesia. Like many international students, my first days were filled with anxiety, excitement, and curiosity. I questioned whether I would belong—whether I could truly call The Ohio State University, or even Columbus, my second home," shares Dian Sawitri, a PhD student from Indonesia in The Ohio State University College of Education and Human Ecology. "These uncertainties mirror the broader uncertainties around me. Yet, as long as I stay on this “wooden path,” I believe I will be safe. What makes the journey meaningful is not certainty, but support—friends, institutions, and small moments of courage. Taking one step at a time, being resilient, learning to adapt, respecting differences, and creating memories have shaped my experience of living in the United States." "I may not know where this path ends, but with support beside me, I walk with confidence—grateful to call Ohio State home, far away from home.” America 250-Ohio Commission | America250 | #America250 https://lnkd.in/gB_tQpEy

“As a psychology major, this experience has shown me how much culture shapes the way people experience and talk about mental health. It’s also helped me build communication skills, flexibility and empathy, which I know will be important in my career,” reflected Maya Deutch, a psychology major who is currently abroad on the AIFS Study + Internship program in Rome, Italy 🇮🇹 Deutch is taking classes in Italy and interning with Mindhamok, a mental health agency that supports study abroad students. https://bit.ly/4e8MAys #BuckeyesAbroad The Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences mindhamok AIFS Abroad

Darren Drewry, associate professor, Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering in Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, has been awarded a 2026-2027 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to Portugal to research “Development of Advanced High Throughput Phenotyping Methods for Management of Perennial Agriculture.” From January – April 2027, Drewry will work alongside colleagues at the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA) at the University of Lisbon (UL) to develop methods to assess plant disease and stress conditions using a combination of multi-modal sensing and machine learning. “Using measurements from field sensors and leaf gas exchange systems we can develop models that provide rapid assessments of plant disease and stress conditions. This can allow us to identify and treat issues before they develop into much larger and more costly problems.” explained Drewry. #Fulbright The Fulbright Program | Fulbright Association https://lnkd.in/gVCW_Nng

Ryan Pereira ’02 PhD carries the Buckeye spirit across globe. Today, he serves as a regional officer with the United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF), the Fulbright Commission in India, where he supervises the Fulbright Program in Western India. Looking back, Pereira credits The Ohio State University, as an international student from India, with teaching him resilience and perspective. “I learned not to give up and keep working hard,” he says. Pereira points to his Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry PhD advisor Caroline Brietenberger as a lasting influence on his life and career. He remembers how her calm presence during difficult moments helped him navigate the very real pressures of graduate school. “The professors are tough, they challenge students and the students are expected to perform,” he recalls. Pereira’s advice is simple: “Your time at Ohio State goes by fast,” he says, “so take time to enjoy it.” He encourages students to lean into the plethora of opportunities on campus for self-growth – not just as scholars. #BuckeyesAbroad #BuckeyeForLife #HowFirmThyFriendship The Ohio State University Alumni Association | The Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences https://lnkd.in/duCGtRXj

The Office of International Affairs is hiring! This is a unique position that will work with our Global Gateways and help launch a new passport facility on campus 🤞 ! https://lnkd.in/gDBgxUqw

Soledad Benitez Ponce, associate professor, Department of Plant Pathology in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, has been awarded a 2026-2027 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to Colombia to research “Studies on the distribution of purple top disease of potato relatives in Colombia.” From April – June, 2027, Benitez Ponce will study an emergent plant disease in crops of relevance to the Andean regions of Colombia and other South American countries, known as purple top. She will work alongside colleagues at Universidad Militar Nueva Granada (UMNG) in Bogotá. “Given the importance of potato and other related crops (tree tomato, goldenberry, and lulo) for Colombia, this Fulbright project will evaluate the incidence and causal agent of this disease in the southern region of Colombia,” Benitez Ponce explained. The Fulbright Program | Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences | Universidad Militar Nueva Granada #Fulbright https://lnkd.in/g33u9yDy

Supported by the Phyllis Krumm Memorial International Scholarship, PhD candidate Walker Ballard performed dissertation research on how schools can strengthen democracy and resist authoritarianism in Germany. “My experiences in the classroom led me to want to understand the role of education in democratic society on a deeper level. A combination of my study-abroad experiences in college and then my work experience as a teacher really came together to leave me with some big unanswered questions." His research focuses on schools in democratic societies, with particular attention to their role in resisting authoritarian tendencies. He is studying German “community schools,” known as Gemeinschaftsschulen, to examine how educators contribute to equitable outcomes for marginalized students. #BuckeyesAbroad The Ohio State University College of Education and Human Ecology https://lnkd.in/g4vY_A6E