Ricci Scholar Rojewski
This fall, four Loyola students were named to the Ricci Scholars Program for the 2025-2026 academic year. Launched in 2007, the Ricci Scholars Program is a highly selective research program that Loyola students with an independent research proposal may apply to beginning in their sophomore year.
About the Ricci Scholar Program
The student begins by choosing a topic of their interest that they would like to continue researching in both Italy and East Asia. If the student’s final research proposal is granted and they are selected, the program itself takes place during the student’s junior year. They will spend their fall semester at Loyola’s Rome campus and their spring semester completing their research on a campus in East Asia. With only four applicants chosen, to say it is an honor to be named a Ricci Scholar would be a massive understatement. It is one of Loyola’s most prestigious and honorary programs. However, the payoff for being selected provides students with an unforgettable cross-cultural experience in exploring their research on an international scale. No one knows this better than Gretchen Rojewski, who was most recently named as one of this year’s Ricci Scholars, and she was very grateful to share her experience.
Academic Foundations at Loyola University
Gretchen Rojewski is an East Lansing, Michigan native who is double majoring in Anthropology and Film and Digital Media. Studying in both the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as the School of Communications, have allowed her to showcase her work in a variety of ways. The focus on two different fields gives her research a unique perspective: the cultural and societal lens from her Anthropology studies and the media lens from her Film and Digital Media studies. This provided a strong case as to why she would make a great Ricci Scholar candidate. She stated that her undergraduate work thus far has opened her eyes to the impact on individuals in both her fields of study, giving an understanding to the importance of media in all its forms of everyday life.
“I am incredibly passionate about the ways that the media affects people and love that my educational experience has allowed me to work with people in multiple fields,” explained Rojewski. “I see myself as someone who wants to promote the ideas that communication and media studies are important.”
As for the reasoning behind applying for the program, Rojewski said she had an interest in both the media research she would be completing, as well as the rewarding opportunity to spend the whole year abroad. After all, even a month studying abroad is not guaranteed to each student, let alone an entire academic school year. After multiple research proposals sent to faculty and Ricci Scholar mentors in the fall of her sophomore year, she officially received her acceptance into the program in January of this year. Now that she has publicly been announced as a scholar this Fall, Rojewski now resides at the John Felice Center in Rome conducting her research.
Political Media in an Evolving Digital World
Given her double major studies, Rojewski had several routes that she could have taken to best explore her research when applying for the program. In the end, she decided to direct her focus towards the media side, looking into the ties between politics and media presence through television.
“I am studying the use and intention of television programming as a way to promote or highlight a certain culture or set of values,” detailed Rojewski.
She plans on specifically exploring the relationship between a democratic-run country and the types of programs and values its government utilizes through the promotion of its television programs. Her belief is that there is a very evident connection between television and culture, in the sense that “…television acts as both a mirror and architect of a culture.” This is a focus point that is ever more important in today’s vastly changing digital landscape. With technology and media in a constant state of evolution, Rojewski hopes her research will draw connections to this belief, ultimately highlighting and displaying the role of public media in a democratic society.
Rojewski’s Research on the Rise
Although she still has the majority of her Ricci studies ahead of her, Rojewski is already beyond thrilled to have begun. Between exploring a complex relationship between politics and media, and navigating research on an international scale, the number of pathways this opens for Rojewski is almost overwhelming. However, more than anything, she cherishes the opportunities that have already been granted to her, even if her research and studies are far from over.
“I am incredibly grateful that being a Ricci Scholar has allowed me to spend time researching, writing, and talking about the importance of media, television, and film creatives.”
In the spring semester of this academic school year, Rojewski aims to continue her studies and research in Seoul, South Korea. But for now, she’s enjoying every moment of this program one researched step at a time.
Story by Gabriel Ryan • Photos courtesy of Gretchen Rojewski • Sept. 30, 2025
From East Lansing to the International Stage: Gretchen Rojewski’s Journey as a Ricci Scholar
About the Ricci Scholar Program
The student begins by choosing a topic of their interest that they would like to continue researching in both Italy and East Asia. If the student’s final research proposal is granted and they are selected, the program itself takes place during the student’s junior year. They will spend their fall semester at Loyola’s Rome campus and their spring semester completing their research on a campus in East Asia. With only four applicants chosen, to say it is an honor to be named a Ricci Scholar would be a massive understatement. It is one of Loyola’s most prestigious and honorary programs. However, the payoff for being selected provides students with an unforgettable cross-cultural experience in exploring their research on an international scale. No one knows this better than Gretchen Rojewski, who was most recently named as one of this year’s Ricci Scholars, and she was very grateful to share her experience.
Academic Foundations at Loyola University
Gretchen Rojewski is an East Lansing, Michigan native who is double majoring in Anthropology and Film and Digital Media. