Hendrix Odyssey Program
Project Funding
April 2014
The Committee on Engaged Learning (CEL)
awarded $120,081.44 in Odyssey grants
to 39 projects proposed by faculty and students in the April 2014 cycle. The
grand total for funding since the Odyssey Program’s inception in 2005 is $2,759,
012.34.
Hendrix students will be interns at a variety
of prestigious businesses, where they will learn more about themselves and
their ultimate career paths. Locations around the globe will strengthen their
interest in the environment, human culture, and filmmaking.
The grant recipients include:
Jair Almaguer and
Hsin-Ping Wang
A Multicultural
Transitional Experience
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Kesha Baoua
Jair
Almaguer and Hsin-Ping Wang will intern with International Student Services on
campus this summer. They will provide student perspective on providing new
diversity programming events and the best ways to market them. They intend to
form stronger relationships with Conway schools and organizations, along with
the international students at Hendrix. “This experience will provide us with a
great opportunity for training in management, organization, and communication
skills,” they said.
Megan Barker
Summer Theatre
Internship
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Prof. Ann Muse
Theatre
Arts and Psychology double major Megan Barker will combine her areas of interest
during an internship at La Jolla Playhouse, which offers a series of summer
theatre courses to young children. “It would be wonderful to be a part of a
child finding self-confidence and providing support,” she said. She plans to
bring some of the teaching skills she learns back to Hendrix.
Grace Blackmon
Gender and
Education in Tanzania
Category:
GA
Sponsor:
Dr. Lisa Leitz
During
a month-long trip to Tanzania, Grace Blackmon will learn more about the
country’s history and culture, specifically regarding gender differences in
education. “I would like to focus on why fewer girls than boys continue on to
secondary school, as well as the reasons why girls tend to leave secondary
school uncompleted,” she said. She added that education has a big impact on social
change, particularly in countries with inequities between males and females,
along with strict gender norms.
Brittany Cantrell
On Women and
Writing: Professional Field Experience with a Feminist Bookstore
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Prof. Hope Coulter
Charis
Books in Atlanta is one of the oldest independent, feminist bookstores in the
South. “From youth poetry slams to readings by local feminist authors to a
weekly yoga class, it is truly a hub of activity for feminist Atlanta,” said
Brittany Cantrell. This summer, she will work as an intern in the store,
combining her love of creative writing with the practical business experience
in her chosen field. This project was
underwritten by the Murphy Foundation Programs in Literature and Language.
Bethany Cartwright
Mayor's Internship
Program
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Lisa Leitz
As
part of the Philadelphia Mayor’s Internship Program, Bethany Cartwright will
experience three different aspects—work with the Department of Human Services,
an “Exploring Government” component and a group project. She will spend time
with the social workers who protect children from abuse and neglect, learning
about their careers. “Through my participation in this program, I hope to use
my academic interests in sociology in order to understand social problems and
the structures in place within the government to address these social
problems,” Cartwright said. This grant was underwritten by Project Pericles.
Nathanael Drahn
Finnish Education:
What Helsinki has to Teach Us
Category:
SP
Sponsor:
Dr. Jay Barth
As
he studies abroad in Finland, Nathanael Drahn will take the opportunity to
learn more about the country’s education system. “One of the fundamental
reasons that Finland is a prime case to study in education is because not only
is it ranked one of the best in the world, but it was a fairly recent reform
that propelled them from mediocre to the top of the charts,” Drahn said.
Through interviews, classroom observations, and informative educational events,
he hopes to pinpoint causes for the change and determine if they can be applied
to the United States.
Charley Ford
Internship with the
Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Carmen Hardin
Charley
Ford will have an internship at the Institute for Exercise and Environmental
Medicine at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. The experience will
give her a taste of healthcare from the administrative and policy side instead
of from the patient viewpoint. “Considering that I will be applying for
graduate school in some branch of medicine, this internship will boost my
chance of acceptance.”
Mitch Harle
Political Work in
Washington, DC
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Kiril Kolev
A
long-term interest in politics has drawn Mitch Harle to work with Rep, Pete
Olson of Texas in Washington, D.C. “I know that both at Hendrix and in the
workforce, others may not hold the same views, ideals, religion or other
various beliefs that I do, and I believe that this professional field
experience will help me to better work with a variety of people in the future,”
he said. Harle will get to experience Washington first-hand and learn about
politics from the inside. This grant was underwritten by Project Pericles.
