Students Selected For Intercultural Honors Experience
Campus News

Franklin College’s Office of Global Education has selected 14 students to fill its exclusive undergraduate research seminar — the Intercultural Honors Experience (IHE) — in spring 2023. 

IHE is a highly competitive, one-semester program at Franklin College, designed to expose students to international issues and train them in research methods. Two members of the IHE faculty team will teach the course.   

Students spend their semester studying a topic proposed by the instructors, culminating in a semester-long research project of the student’s own design. At the end of the term, students will present their findings at a public, campus-wide symposium.  

Those who achieve at least an 80 percent in the seminar are eligible to apply for an IHE scholarship to cover a significant portion of the costs for spending a semester abroad.

Applicants submitted an application of interest and two letters of recommendation. They then interviewed with a committee, and those who were successful were invited to be part of the course. The incoming class includes:

Emma Back, a freshman chemistry (environmental science) major from Brookville.

Abby Blastic, a freshman biology major from Speedway.

Mackenzie Byrd, a sophomore history major from Indianapolis.

Sullivan Caldwell, a freshman history major from Crawfordsville.

Camden Carlile, a freshman history major from Nashville.

Madison Cary, a freshman psychology major from Chesterton.

Sarah Cooper, a freshman English major from Garrett.

Isabella Ferree, a freshman political science major from Franklin.

Abby Moore, a junior English major from Camby.

Lauren Pendleton, a junior elementary education major from Trafalgar.

Elijah Roberson, a sophomore public relations major from Martinsville.

Clayton Shull, a freshman public relations and Spanish double major from Muncie.

Sydnee Weintraut, a junior psychology major from Shelbyville.

Nicholas Whitecotten, a freshman business (accounting and finance) major from Greenwood.

The course will be co-taught by Susan Crisafulli, Ph.D., professor of English, and Katie Streit, Ph.D., assistant professor of history.  

Dr. Crisafulli, said the course, Slavery, Resistance, and Survival: Past and Present will begin by scrutinizing the history of people and ideas that have enabled enslavement based on race, gender, and ethnicity in different cultures. The second part of the course will examine modern forms of slavery, such as sex trafficking, forced child labor and prison systems.

“Throughout our time together, we will prioritize the voices of enslaved people and of survivors, and we will learn about contemporary organizations that are advocating for and assisting people currently enduring subjugation,” said Crisafulli.  

“There will be a lot of opportunities early on this semester for [students] to work together and collaborate,” said Streit. “But ultimately they get to stand by their research on Scholars Day, which is a really exciting opportunity.”  

“We expect that students will not be passive learners and not just sit and listen to a lecture, but will be ready to engage intellectually and come into the discussion with ideas they want to pursue, ready to engage with their classmates,” explained Crisafulli.  

The annual IHE Symposium is scheduled for May. A student presentation schedule will be available in late spring.  

For more information, contact the Franklin College Office of Communications at (317) 738-8185. 

POSTED Jan 11, 2023