On Feb. 21, many students participating in the Second-Year Transformational Experience Program (STEP) attended the Spring STEP Expo on the Columbus campus. The STEP Expo allows current STEP students to meet with students that have finished their STEP signature projects and a chance to tour the Columbus campus.
At the STEP Expo, finishing students from Columbus, Wooster, and the regional campuses present a poster describing their projects and then allow guests to ask questions pertaining to their signature projects in a semi-formal environment. Mentors are encouraged to wander around and interact with students and ask further questions.
The ATI students that attended the Expo were also able to meet and interact with two of the students that started their Ohio State academics on the Wooster Campus and are now having success on the Columbus campus. Adam Rischer presented his internship supported by the STEP Fellowship he received. Adam explained how STEP afforded him the opportunity to pursue an out-of-state internship. This internship has led Adam to additional opportunities in his field and has helped him navigate potential job opportunities. Laura Scholl presented her journey through photography. Laura used funds from her STEP Fellowship to attend sessions out of state to improve her photography skills. This has led her to multiple opportunities for photography jobs and activities. Presently on the Wooster campus Laura Scholl provided photographs for a project to raise awareness of underrepresented and small-scale regenerative farmers in Ohio.
The Second-Year Transformational Experience Program, and the Fellowship opportunities that come with it, have been truly transformational for multiple students on the Wooster Campus. ATI students entering their second year have been given this opportunity from the support of the STEP team in Columbus, the regional campus coordinators, and from the support from private donors, without whose help we could not prosper as we have.
The number of students taking the opportunity offered through the STEP program is rising, and each year we increase the number of students participating on our campus. It is the hope of the ATI STEP coordinator and faculty mentors that this unique interaction continues to prosper as we move forward.
For questions on the STEP program in Wooster, please contact us.
The ATI STEP Family
Penny Nemitz, Program Coordinator
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Dan Linden, Faculty Mentor
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Eric Williams, Faculty Mentor
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