Hannah Hill
Guidance through
Support-A Volunteer Probation Officer Experience
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Leigh Lassiter-Counts
Hannah
Hill’s future career goals include working professionally with children and
teens facing problems at home. As a Volunteer Probation Officer, she will
mentor young people charged with various non-violent crimes in the hopes of
getting them back on track. “Gaining insight into the struggles my probationers
face will help me to provide them with assistance in a more sensitive and efficient
way, while also laying the groundwork for professional relationships with young
adults in the future,” Hill said.
Jessica Himes
Professional
Development through a Politics Internship
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Lindsay Kennedy
Jessica
Himes will continue her interest in politics during an internship with the
Democratic National Committee, following a successful one with the Clinton
Foundation last year. “This internship will give me the opportunity to apply my
academic skills in a professional setting and strengthen my passion for
politics and commitment to public service,” Himes said.
Sophie Knorek
Professional Field
Experience at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute: Critical links between
plankton and small pelagic fishes
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Jenn Dearolf
Sophie
Knorek has been selected a guest student fellow at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
in Massachusetts. “I expect to not only enhance my ability to communicate
within the field of marine ecology but also gain exposure to a variety of
discipline-specific lab and field techniques while being challenged to think
critically and analytically,” she said. She will be part of a cutting-edge
marine ecological investigation into the ways energy flows in marine
ecosystems.
Michaela Larabee
Women's Shelter of
Central Arkansas
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Lisa Leitz
As
a sociology major and psychology minor, Michaela Larabee has taken classes on
domestic violence, the experience of victims, and its effects on children. This
summer, she will gain real-world understanding of these issues as she interns
at the Women’s Shelter of Central Arkansas, helping with the day-to-day duties
at the facility. “These duties will allow me to not only get a feel of the
behind the scenes work that goes into making the shelter run, but will also
allow me to interact with the victims and their children, and to get a more
up-close and personal understanding of their experiences,” she said.
Marissa Lee
Internship at the
Faulkner County Courthouse
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Kiril Kolev
A
lifelong interest in law has led Marissa Lee to an internship at the Faulkner
County Courthouse. She will shadow lawyers who practice in civil, criminal and
juvenile courts. Her internship allows her to see the amount of work each
lawyer must put into their cases. “It will give me a great opportunity to see
sides of the justice system I wouldn’t be able to otherwise and help me decide
what sort of legal career I would like to pursue,” Lee said.
Keen Maher
Permaculture
Farming in the Costa Rican Forest
Category:
GA
Sponsor:
Beth Lambert
Keen
Maher will travel to Finca Inti, a small permaculture farm in Costa Rica. The
philosophy of the farm is that human effort is minimized because nature
functions best uninterrupted. “Permaculture thinks about the past, present and
the future by growing species that have existed in a given geographic area for
a long time and by using practices that enrich rather than deplete soil quality
for future years,” Maher said.
Meet Modi
Pediatric and
Adolescent Medicine in La Paz, Bolivia
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Al Eastham
Through
Child Family Health International, Meet Modi will focus on pediatric and
adolescent medicine, shadowing doctors at three hospitals in La Paz, Bolivia.
“The overall goal of the program is to provide me this experience in the field
of healthcare and make me a better healthcare provider.” Modi said. In
addition, he will live with a host family, giving him the opportunity to
improve his Spanish skills.
Serena Murphy
Examining Primate
Behavior
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Jennifer Penner
A
psychology major with an interest in comparative animal behavior, Serena Murphy
has been offered a competitive internship with the Oregon National Primate
Research Center. She will be with the division that monitors the behavior and
psychological needs of the animals. “By working to enhance the psychological
well-being of the facility’s primates, I will learn about primate emotional
expressions and species specific behavior,” Murphy said.
Lauren Nelson
Dream Internship
with Slow Food USA as Network Development Intern
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Anne Goldberg
The
Slow Food movement focusses on the pleasures of eating to connect people with
food and their local environment. It has a dynamic approach to conservationism
and cultural preservation. “Slow Food combines my love of the earth, my
interest in other cultures and my passion for food,” Lauren Nelson said. As an
intern in the Network Development area, she will help chapters across the
United States as the movement grows.
Anna Nester
Summer Internship
with the Church Health Center in the Child Life Department
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Carmen Hardin
As
an intern in the Child Life Department of the Church Health Center in Memphis,
Anna Nester will help teach children about diet and exercise in programs that
prioritize their holistic growth, health and self-confidence. “The wellness
center of the Church Health Center attacks the issue of local poverty and lack
of wellbeing by emphasizing preventative measures in the form of educational
programming,” she said.
