Buckeyes Abroad: Maya Outlaw

Maya Outlaw, a junior in biomedical engineering (BME), recently participated in the education abroad program Between France and Morocco: Diversity in the Francophone World in May 2018. Students in this faculty-led course explored the ways in which the experience of modern colonialism helped to shape the cultures of two countries: France, which had the world's second largest overseas empire between 1830 and 1962, and Morocco, which was colonized by France between 1912 and 1956. Maya spent two weeks in France and one week in Morocco, focusing on how these two countries, one largely Catholic and the other largely Muslim but each with significant religious, ethnic, and racial minorities, have approached the challenges of practicing inclusivity and respecting diversity in the past and today. Maya was attracted to this program because of the partnership with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) and the Office of International Affairs at Ohio State. This was her first time traveling abroad and it was important to her to explore the world with a diverse group of people (many of which she still talks to today).

Maya is from Cincinnati, Ohio, and has always shown a strong interest in math and science as well as a need to always be challenged. After her first few months in college she realized that she had a passion for the brain as well as helping others, which helped her decide on majoring in BME. Post-graduation Maya is going to the Peace Corps. After that she plans to work for a neurotech company or potentially a non-profit organization either in or out of the U.S. 

To read Maya's full Buckeye's Aborad feature click here.