“As a psychology major, it was important to me that I see how modern societies interact with their complex histories. Seeing the monuments, historical sites and cultural hubs where the war took place was more impactful than a textbook ever could have been,” reflected Rebecca Marzloff, a psychology major who participated in ‘The U.S., Europe, And The Second World War - Interactions In 20th Century History’ program this summer.
Students travel to important World War II locations, including London, Normandy, Paris, Krakow and Berlin to examine how the conflict shaped the ecosystems of cities and its lasting impact.
“Prior to this program I had never been abroad; thanks to Ohio State I am more confident in my abilities to navigate in places where language barriers are present. With such a fast-paced experience, managing coursework while also absorbing all the experiences was a new challenge, but so rewarding as my understanding of the content strengthened at each stop,” shared Marzloff.
Marzloff along with the rest of the group took a series of history and culture courses in the spring semester, discussing their research and sharing thoughts and ideas in leadup to the three-week May program.
“Moving forwards, I will take my experiences into account in my psychology studies and connect the social psychological phenomena documented in war time to my learning of modern-day concerns,” she added.
Through examining the sites and locations of one of the most impactful moments in modern history, Marzloff forged lasting bonds with her classmates throughout the experience, something that she notes was her favorite part.
“My favorite moments were getting to know my peers on the program who were from many different departments at Ohio State and hearing their perspectives on the content we covered.”