Jill Nguyen
A Public Affairs
and Law Professional Field Experience
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Kiril Kolev
Founded
by former Assistant Attorney General Robert Raben, The Raben Group (TRG) is a
public affairs and law firm headquartered in Washington, D.C. Jill Nguyen will
spend the summer as an intern for the firm. “During my 11 weeks there, I will
be working on new policy proposals for gun control measures with the Mayors
Against Illegal Guns campaign, and conducting legal research for lawsuits TRG
is filing on behalf of its clients,” Nguyen said.
Rachel Parmer and
Jill Nguyen
Youth Activism and
the Civil Rights Movement
Category:
SP
Sponsor:
Dean Jim Wiltgen
Now
in its fourth year, the Dean’s Civil Rights trip allows students to deepen
their understanding of the civil rights movement in unique ways. This fall,
Rachel Parmer and Jill Nguyen will lead the group with a focus on youth
activism. “While the historical facts about the movement can easily be learned
through reading timelines and historical documents, we place strong emphasis on
learning through oral history and experience,” they said.
Rebecca Perez
The Grace Hopper
Celebration of Women in Computing
Category:
SP
Sponsor:
Dr. Gabe Ferrer
Rebecca
Perez, Luke Lasley, Buzurg Arjmandi, Elizabeth Dye and Deonna Thornton will
attend the 2104 Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing in Phoenix,
Arizona, this fall. They will network with women professionals, observe current
computing research, learn about new trends in media and computing, and reflect
on the role of women in computing.
Tammi Ragan
U.S. State
Department American Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Kiril Kolev
As
primary intern for the U.S. Embassy in Jarkarta, Indonesia, Tammi Ragan will
get a look inside the American foreign service as she receives extensive
educational and experiential training. “My duties will include participating in
meetings with government officers, contributing to communications or reports
that further U.S. policy objectives, and promoting and improving public
understanding of U.S. Foreign Policy goals,” Ragan said.
John Ring
Career Discovery at
Harvard University
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Rod Miller
Art
major John Ring will head to Harvard University this summer to participate in
Career Discover, a six-week program exploring four different disciplines of
design. He will learn about Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design,
and Urban Planning from daily lectures by experts in each area. “After these
lectures, we will be instructed on the usage of tools and technologies used
with designing, such as drawing or computer programming,” Ring said.
Elizabeth Rogers
Assistant at the
Little Museum in Dublin, Ireland
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Prof. Maxine Payne
“The
Little Museum tells the history of Dublin in the 20th century
through its hundreds of artifacts,” says Elizabeth Rogers, who will be an assistant
to the museum’s director this summer. The museum has only two rooms, but its 1,000
square feet houses hundreds of Irish artifacts and artwork. Rogers will work
with the administration of the museum, such as researching exhibits, marketing,
fundraising and assisting with public relations.
Blair Schneider
Internship with the
Children's Room
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Jay Barth
Judge
H. G. Foster recognized that children whose parents were involved with court
cases needed a safe, comfortable place to stay instead of sitting in a hall
with a bailiff or witnessing the proceedings. The Children’s Room was created
to fill this need, and Blair Schneider will serve as an intern there this
summer. “Since I am particularly interested in education, immigration, and
family law, the opportunity to work with children and families in a legal
setting would be an ideal scenario,” Schneider said.
Allison Schrank
A Summer of
Marketing and Event Planning at TLU
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Ralph Scott
Although
Homecoming and Tailgating occur this fall at Texas Lutheran University, Allison
Schrank will work on planning and marketing them to alumni as an intern this
summer. “Ultimately, my learning goals are to have a clear understanding of
marketing, press releases, and event planning as they pertain not only to the
Homecoming and Tailgating events at Texas Lutheran University, but also to any
future events I may have the opportunity to be involved in,” Schrank said.
Graham Senor and
Drew Allen
Summer of Senate
Management Experience
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Carmen Hardin
Graham
Senor and Drew Allen have different majors, political backgrounds and learning
styles, but they have been accepted to the same internship program. This summer
they will work with the re-election campaign staff for Mark Pryor, Arkansas’
senior United States Senator. “Working on the campaign of a United States
Senator from our home state will provide insight as well as help define for us
what, if any political inclinations we want to pursue,” they said. By working
together, they will share the same experience, but see it from different
perspectives.
