Congratulations to the 2026 Department of Religious Studies & Classics Study Abroad Scholarship Award Winners!
Department of Religious Studies & Classics Arizona in Orvieto Award:
Arizona in Orvieto Award for Majors: Ava Brandel, Hailey Hein, Jacob Holland
Arizona in Orvieto General Award: Ava Brandel, Hailey Hein, Jacob Holland, Andrew Ghartey, Evelyn Maahs, Alina Pool, Isaac Soterwood
Cynthia White Travel and Study in Italy Award:
Ava Brandel, Hailey Hein, Jacob Holland, Andrew Ghartey, Evelyn Maahs, Alina Pool, Isaac Soterwood
Donna Swaim International Award for Religious Studies/RSHP Majors:
Hailey Hein
The award winners are featured below with excerpts of why they personally want to study abroad.
Department of Religious Studies & Classics Study Abroad Awards for Majors
Ava Brandel - Majors: Classics & Art History; Minor: Korean Language
Recipient of the Department of Religious Studies & Classics Arizona in Orvieto Award for Majors & General Award
Recipient of the Cynthia White Travel and Study in Italy Award
I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to study in Orvieto with this scholarship. I am a double major in Art History and Classics, as well as a Korean language minor. As a future world traveler, my interest in studying in Orvieto stems from a desire to witness the rich historical sites and artistic enclaves across Florence and Rome, as well as the opportunity to visit Pompeii, which preserves the multicultural treasure trove of ancient Rome, and by extension a variety of other ancient civilizations. Orvieto is also a uniquely fascinating location full of some of the most influential Etruscan art known to the modern world. I am excited to study the literature and culture of antique Italy under the expertise of Dr. Phillip Waddell (a phenomenal professor!) while also engaging my art historical experience across these sites and subjects. With this scholarship, I am thrilled to be able to take advantage of these opportunities to enrich my undergraduate scholar experience.
Hailey Hein – Majors: Religious Studies for Health Professionals (RSHP) & Psychological Sciences and Creative Intelligence and Innovation; Minors: Health and Human Values & History
Recipient of the Department of Religious Studies & Classics Arizona in Orvieto Award for Majors & General Award
Recipient of the Donna Swaim International Award for Religious Studies
Recipient of the Cynthia White Travel and Study in Italy Award
I am thrilled to be spending this summer in Orvieto with the Arizona in Orvieto program, studying Classics and Religious Studies for Health Professionals. As someone whose independent research and Honors Thesis trace the origins of mind-body medicine from ancient Greece to the present, I am especially excited to take CLAS 305: Greek and Roman Religion and CLAS 335: The Roman Empire: Rulers and Ruled in the very country where so much of that history unfolded. Studying abroad in Greece previously taught me how transformative place-based learning can be. I am deeply grateful to the Department of Religious Studies and Classics for this scholarship, which makes it possible for me to pursue this experience and bring it back into my ongoing research.
Jacob Holland - Majors: Classics & Creative Writing; Minor: English
Recipient of the Department of Religious Studies & Classics Arizona in Orvieto Award for Majors & General Award
Recipient of the Cynthia White Travel and Study in Italy Award
I am thrilled beyond measure to be able to have this opportunity for my studies. I am both a Classics and Creative Writing major, and I have often felt as though the two fields go hand-in-hand with one another. My aim after graduation is to use the education that I will obtain from these two fields of study to help teens, children, or whoever else should wish to learn about culture in mythical form by creating an animated series which focuses on presenting these myths as accurately as possible. For as long as I have been writing, I have felt that culture is the most important resource that humanity can or will ever possess. Culture directs us to write, to build, to paint or to draw, and so all that is left of us when we have gone beyond this mortal world are those markers of culture. This trip, then, presents a very rare opportunity for me. I will be able to experience firsthand the past and present culture of Italy, and the unique intersection between those two time periods. I will be able to live among the culture I so dearly treasure, and there is no better way for me to learn how to depict it accurately than by doing that. There are so many people, places, and experiences that I could never have had without this program, its funding, and the people involved with it. I could not be more thankful for all of the opportunities it has and will continue to give me. As an added bonus, I am also very excited to try out authentic Italian cuisine.
