The University will be closed December 19, 2024 to January 5, 2025. If you need assistance during that time, please call 1-855-OWU-1842 and leave a detailed voicemail along with your contact information. One of our colleagues will respond to your call as soon as possible.
If you would like to make a 2024 gift, please make your gift before midnight on December 31.
As sophomores, the fellows receive a fully paid, faculty-escorted study trip to a U.S. business hub, such as New York City. This year’s group was larger than usual to make up for travel missed during the pandemic and included meetings with business professionals, including Ohio Wesleyan alumni and current parents.*
Two fellows – Kathy Habian, who joined the EMF program in fall 2021, and Nathan Oke, who joined in fall 2020 – share their reflections of the travel-learning experience.
Trip Highlights
Habian: “The highlight of the New York trip for me was being able to speak with many successful professionals who offered insights from many perspectives. …
“I enjoyed speaking with Lucas Nathanson ’22 at Goodman Media International. He provided good insight into what it’s like to be in the workforce as someone who is fresh out of OWU. I learned from him that you can make connections through the EMF program that can open up opportunities for you, such as coming to Goodman Media International on the EMF New York trip and ending up working there.”
Oke: “The highlight of New York was being able to experience a little slice of everything and spending it with some pretty awesome people. … The EMF program is offering so many different opportunities, whether that be internships, grants, or other forms of learning. …
“(Another highlight was) meeting with Goodman Media. We were able to talk to a recent graduate named Lucas Nathanson. It was great listening to him tell us about how what we are doing now is a great look into what is possible in the future.”
Plans After Graduation
Habian: “I’m still figuring out my long-term career goals, but I want to work in a position/environment that allows me to be a servant leader and apply my strengths in practice.
“The New York trip helped me move toward this goal by giving me a chance to ask questions of people who have been in my shoes and found their path in life. I learned that it’s OK to change positions and try new things; it’s a part of figuring out where I belong!
“The EMF program has also helped me by giving me a group of peers with whom I can foster my business-related interests and rely upon for support in academics.”
Oke: “My long-term career goal is to own a personal dental practice as a doctor of dental surgery (DDS), being known as a cosmetic dentist.
“What helped me toward this goal during the trip was learning how to conduct myself in a proper meeting setting and knowing that these major companies all started from somewhere small.”
Why Ohio Wesleyan?
Habian: “I chose to attend Ohio Wesleyan because of the opportunities to get involved on campus. There are so many clubs, organizations, and programs available that allow me to develop as an individual and strive for academic excellence. Our business department and the Woltemade Center also have so many resources available to help me figure out my passions and career interests.”
Oke: “I chose to attend Ohio Wesleyan because I really enjoyed the small community feel that it gave me, and the scholarships I received were the best offers of all the institutions I applied to.”
In addition to Habian and Oke, this year’s EMF travelers also included:
Shanzay Ali ’24 of Powell, Ohio
Jeremy Dao ’24 of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Kory Kaiser ’25 of Cincinnati, Ohio
Dominic Smith ’24 of Marysville, Ohio
Digvijay Tekade ’25 of Pune, Maharashtra, India
Kennedy Watkins ’25 of Blacklick, Ohio
Wyatt Wells ’23 of Marion, Ohio
The students were accompanied by Jon Younkman, assistant professor of Economics and Business, and Destiny Coleman, administrative director of The Woltemade Center.
Business leaders meeting with the OWU EMF students during their New York trip included:
GIA Partners (investment advisory services) – Hamburg Tang Jr., managing director and portfolio manager, and current OWU parent
Goodman Media International (public relations) – Tom Goodman ’76, president and CEO, and company founder, and Lucas Nathanson ’22, assistant account executive
Stifel (wealth management and investment banking) – Michael O’Keeffe, chief investment officer and current OWU parent
Tiedemann Advisors (investment and wealth advisors) – Mike Tiedemann ’93, founding partner and CEO
Valara Capital Management (portfolio management, financial planning, and investment advisory services) – Rob Simmons, co-founder