The Community Foundation for Crawford County announces Michael Moser and Emily Dotson as the 2018 scholarship winners for The Samuel Neff Fellowship for International Studies.
Michael is a 2010 graduate of Bucyrus High School and is currently pursuing a Doctorate Degree in North American Cultural Studies at Technische Universität Dresden in Germany. He previously earned a Bachelor of Science in Sports Leadership and Sports Humanities at The Ohio State University, and a Master of Art in Cultural Studies at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium.
“Attaining a degree abroad provides enormous opportunities to challenge myself academically and personally,” said Michael. “It gives me the chance to entrench myself in another culture and learn not only from academic texts and lecturers, but from my colleagues, peers, pupils, and neighbors. I get to be a resident and member in the community and country I am studying in.”
Emily is a 2013 graduate of Wynford High School and previously earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from Cleveland State University. Now she will begin working on a Master’s Degree in Theatre Design from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Emily has already studied abroad in Paris, France to train as a fine art painter and to become more fluent in French.
Emily’s goal is to become a production designer for the film and television industry. “By travelling to the diverse city of Vancouver, I hope to better myself as an individual by learning to connect and communicate with people of different cultures and languages than my own,” she stated. “I hope to continue to improve my French in a city who comfortably uses it as a second language. Receiving this scholarship will be invaluable aid in sponsoring me with the greatest adventure of my life thus far.”
The Samuel Neff Fellowship for International Studies was established with the Foundation in 1999. During the one hundred years they were associated with the Bucyrus community, Samuel Neff and his family were actively involved with the larger world around them. Neff's descendants believe it is appropriate that the recipients are internationally-minded young men or women excited about engaging in a significant international experience that they are willing to share with others. This scholarship is intended for any Crawford County High School student or graduate of any Crawford County High School who is pursuing an educational experience outside the United States. Exchange programs set up by other organizations, like Rotary or college semesters abroad, are applicable for this award.
