Maya Ekechi

Words cannot even begin to describe how impactful my experience in Rwanda was and how grateful I am for this scholarship. 

Each day consisted of informational lectures presented by Dr. Hollie Nzitatira. During these lectures, Hollie taught us numerous topics surrounding genocide. 

These included how genocide has historically been defined, the history of Rwanda before the genocide, general risk factors of genocide, an overview of the genocide that occurred in Rwanda, and the aftermath. 

I can proudly say after this trip, I now have a firm understanding of genocide and the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. 

During our class time, we also had the amazing opportunity to hear from guest speakers. My favorite and most powerful experience was listening to individuals who participated in, were victims of, and those who rescued others during the Rwandan genocide. 

Hearing firsthand accounts from survivors brought the events of the genocide to life in a way that textbooks and documentaries could never convey. 

Reagan Sovchen

As a recent graduate, I am incredibly thankful to have received a scholarship from the Sociology Department! During my undergrad, I double majored in criminology and sociology, driven by my passion for understanding the legal system and how it intersects with individuals and social institutions. Maintaining a 4.0 GPA while balancing academics and extracurriculars was challenging, but this scholarship was a reminder that hard work is recognized and rewarded.

Beyond academics, I was involved in intramural sports and student organizations. Through OSU’s Victims’ Rights Ambassadors (ViRA), I worked to raise awareness of victims' rights and participated in community-based volunteer initiatives, extending my commitment to inclusion and equity beyond the classroom.

Receiving financial support lessened the stress of educational expenses and motivated me to keep working towards my goals. I will be attending law school in the fall and am excited to have been accepted into Moritz College of Law at Ohio State! 

While I have not yet decided where I will attend, I am truly grateful for the support of my professors, mentors, and donors who have guided me on this journey!

Rebecca Shankman

The Silverman Funds I was awarded in Spring of 2024 are being used in the research process for my dissertation. My dissertation explores how individuals with felony convictions understand what it means to be a citizen. In the United States, those convicted of a felony lose a combination of rights in areas such as voting, welfare, and housing as well as access to opportunities in employment and education. 

Following both criminological and political science theories, I plan to explore how this barrier to access affects individuals’ understandings of their political and social citizenship. My funding is being put towards interview compensation. 

Through interviews I will be able to develop an in-depth understanding of how people feel about these restrictions. In addition to compensation being best practice, I believe that it is unfair to ask individuals to talk about potential hardships they have experienced without compensating them for their time and personal knowledge.

Conclusions from this project will be impactful in both the sociological and political science literature as well as have potential policy implications on how this country treats those who have been convicted of a crime.