Summer is usually a time of relaxation and an opportunity to recharge after the academic year. Our students, however, had a different kind of summer in mind. Many Honors College students spent the summer months studying abroad all around the globe, fulfilling internships, volunteering, completing research, polishing medical and law school applications, and yes, some of them even had time to sneak in a little rest and relaxation amid the chaos.
Honors at OU managed to catch up with a couple of our Honors College rockstars to get a closer look at how they spent their summers.
Jessica Zimmerman is a public relations and environmental ethics senior graduating this May. Jessica had anything but a quiet summer. She began by traveling to Italy as part of a study abroad program. While in Italy she completed classes in Contemporary Art and the Environment and Environmental Ethics. This provided a unique experience because students had the chance to learn about environmental ethics through some of the places and history that they saw in class. She also visited a world-famous exhibit in Venice that demonstrated how art can be used to comment on issues society faces. During her free time, she enjoyed walking around the city, trying new food, and discovering less known gems like local bookstores and parks.
Shortly after this, Jessica jetted around Europe and landed in Oxford just in time for the Honors at Oxford study abroad program. During the Honors at Oxford program, honors students spend three weeks in the ancient city center at Brasenose College, one of the 36 constituent colleges that make up the Oxford campus. This was Jessica's second time applying for the program, so she encourages anyone who applies and is waitlisted to not be discouraged. At Oxford she enrolled in Dr. Johnson's Environments of Fiction class where she learned about authors who had spent time at Oxford. The class members discussed authors' work at the exact place that had inspired them.
Jessica's travels weren't finished there because just two days after returning from Europe, she was on her way to New Mexico. This trip was with the Outdoor Adventure club, an Honors College student leadership and backpacking group. Every year the group conducts a weeklong backpacking trip in New Mexico that welcomes incoming honors freshmen. Jessica served as one of the guides on the annual trip. This trip was a few years in the making, given that it had been cancelled previously due to COVID and last year because of wildfires in the area. Just hours after returning from New Mexico, Jessica volunteered her time at Honors Freshman Orientation, where she encouraged our newest members to join the Outdoor Adventure club, in which she currently serves as Communications Chair.
Although Jessica's busy lifestyle didn't leave her a lot of downtime, she enjoyed and learned from her extended time in Europe and her weeklong trip to the mountains. She says, "the pace of life was very different, especially in Italy. I learned how to be more intentional with my time instead of always feeling like I need to rush from one thing to the next." She continues, "I've had such a better perspective on how to balance work and fun since I came back home."
Amelia Landry is an environmental studies and international studies dual major graduating this spring. This past summer Amelia spent her time interning at the Gathering Place in Tulsa, OK. The internship was through the George Kaiser Family Foundation Summer Impact Program. This paid internship program pairs students with community organizations in Tulsa. During these internships students gain exposure to policy, philanthropy, business, and community engagement. Ms. Landry learned about the program after hearing the wonderful experience that a friend of hers had with the program the previous summer.
Amelia chose the Gathering Place because she believes that the urban greenspaces are fundamentally important to cities. She says, "it's amazing that this particular park has been designed with children in mind." She continues, "The fact that it exists for free in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the state does wonders to build environmental curiosity and stewardship at a young age." The Gathering Place is a 100-acre urban park located along the Arkansas river in the heart of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The park established in 2018 boasts an interactive park, boat rides, a museum, multiple art exhibits, and restaurants.
Amelia spent this summer working as an intern with the operations team. In the past two months, she conducted a time study for the facilities management team with the goal of reducing inefficiencies in their park process. Apart from her work with facilitis, she also collaborated with the sustainability and horticulture teams to create new environmental education programs. Current education programs include monthly at home activities, explorer packs, pumpkin seed bombs, explorer packs, and seasonal activities in the park's Exploration Station.
One of Amelia's fondest memories this summer happened on the last day of her internship when she had the opportunity to participate in an event called Global Gatherings. She and her co-workers took part in activities from cultures all over the world while getting to eat great food. They ended the day by kayaking in the park.
She plans to attend graduate school and hopes to work at a non profit organization in the future.
