Arts Scholars

This seminar course is designed for first-year Arts Scholars to expand upon existing artistic expressions, engage with new art mediums, and explore how the arts intersect. The activities include workshops in various art mediums, tours of arts-related campus resources and reflective writing assignments which serve as building blocks toward final group projects in storytelling through art. Through this artistic exploration, students develop a close relationship with their cohort and the program leadership as they learn what it means to be an Arts Scholar. 

The Arts Scholars program encourages our students to engage in research related to both their academic and personal passions by providing information on opportunities offered across campus.

During their first year, Arts Scholars are required to:

1. Enroll in and pass the one credit hour Arts Scholars seminar course in their first semester.
2. Attend required monthly Community meetings.
3. Collect a minimum of 20 participation points per semester by attending various on campus and Arts Scholars activities and events, which are valued at 1-2 points per event on average. Examples of these events are outlined in our “Activities and Events” section below.
4. Engage with each of the G.O.A.L.S. outlined by the Honors and Scholars Center and use them to build the Arts Scholars community.
5. Obtain an overall GPA of 3.0 by the end of their first year.

During their second year, Arts Scholars are required to:

1. Attend required monthly Second Year meetings and complete assignments attached to each meeting.
2. Complete their Spring Capstone Project.
3. Attend required monthly Community meetings.
4. Collect a minimum of 20 participation points per semester by attending various on campus and Arts Scholars activities and events, which are valued at 1-2 points per event on average.
5. Engage with each of the G.O.A.L.S. outlined by the Honors and Scholars Center and use them to build the Arts Scholars community.
6. Maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 by the end of their second year.

While they are not required, we encourage Second Years to engage in leadership opportunities such as the Mentorship Program, Arts Leadership Council, Arts Scholars magazine, and Scholars Break Down workshops which are described in our “Activities and Events” and “Community” sections below.

There are no formal requirements of the Arts Scholars program after a student completes their second year. However, we encourage students to stay involved and lead their fellow Scholars through opportunities like our Mentorship Program, Arts Leadership Council, Arts Scholars magazine, Scholars Break Down workshops as well as continue to attend events.

The Arts Scholars program offers need-based scholarships for each of our events which come with additional cost, such as our Broadway show and out of town trips. We also provide students with information regarding scholarship opportunities offered across campus.

1. Annual Baker West Gallery & Juried Art Exhibition: Each year, students apply to have their artwork featured in two different gallery opportunities. In the Fall, Scholars exhibit their art in Baker West, where most first years reside. In the Spring, an art exhibition installed at the OSU Urban Arts Space allows students to learn about pricing and installation in a more professional space. A student committee manages the exhibition and coordinates an opening and closing reception. A faculty jury makes the selections for students who may be recommended for scholarship awards. This exhibition is open to all majors and has featured arts and non-arts majors in the past.
2. Annual Fall Coffeehouse & Spring Showcase Performances: To celebrate the exceptional performing arts talent in Arts Scholars, these events allow Scholars to showcase everything from singing, dancing and musical talents to poetry and stand up comedy for faculty, staff, family, and fellow students.
3. Arts & Humanities Collaborative Events: Together we partner with our “sister” Scholars program, the Humanities Scholars, to offer varying events that allow us to collaborate and even compete with one another. Past events we have offered include a Haunted Baker Halloween party Murder Mystery Dinner Parties, and Arts vs Humanities Trivia. 
4. Arts Leadership Council Events: Our Arts Leadership Council, made up of Arts Scholars upperclassmen leaders, runs 20+ activities inspired by all different areas of the Scholars G.O.A.L.S. throughout the year. These events vary from year to year depending on the desires of the students. In the past they’ve included movie nights, Bob Ross painting, tie dye, craft and other arts medium activities, service learning opportunities, Buckeyethon participation, and much more. 

1. Broadway in Columbus: The Arts and Humanities Scholars programs partner to offer students the opportunity to see two Broadway shows in Columbus each semester at the historic Ohio Theatre.
2. Fall Break Adventure Day Trip: Each Fall on the Thursday of Fall Break, the Arts and Humanities Scholars offer a day trip to a neighboring city where we explore everything the city has to offer. Whether it be museum visits, historic sights, or local famous eateries, Scholars bring together their knowledge of arts, humanities and culture to expand their horizons. Past trips have included Cleveland, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.
3. Spring Weekend Trip: Each Spring Semester the Arts and Humanities Scholars band together for an exciting three day excursion, alternating each year between New York City and Chicago. This multi-day opportunity teaches Scholars how to navigate the city while touring world-famous museums and historical sights, seeing Broadway shows, meeting alumni and other leaders who work in the area, and planning some personal exploration. 

The Arts Scholars offers a range of workshops which vary from year to year to reflect the needs and desires of the current students. We balance the use of campus resource presentations, faculty exercises and student led activities to show Scholars just how much they can learn from OSU and the greater columbus Community. Some examples of workshops include:

1. Scholars Break Down: The Scholars Break Down is a workshop series designed to empower scholars who enjoy sharing their passion and expertise in the arts with their peers. Instructors lead the class that they envision and build community with like-minded scholars in the process. Enrolled scholars may aim to develop existing skills in the arts or learn an entirely new one!
2. Faculty and Alumni Exercises: Arts Scholars Community meetings and second year meetings offer connections with various faculty and alumni which help foster arts skills, campus resource use, career development and personal growth. 

Whether a student hopes to establish a primary career in the arts or maintain a secondary career, the Arts Scholars Program connects students to resources to give them the trajectory toward their career goals. The seminar curriculum and career workshops discuss how to leverage their talent in the arts through any career choice during and after their experience at OSU. Specifically in their second year, Arts Scholars attend meetings and complete assignments which help them align their personal, academic and career values and goals with their experience in the program. 

The Arts Scholars Family meets once a month throughout the year in the Baker Hall West Performance Space. These meetings are used to give announcements, sign-up for events, introduce speakers from around campus and in the community, promote networking and celebrate the achievements of students in the program.

To encourage a strong cohesive community that spans years, incoming students are matched to an upperclassmen student who has been trained in serving as a resource and mentor to new Ohio State students. Students are encouraged to attend events and meetings together through the mentor program. Upperclassmen students are referred to as “Bigs” and incoming students are “Littles.”  Students are matched based upon both academic and personal interests. We dedicate specific events to the mentor program families, such as:

1. First Year Retreat: All incoming students and their Bigs join together on the day after move-in to bond and learn about the program before classes begin.  We welcome new students into the Arts Scholars Family through get to know you games and a campus tour.
2. Family Week: To celebrate the complete family, a series of programs are held each fall to highlight the BIG/little mentor program.  Activities have included: Tye-dye Party, Family Find Scavenger Hunt, Family Feud, “Family Dinner” and “Family Photos” to be judged for creativity.

A council of 15-20 current students known as Arts Leadership Council (ALC) serves as both an advisory board to the program staff and as a programming board. The council is organized into five committees: arts, community, service, Buckeyethon, marketing and special topics, which each take on planning different activities during the year. Students on the council learn leadership skills such as communication marketing, event management, organization, public speaking, and time management. First year students are allowed to apply for the Arts Leaders Council during their second semester.

Our Service and Buckeyethon ALC committees are dedicated to connecting the Arts Scholars to the greater Columbus community. Our passion for service learning shines through in events like Community Commitment, Clean Up Columbus, cardmaking for Nationwide Children’s Hospital, a Halloween candy drive, Thanksgiving meal kit making with the Byron Saunders Foundation, creating a team for OSU’s Buckeyethon dance marathon, and many more.