Rarely are students given the opportunity to truly pursue their passions, no strings attached, lead only by their own creative genius. However Ursinus College is one of 40 small liberal arts schools that offer seniors the chance to compete for the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, a grant which offers finalists one year of independent study and travel outside the country.
This year Ursinus nominated four incredibly talented students: Laura Prahlad, Andrey Bilko, Ashley O’Connell and Serena Mithbaokar. Their final project proposal and personal statements were due this past Wednesday, but they will not find out if they are granted the fellowship until March 2010.
From fashion shows in Cape Town, South Africa to non-profit clinics in Dublin, Ireland these students have extremely diverse projects that will take them all over the world.
A double major in English and French, Bonner Scholar, and member of the Whitian honor society, Laura Prahlad has wanted to apply for the Watson ever since she was a freshman. It was further reinforced after she studied abroad in Paris for a semester and was able to attend their fashion week. “I’ve always loved fashion, and spending a semester in Paris only added fuel to my fire. I love the fusion of tradition and trend, and the blending of cultures in modern garments” she explained. If given the chance to become a Watson fellow, Prahlad hopes to spend a year in three countries South Africa, Morocco and Ghana studying at fashion institutes, interviewing designers and attending fashion shows.
Traveling far
ther east than Prahlad, Andrey Bilko a Chemistry major, plans to study Judaism in post-Soviet countries such as the Baltics, Central and Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. Always wanting to create a project worthy of a Watson, Bilko an immigrant from Ukraine finally realized what he wanted to focus on this past summer. “I was astonished by how obvious my project should have been to me. The topic of my project, the rebirth of Judaism in the post-Soviet Union, is very personal to me, since I am a witness to the Jewish revival in Ukraine,” he said. If given the oppor tunity Bilko wants to visit synagogues and Jewish centers in order to speak with older and younger generations of Jews in his various chosen countries with the hopes to better understand their circumstances.
ther east than Prahlad, Andrey Bilko a Chemistry major, plans to study Judaism in post-Soviet countries such as the Baltics, Central and Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. Always wanting to create a project worthy of a Watson, Bilko an immigrant from Ukraine finally realized what he wanted to focus on this past summer. “I was astonished by how obvious my project should have been to me. The topic of my project, the rebirth of Judaism in the post-Soviet Union, is very personal to me, since I am a witness to the Jewish revival in Ukraine,” he said. If given the oppor tunity Bilko wants to visit synagogues and Jewish centers in order to speak with older and younger generations of Jews in his various chosen countries with the hopes to better understand their circumstances. 
Struggling with weight for most of her life, Ashley O’Connell a Biology Pre-Me d and French double major, was determined to develop a plan that would allow her to study how other people and cultures are affected by obesity. Her Watson would not only grant her one year of travel but it would build a strong foundation for what future plans she has in mind. O’Connell stated, “I also am pre-med and have always thought about entering pediatrics as a Childhood Obesity Specialist, so this has really just been an ongoing interest in my life”. By visiting Chile, Ireland, Cameroon, Australia, and Nauru she will spend time observing in hospitals, clinics and schools as well as interacting with the local population to gain a better understanding of cultural habits connected with obesity.
“It’s something you dream about”, Serena Mithbaokar said of the Watson.
Mithbaokar a young aspiring journalist has written for the Grizzly and spent this past summer in Germany working for a newspaper. Coining the term “indie-journalism” Mithbaokar states, “I wanted to open the project to every possibility and any creative independent form of journalism that is outside of government or corporate establishment. My emphasis is more on ordinary people who have taught themselves journalistic methods”. She will do this by traveling to South Korea, Mongolia, Ukraine, Iceland, and South Africa focusing on investigative journalism, local political movements and independent news outlets. back to The Grizz
