Student discovers dream career in unique academic curriculum
ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú Regionals Integrative Studies program provides ability to create one’s own degree path
In December, Cheyenne Partridge will graduate from ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University Regionals with a bachelor's degree in and a near perfect academic record. It is a goal that seemed almost unimaginable a few years ago, because her road to a college education started out as a very bumpy ride.
After graduating from high school in 2017, she attended a university in Dayton only to face multiple setbacks. With a history of severe migraines, Partridge said she underestimated how much this condition would impact her ability to perform academically, especially when living in a dorm, away from family who were familiar with her health history.
Her headaches, combined with homesickness for her family, and a feeling of unpreparedness for the classroom lecture halls of a large university, caused her to drop out after only three semesters.
"I remember an adviser telling me that maybe college wasn't the right choice for me," she said. "It was discouraging."
Partridge didn't give up and enrolled at a community college instead. She now lived at home and had her family to support her during her health episodes. Class sizes were smaller, and she felt less pressured. She thrived, and made the dean's list every semester.
After earning an associate degree, she was looking to figure out her next steps when a family member suggested she consider ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University Regionals to complete her four-year degree. She took a tour and saw many of the same features she liked from her community college experience: small class sizes and close contact with professors and advisers. She enrolled in the fall of 2022.
She was immediately drawn to the , which allows students to customize their coursework to fit their unique interests and career goals.
"I've always loved history, and I'm also an out-of-the-box thinker," she said. "Integrative studies made it possible for me to combine the things I loved."
She fashioned a curriculum with a concentration in Contemporary American Experience and a self-designed concentration in women and history. This allowed her to focus on her passions, which include Native American history and social justice. Her heritage includes Cherokee ancestry. She is a member of the United Cherokee AniYunWiya, a state-recognized tribe in Alabama.
Her ability to chart her own course academically made all the difference.
"ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú really set me up for success," she said. "I don't think I'd be looking at grad school right now if it weren't for my professors and advisers at ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú. They showed me how I could use my education and that grad school wasn't out of reach."
She was invited to present a paper this fall on how suburbanization has negatively impacted people of color at the Midwest Popular and American Culture Conference in Chicago, a rare opportunity for an undergrad. She also won the Academic Excellence Award from the Language, Literature and Writing Department last spring. And in addition to maintaining a 3.98 GPA, she uses her spare time to work at the Southwest Ohio Regional Depository as a library technician.
Associate professor Louise Davis, who worked closely with Partridge in her Integrative Studies program, said Partridge flourished in the flexible environment the program offers.
"She's a really great example of how it's possible to take classes in multiple disciplines and forge your own path," Davis said. "She's very invested in history and culture, especially with her Native American background. She's a curious thinker who didn't want a traditional academic path. She wanted to create her own, and she's been able to thrive by designing her own degree."
Associate professor Michelle Phillips Buchberger, co-author of the textbook Introduction to ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú Studies, added her unique insight about the value of integrative studies: "Integrative studies is a rigorous program that stresses complex problem solving and critical thinking," she said. "Integrative and interdisciplinary work encourages students to integrate insights from many academic disciplines. Graduates from this kind of program will be the problem solvers of tomorrow."
Since the program was introduced in 2008, more than 800 students have graduated with Integrative Studies degrees.
Partridge said she had planned to work for a museum, possibly one with a focus in Native American history. But after her experience at ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú, she is now considering a career in teaching and advising.
"I enjoy what I'm studying," she said. "It's really my forte, and that's helped make me successful. Now I think I want to help other students like me who want to discover their own educational path. My end goal now is to be a professor in Integrative Studies."
She plans to attend graduate school in American Studies at Bowling Green State University in the fall of 2025.
