'A Transformative Opportunity'
Four Ohio Wesleyan Students Earn Baran Fellowships to Support Their Graduate School Goals
DELAWARE, Ohio – Four Ohio Wesleyan University students earned competitive fall semester Baran Fellowships to fund projects intended to make them stronger candidates for graduate school admission and post-graduate fellowships.
The newest recipients of the university-awarded Baran Fellowships are Kyle Barnes, a junior from Painesville, Ohio; Faith Fox, a sophomore from Chardon, Ohio; Matthew Higgins, a junior from Bellevue, Ohio; and Lily Reinert, a junior from Saint Louis, Missouri. Their Baran-supported projects are as follows:
- Barnes, a triple major in political science, international studies, and East Asian studies, will use his grant to study abroad at Sophia University in Japan, known for its commitment to advancing East-West relations. After graduating from Ohio Wesleyan, Barnes plans to pursue a master's degree in global affairs.
"With a focus on comparative East Asian politics and a diverse academic background strengthened by economic and legal theory, I have produced a deep commitment to understanding global political systems and how their structures and practices can benefit domestic U.S. politics," Barnes stated in his Baran application. "Within this pursuit lies a passion to improve the lives of others. … The Baran Fellowship represents a transformative opportunity to continue this journey." - Fox, a double major in Environmental Science and Pre-Law, with a minor in French, will use her Baran award to spend the summer studying environmental justice in Costa Rica. After graduation, Fox expects to pursue a juris doctor (J.D.) in environmental law.
"[A]t Ohio Wesleyan University, I've learned how issues such as climate change, resource access, and community health intersect," Fox stated in her Baran application. "Yet, I've also seen and understood how environmental burdens are often distributed unequally across the globe. This summer, I will be studying abroad in Costa Rica, a country known for its commitment to sustainability and community-based conservation. Through this program with the School for Field Studies, I hope to deepen my understanding of how local and global policies can promote equity in environmental decision-making, and bring those lessons I learn back to my studies and community in the United States." - Higgins, a triple major in English (literature concentration), Pre-law, and Spanish, with a minor in Politics & Government, will use his grant to spend spring semester studying at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. After graduation, Higgins plans to pursue a juris doctor in constitutional law.
"It will be the adventure of a lifetime," Higgins stated. "There, I will be taking a fluency-focused curriculum that emphasizes immersion and exploration of the Spanish culture and language. … By studying abroad, I will improve my Spanish fluency, help grow my perspective on our world as a global society, and push myself out of my comfort zone. I will be exposed to a new way of thinking, learning, growing, communicating, and living. I have never known a student to study abroad and not be profoundly changed. Studying abroad will change me in ways I cannot yet understand." - Reinert, a double major in Biology and French, will use her Baran funds to help her spend her junior year abroad in Rabat, Morocco, and Lyon, France. Reinert already spent a month in Italy last summer. She plans to return there after graduation to pursue a master's in world food studies "to work in international organizations, cultural mediation, and policy-making."
"The overlap between food culture and language remains the core of my academic and professional passions," Reinert stated in her Baran application. "In autumn 2026, I plan to study French and Arabic language and culture through an immersive homestay program in Rabat. My coursework in Arabic, Moroccan anthropology, and qualitative research methods will provide essential skills for future international work. ... In spring 2027, I will continue my studies in Lyon, focusing on French language and culinary tradition in one of the world's gastronomic capitals. … This second semester will deepen my comparative understanding of food systems and cultural identity."
To be eligible for the fellowships, students must be in the university Honors Program or have an excellent academic record (usually a grade-point average of 3.7 or higher) with a high probability of success in a post-graduate fellowship competition. Recipients are able to use the funding to support travel-learning opportunities or individualized research or study that connects theory to practice.
Learn more about Ohio Wesleyan's Baran Fellowships at owu.edu/baran and more about the university's Leland F. and Helen Schubert Honors Program at owu.edu/honors.
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation's premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and competes in 24 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through its signature experience, the OWU Connection, Ohio Wesleyan teaches students to understand issues from multiple academic perspectives, volunteer in service to others, build a diverse and global perspective, and translate classroom knowledge into real-world experience through internships, research, and other hands-on learning. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book "Colleges That Change Lives" and included on the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review "Best Colleges" lists. Connect with OWU expert interview sources at owu.edu/experts or learn more at owu.edu.