Second-Year Experience Project (SYEP)
All second year IA Scholars are required to complete a Second Year Experience Project (SYEP). This project provides second year students with an applied experience in international affairs based on their personal, academic, and/or professional interests. Scholars have five options to fulfill the requirement:
- Complete a qualifying internship with a nonprofit, private, political, or Ohio State organization, unit, office, department that has a global focus;
- Complete an academic research project in collaboration with a faculty member;
- Participate in a study abroad program;
- Complete a community service project with a global focus;
- Apply to a competitive fellowship or scholarship such as a Critical Language Scholarship, a Fulbright Scholarship, a Boren Scholarship, or a Fulbright U.S.-U.K. Summer Institute.
The fall semester is designed to prepare Scholars for their project, while the spring semester the Scholars will undertake the project. At the end of the semester, all second year Scholars will present on their SYEP to their peers, Ohio State faculty, staff, and partners. This event, called the Second Year Experience Symposium, is the culminating experience to complete the IA Scholars Program.
IA Events and Involvement
The IA Leadership Council, with the help of the Program Manager, will be planning various IA events throughout the academic year. These events are designed to explore the themes of our scholars program, build community, and connect you to people and resources on campus and in Columbus. Events will be organized into social, community service, and academic events, in which second year Scholars will need to attend a certain number to fulfill participation requirements.
Community Meetings
Every semester, first and second year IA Scholars are required to attend community meetings; these meetings are designed to discussion on international and/or global issues, feature guest speakers, provide time for networking and teambuilding activities, and more.
Starting fall semester 2019, fall semester community meetings will be mostly for second year students to prepare them for the Second Year Experience Project; starting spring semester 2020, these meetings will bring first and second year IA Scholars together to explore a wide variety of topics in international affairs, and will include professional development, cross-cultural, and academic exposure to the field.