STEP is a program offered through the Office of Student Life to connect second-year students with faculty and peers while working on projects and developing tools that align with their academic and career interests. Credit: Christian Harsa | Asst. Photo Editor
For second-years at Ohio State, the Second-Year Transformational Experience Program is thought of as a rite of passage: attend meetings, develop proposals and receive money for academic or career enrichment projects — providing many students with opportunities to study abroad or travel they otherwise couldn’t have.
But with physical distancing requirements, travel restrictions and lockdowns, the STEP program has continued to have to find new ways to adapt to the pandemic.
STEP is a program offered through the Office of Student Life to connect second-year students with faculty and peers while designing and executing projects related to their academic or career interests. Students who complete program requirements, such as attending regular cohort meetings and developing a written proposal are eligible to receive up to $2,000 to use toward a project, many of which involve students traveling, such as Buck-I-Serv trips or semesters abroad, university spokesperson Dave Isaacs said.
Tristan Monteith, a second-year in French, political science, and public affairs, said he was excited to use his STEP funds to study abroad in a French-speaking country to improve his language skills. With the future of travel in the pandemic uncertain, however, he said he isn’t quite sure what his final proposal will be.
“With the uncertainty of everything, I don’t know how to allocate my funds correctly and am still struggling to see how my future plans can fit into the program’s requirements,” Monteith said. “It feels very fragmented and uncertain.”
Isaacs said other aspects of the program, beyond travel, have changed as well. Small-group meetings with faculty advisers are virtual, and the program is still working on smoothing out the wrinkles.
“The online format for all STEP programs, such as expos and financial coaching is all very new to us, so we’ve been working with students on an individual level to help them make their projects continue to be an enriching experience,” Isaacs said.
STEP participants typically have until graduation to complete their project. But for this year’s cohort, students have until August 2022. Isaacs said this is not only to allow students time to plan potential travel but to find virtual alternatives such as remote internships or research positions. Last academic year’s cohort has an extension through January 2022 to complete their project.
Isaacs also said the Office of International Affairs launched the Global Teaching and Learning Initiative, a variety of virtual programming aimed at giving students global opportunities while in-person travel is restricted. Programs such as Buckeye Bridge, a series of virtual information sessions about different aspects of studying abroad, and Buckeyes Abroadcast, a podcast about Ohio State study abroad programs, are also available to students.
