ALYSSA K.

In my first semester as a sophomore student at the University of Cincinnati, I was given the opportunity to take the class Sports & Multiculturalism with Kevin Grace as the professor. This Honors Seminar with the Study tour component to Melbourne, Australia was my first Honors Experience. This decision was one of the greatest steps I’ve made in my time as a University Honors Program student and global citizen. The class was discussion based with a study tour component at the end of it. This means that each class we gathered and were led by Kevin to make inquisitions and think in different ways about how Sports reciprocally affects Culture and individuals. Working with students who were just as invested in the course was invaluable and it helped me expand my views on how important sports are in all aspects of global culture. Additionally, that it is a bind between individuals in every society. Not only was the class enjoyable, but at the end of the semester myself and my 19 classmates set out for Melbourne, Australia in order to see for ourselves how sports effects culture in different parts of the world. Traveling for 24 hours straight was a new experience for me that I enjoyed very much. Once we arrived in Melbourne, I was excited to see the new city. We were there for 10 days and I was able to capture some of my experience through photos, some of which are show above with descriptions of the photo. We traveled to see retired race horses, watched a soccer game, went to Phillip Island, and experienced wildlife as well as city life. My favorite part of the experience was receiving a guided walk through the Victoria Botanical Gardens with an Aboriginal Ranger. When he shared his knowledge and experience with us, I felt empathy and a greater understanding and respect for nature and others around me. My first Honors Experience was incredible and I feel that the experiential learning I received through it helped me to become a more developed global citizen and Honors Scholar.

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-Alyssa