2015-16 Copernican Scholars
November 13, 2015
By Emma Alexander, Honors Communications Intern
An incredible and unique opportunity has been created through the Honors College and is currently in its first year of implementation. This opportunity is a chance for two honors students to partake in an exchange program with the Honors College at the Università Degli Studi di Padova. The scholars, referred to as “Copernican Scholars,” were selected in the spring of 2015. Their names are Christopher Browne and Deanna Dimonte. For the fall semester of 2015, Chris and Deanna have served as ambassadors for an Italian honors student, Yiwei Cao, who has been studying at Purdue. In this spring, these Copernican Scholars will travel to Italy to study at the Scuola Galileiana di Studi Superiori (the Università’s Galileo Honors College). They will have the opportunity to take classes from all majors, taught in English, which carry transferable honors credit for Purdue. Through the Presidential Study Abroad Scholarship offered to all students by Purdue as well as an additional Purdue Honors College scholarship, Chris and Deanna will be able to study in Italy for a cost lower than that of a typical semester at Purdue.
Above: Left to right, Yiwei Cao and Christopher Browne.
Fortunately for other students, this exchange is not a one-time occurrence, but will be continuous. Each year two new honors students at Purdue will be selected in the spring to participate in the program for the following year. However, these are merely the logistics of the exchange. The scholars themselves are able to share with more emotion and in greater detail what this experience means to them. What are they looking forward to? How did they become involved? Why do they think this experience will be beneficial? These are questions addressed below.
Chris shares,
I initially became involved in this program because of an Honors class I took at Purdue, "making the human" with Dr. Felluga, in which we discussed how technological developments through history shape society and human paradigms of reality. One of the focal points of our class was Venice, which was the center of technological and cultural development during the Renaissance. This class got me interested in Venice as a historically important city, and when this program was started, my professor recommended I apply.
I am most looking forward to exploring the architecture in Venice and Padova. This region played such a major role in developing major architectural styles that are still prevalent today, and I am excited to see these great works in person.
I think one of the largest benefits of this experience will be seeing the alternative educational approach used in Europe. Since I am interested in becoming a professor, I am excited to see what is different about their teaching styles and how I like it. I think, in general, this is a good experience for other honors students because experiencing different teaching styles can give better insights into how we learn and what makes us productive. Also, as honors students, I think it is our responsibility to culture ourselves, so to speak. Being an honors student is partly getting good grades in STEM classes, but it’s also about learning about literature and art. The whole point of the honors college is to give us access to these opportunities, so I would encourage other honors students to seek out activities like this which expose them to more culture.
The other Copernican scholar for the year of 2015-2016, Deanna, also shared her thoughts,
The Copernican Scholars Program truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity to study at one of the world’s first universities – to live and learn in the same halls as Galileo and Copernicus and become immersed in the vibrant Italian lifestyle.
I initially wanted to be a part of the Copernican Scholars Program because I was interested in studying abroad in Italy. My family is from Italy, and I really wanted to learn more about the Italian culture. The more I heard about the program, the more I discovered how unique this opportunity really is. I absolutely fell in love with the University of Padova, and I cannot wait to get lost in the art, architecture, and history of the city. I really believe that the Copernican Scholars Program is a life-changing experience that is giving me the opportunity to study at the epicenter of science and math in the same university as the legends who built the foundations of many scientific fields.
There is so much to look forward to in this program, but above all I cannot help but be most excited about the food. I cannot wait to experience the rich and fresh local Italian cuisine. I can picture myself spending an afternoon in a picturesque café that has been around hundreds of years savoring every sip of a tiny, creamy cup of espresso and a couple of fresh-baked biscotti.
By getting a glimpse into the thoughts of these scholars, it is clear what a truly life-changing opportunity this is. However, there is no shortage of great opportunities and experiences offered through the Honors College. It serves to foster growth and creativity, to inspire students and give them the opportunities they need to truly rise above and beyond. Honors students exceed everyone’s expectations, even their own, and the Copernican Scholars Exchange program is one new and exciting way to do just that.
