Working in a biomedical lab in India, providing health care to an underserved area in Panama and managing community development projects in Kansas City are just a few of the projects that Kansas University Honors Opportunity Award winners took part in this year.

This year, 160 students won awards to use on a variety of out-of-classroom experiences, such as internships, study abroad and service projects. The honors program encourages these experiences as a way to supplement students’ education, according to Bryan Young, director of the University Honors Program.

The awards range from approximately $200 to $1,000 depending on the intended use. For example, study abroad requests often receive more than local service projects.

The goal of offering the financial support needed for these experiences is that they will add value to students’ education, Young said.

Jake Doerr, a senior, said his experience with the Coro Kansas City Internship in Public Affairs allowed him to gain valuable experience in his field and make connections that will help in the future.

“It’s a really great experience, especially since I’m going into the workforce in a year. It’ll position me well,” Doerr said.

Ashley Farris, who graduated in May, said her study abroad trip to India couldn’t have happened without the money she received to help cover travel costs.

“For India, I had to book my plane tickets before I actually found out if I had the money to buy them, so I had to ask my parents for the money,” Farris said. “But then I found out I got the money, and we all breathed a sigh of relief.”

Young said the value of those experiences extends beyond the participating student.

“When our students study abroad or they engage in research, they bring that experience back with them into the classroom, into their housing units, into their conversations with their friends and peers, and that’s enriching for the entire university,” Young said.

While Leigh Loving, who graduated in May, was grateful that her award was able to pay for the majority of her trip to Panama, she said the best part was the bonds she built with other KU students.

“Fifty-five students went and we were all strangers, but at the end we were all friends,” she said.

Young hopes to extend the program in the future so that more students can benefit and larger awards can be given. Currently the program gives out around $100,000 each year, Young said.

“I’d like to build (the program) to where we’re able to provide three or four hundred students each year with two or three thousand dollars,” he said. “I think at that point we’re making a substantial impact on a large number of students.”