Exploring Islam
Ohio Wesleyan Students Expand Travel-Learning Lessons into Summer Research Project
Name: Jaime Riechmann '27
Hometown: Pasadena, California
High School: Westridge School for Girls
Majors: Classical Studies, Religious Studies, and Philosophy
OWU Connection Experience: Participating in Ohio Wesleyan's annual 10-week Summer Scholarship and Research Program (SSRP)
Riechmann and Colby Sprague '27 of Lancaster, Ohio, explored the "pathways Muslims take to become chaplains in the UK, which might include higher education, any certificates they might receive, or religious training."
The project grew from their participation in a 2025 Travel-Learning Course (TLC) exploring "Britainistan: Literary and Religious Narratives of British Muslims," which culminated with a 12-day trip to London, England. The course was co-taught by Susan Gunasti, Ph.D., professor of Philosophy & Religion, who collaborated with Riechmann and Sprague on their SSRP research.
"We worked together to divide and conquer the research and data gathering for this project," Riechmann said.
"[T]his opportunity was a way for me to learn more about Islam in a modern context.
Why This Opportunity?
"I wanted to work on this because I have really enjoyed studying Islam in my time here at OWU," Riechmann continued, "and I felt like this opportunity was a way for me to learn more about Islam in a modern context."
My Favorite Moment
"I loved presenting our (preliminary) findings to the group of SSRP students and faculty. I think that presentation gave me a better understanding of all the research that we have done."
Lessons Learned
Drawing upon the "Britainistan" Travel-Learning Course, Riechmann said, "This research has helped me explore the ways in which the British system helps or hinders their Muslim population. I also have a much greater understanding of paper publication now, which is something I wanted out of this experience because of my future grad school plans."
My Campus Involvements
"I live in the Interfaith House, and I am the president of the Rugby Club."
Why Ohio Wesleyan?
"I chose to come here because of the opportunities I would have as a Zoology major to work with animals and get real-life experience. Despite not sticking with the Zoology major, I have found that there are still plenty of opportunities for me to get firsthand experience in my majors. So far, I have been able to go abroad to England and Italy, work on this research project through SSRP, and also work on my own research project through the Honors program."
My Plans After Graduation
"I hope to get my Ph.D. in Classics after this. I think OWU has helped me get closer to this goal by allowing me to perform undergraduate research and also study abroad opportunities."