Madeline Spjut
Congressional
Internship in Washington, D.C.
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Jay Barth
Madeline
Spjut will learn more about the role of a congressman in Washington as she
interns for Ted Poe, who represents the second district of Texas. “interning
with Congressman Ted Poe is the perfect experience for me based on my future
professional interests,” Spjut said. She intends to attend law school and
become involved in local Texas government.
Sam Spjut
Choosing the
Capital: An Internship with Congressman McCaul
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Jay Barth
Sam
Spjut is interested in National Security, and this summer he will serve as an
intern in Congressman Michael McCaul’s Washington office. “As Chairman of the
House Committee on Homeland Security, Congressman McCaul is a driving force
behind policy and decision making, and he offers a unique insight into the
legislative side of this area of politics,” Spjut said. He will learn more
about security issues from the experts creating new policies.
Isabelle Staines
Politics and Social
Justice Abroad
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Peg Falls-Corbitt
Isabelle
Staines will get valuable work experience and the opportunity to explore her
Jewish heritage with an internship in Tel Aviv. “As part of the Onward Israel
program in which I am participating, I will work four days a week and am
required to engage in Israeli society outside of my internship at least one day
a week,” she said. Her professional interests include non-profits and social
justice.
Haley Thomson
Internship at
Splice Microcinema
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Ty Jaeger
Splice
Microcinema is an innovative new theater concept in Little Rock where avant
garde or cult 16mm films are presented to a limited audience in a small venue.
“Unlike a regular movie theatre, after watching a film at Splice, viewers will
be encouraged to participate in a conversation about the film (what issues it
addresses, its artistic qualities, how it reflects society, etc.),” said Haley
Thomson. She will intern with Splice this summer, helping the organization
grow.
Jessa Thurman
Bottle to Drawer
Curations with Reference to Parasitic Hymenoptera of North America
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Maureen McClung
During
her internship at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, Jessa Thurman will
receive training in the identification and curation of insects. “The curation
component works to build the Smithonian’s collections through specimen
mounting, labeling, and dehydration,” she said. Thurman will help build
high-quality collections of ants, bees and wasps for research.
Sarah Varnau
Internship at
Dallas Heritage Village
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Dr. Sasha Pfau
As
an intern, Sarah Varnau will help Dallas Heritage Village prepare for its
upcoming 50th anniversary celebration. Located on 20 acres in the
historic Old City Park, Dallas Heritage Village has the largest collection of
19th century buildings in Texas. “These buildings were chosen,
transported, and preserved through the efforts of the dedicated women in Dallas
nearly 50 years ago, and their legacy now lives on through the museum,” Varnau
said.
Laurie Waters
Therapy and Rehab
Solutions Internship
Category:
PL
Sponsor:
Sheila Rupert
Aspiring
physical therapist Laurie Waters will explore the rehabilitation and therapy
field this summer. She will intern with Therapy and Rehab Solutions in Conway,
learning about outpatient clinics, home health, acute care and rehab settings.
“Being able to work in all these different settings will allow me to compare
the different techniques used for the different injuries or disabilities and
help me decide which route I may want to take as a permanent career later in
life,” Waters said.
Reid Zarker
Filmmakers at Home
and Abroad: Visit to The Jonas Mekas Center of Visual Arts in Vilnius,
Lithuania
Category:
SP
Sponsor:
Dr. Kristi McKim
Reid
Zarker will produce a creative project that synthesizes the interaction between
globalization and cinema, including a short film shot in the style of influential
Lithuanian-American filmmaker Jonas Mekas. Zarker will visit the Jonas Mekas
Visual Arts Center in Lithuania this fall to learn more about his films. “In
visiting and reflecting on the museum’s exhibitions of films influenced by
Mekas’ work such as those by Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali, and a film on John
Lennon, I hope to trace Mekas’ influence on filmmaking and culture, resulting
in a self reflexive synthesis of research and personal, individualized
reflection,” Zarker said.
Dr. Rod Miller
Senior Art Major
Trip to NYC
Category:
SP
Sponsor:
Dr.
Rod Miller will take senior art majors on a trip to New York City to see works
of art first-hand and to see how galleries work and display their collections.
Prof. Mary
Richardson
Hendrix Mock Trial Association
Category:
SP
Sponsor:
Odyssey
funding will help the Hendrix Mock Trial Association, under the direction of
Prof. Mary Richardson, as the group participates in invitational and regional
tournaments.