Department of Religious Studies & Classics General Awards for Classical Studies Abroad
Andrew Ghartey - Major: Electrical and Computer Engineering
Recipient of the Department of Religious Studies & Classics General Arizona in Orvieto Award
Recipient of the Cynthia White Travel and Study in Italy Award
I am honored to be receiving this award. I am an electrical and computer engineering student, so classics and religion are far from my typical field of study. This, however, should not be a reason to shy away from learning from these subjects. I last took a classics course in grade school, and this introduced me to captivating classical tales such as the Iliad and the Odyssey. As far as classical religion is concerned, I have grown increasingly curious about the relationship that religion has with the nature of politics and sexuality in modern society. My captivation in these tales combined with my growing curiosity in the social aspects of religion will allow for a marvelous immersive experience. This award brings me one step closer to the pursuit of perspective outside of my typical area of study.
Evelyn Maahs - Major: Studio Art 3D and Extended Media
Recipient of the Department of Religious Studies & Classics General Arizona in Orvieto Award
Recipient of the Cynthia White Travel and Study in Italy Award
I am so grateful to be awarded the Arizona in Orvieto scholarship and the C. White Travel Award. These funds will make a lasting effect on my life. Without your generosity it would have been much more challenging for me to participate in the program and go abroad for the first time!
In the Summer 2026 session I will be participating in the Arizona in Orvieto trip. During that five week program I am planning on completing two three credit courses, one of which will be Greek and Roman religion. I am incredibly excited for the opportunity to take this class. For one, I have read and become enraptured with fictional retellings about this subject. Additionally, one of my personal interests is fashion history and I would love to gain cultural knowledge about a period of dress that I adore. Lastly, I am a Studio Art major, and part of our studies is art history. During my courses in art history we studied pieces from Greece and Rome. I adored the art from these regions but I found that people in my class with background knowledge in Greek and Roman religion had a much more nuanced understanding of the cultural significance of the artwork. To summarize, I am excited to take this class for my academic and professional development as well as personal interests.
I applied to the Arizona in Orvieto program because of the opportunity to complete my general education classes in Italy, but mostly because of the environment to connect with people who might have similar ambitions to myself. I have already connected with faculty and other students going on this trip and I think that this will be just the chance I am looking for to make meaningful lasting relationships.
Alina Pool - Major: Studio Art; Minor: Art History
Recipient of the Department of Religious Studies & Classics General Arizona in Orvieto Award
Recipient of the Cynthia White Travel and Study in Italy Award
Receiving this award from the Department of Religious Studies & Classics means a great deal to me, and I am truly grateful for the opportunity. Their support allows me to study the Roman Empire in Italy, where I can engage directly with the history and culture I have long been interested in. Being able to experience Roman sites and artifacts firsthand will make my learning more meaningful and deepen my understanding of the course material. I appreciate the department’s investment in my academic and personal growth, as this opportunity will allow me to expand my knowledge, gain new perspectives, and further explore my interest in ancient societies. This award makes it possible for me to turn my passion for this subject into a more immersive and impactful experience.
Isaac Soterwood - Major: History; Minors: Communication and Public Relations
Recipient of the Department of Religious Studies & Classics General Arizona in Orvieto Award
Recipient of the Cynthia White Travel and Study in Italy Award
I am truly honored to receive this award! In all my time at this wonderful university, I had never considered studying abroad. But as soon as I heard about Arizona in Orvieto, I knew this program was the one for me. I became invested very quickly as I learned more about it, and I am so thankful I came across this opportunity. Italy is a beautiful, fascinating landscape with the best cuisine in the world. This scholarship will help me fully take advantage of this opportunity, and make it a summer to remember the rest of my life. I want to experience all that Italy has to offer; not just the cuisine, but the education, connections, and the sights and sounds of fully living in a new country for the very first time. I have never been to Europe or Italy before, and I know this will be an extraordinary experience. My most profound thanks go to the Arizona in Orvieto Award selection board for this honored opportunity, and both my Arizona and California families for helping me make it this far.