By Sriya Ramisetty and Taylor Raney
Flinn Scholar Class of 2023
Greetings from Greece! We’re Taylor Raney and Sriya Ramisetty, two 2023 Flinn Scholars attending the University of Arizona. We had the incredible opportunity to travel to Greece this past June as part of a W.A. Franke Honors College study abroad program, led by our professor, Claire McLane. The two of us and a cohort of eight other Honors students spent three weeks diving deep into the intersection of contemporary retellings of Greek mythology, community, and place.
The program’s emphasis on experiential, personalized, reflective learning offered a unique framework for exploring Greek mythology and history, and their enduring influence on personal and collective identities, storytelling, and culture. Climbing the steps of the Acropolis of Athens, diving into the Aegean sea, hiking down the Samarian Gorge, and writing poetry at the ancient ruins of Delos and Delphi are only a few highlights that shaped this comprehensive learning experience.
A reflection by Sriya Ramisetty
As far as labels go, I’ve gone by “pre-medicine student” for much of my undergraduate career. Health care practice and community wellness have always been at the forefront of my professional pursuits. But, I am also a poet. A historian. An artist. A researcher. And I was afraid for a long time that my undergraduate experience would be stifling to my other interests and experiences. Yet, that single-handedly changed with the Flinn Scholarship.
With full financial support from the Flinn Foundation and with the interdisciplinary resources at the U of A W.A. Franke Honors College, I pushed myself to explore and nurture every single curiosity I harbor. I started as a physiology student, and then quickly added a major in applied humanities as well as minors in creative writing and education, all because I realized there was no correct way to be a pre-medicine student, no correct way to go about learning, and no reason not to take advantage of the countless opportunities that were made available to me. Greece was the next step on my journey to honor my multi-faceted interests.
A reflection by Taylor Raney
When I reflect on my experience as a Flinn Scholar, the word that comes to mind is freedom. This scholarship has offered me not just financial freedom, but also the encouragement to pursue my genuine aspirations, no matter how ambitious or unconventional they may have felt. The examples set by my fellow current Scholars as well as decades of inspiring alumni have allowed me to curate a fulfilling undergraduate experience that I never would have imagined to be possible. This community is the definition of unwavering support, empowerment, and a reminder that anything is possible, that no path is wrong because it is uniquely yours.
As a physiology major and aspiring medical professional, I was tempted by study abroad opportunities that seemed to more directly advance my professional and career development. But the Flinn Scholars community challenged me to think deeper: what did I truly hope to gain from my time abroad? More than anything, I wanted to grow — as a learner, a community member, and a person. I chose this program because it felt like every moment would push me closer towards being the person I hope to be, and it far exceeded my expectations. I return home with a deeper sense of cultural awareness and humility, a renewed drive to weave the arts and humanities into my interdisciplinary future in health care, and friends that will last a lifetime.
A joint reflection
This study abroad experience was a multi-city experiential program. We started with a week in Athens, the capital of Greece, where we ate our way through the entire city on a food tour, climbed the Acropolis to see the Parthenon, and visited historical sites and archaeological museums, a common thread throughout the cities we visited.
In Naxos, one of the Cycladic Islands, we had the opportunity to explore the island itself as well as neighboring islands through boat tours in the Aegean Sea.
Our last week was spent on Crete, where we participated in multiple cultural immersion activities, including a cooking class and pottery workshops.
This program provided such a wide range of experiences. We visited popular tourist sites, famous for their archaeological and mythological significance, but we also took time to experience the more “forgotten” places. Some of our most profound reflections occurred with our small study abroad group, writing together, trying new food, learning traditional dances and songs, and having conversations with locals about Greek politics, anthropology, industry, heritage, and art.
A crucial component of our learning abroad was grounded in writing practices. We were encouraged to maintain a travel journal throughout the entire program, and its contents were entirely up to us. We wrote down notes from our group debriefs, writings from guided exercises, individual reflections, and many poems based on our experiences. Our journals hold detailed doodles, big ideas, crossed-out mistakes, watercolor nature paintings, and pages of memories abroad.
Participating in this study abroad program in Greece has been truly life-changing for the both of us.
Looking back now, we realized that we gravitated towards this program as a part of our Flinn Scholarship-funded study abroad experience due to our similar backgrounds, interests, and goals, and ended up growing together throughout this journey.
Words and Wisdom Carried Home
We are always hungry to know our stories.
Reflect always. Meaningful introspection and learning does not solely transpire from a clear goal or intention. You lose part of yourself when you avoid writing/experiencing/becoming your whole story.
All we need is the sun, sea, family, and tomatoes.
Don’t lose sight of the small, mundane, uninteresting. Hold onto the little things that bring you joy, and have gratitude for this life. Let the smaller moments hold just as much space in your heart as the intense times of joy and celebration.
You were born with a light that you still carry. It is a beautiful gift to turn pain into light, never forget that.
Do whatever you can to hold onto your spark, your passion. You deserve to bear all that you carry and still find opportunities of joy. Cherish your light. It is so needed in this world.
You have to understand civilization from what the ruins offer, not from what you have to give to the ancient.
Your interpretations of this world and perspectives of life are unique and meaningful, and yet we walk on layers upon layers of people who have lived before us. Find the power in your voice. Learn to listen to the voices around you too.
You’re never late, you’re never early. In this life, you arrive precisely when you’re meant to.
Create space for your path to change, no timeline is true or permanent. Giving yourself the space to fail, change your mind, try again, and plan a new path is necessary. You deserve to forge your own path.
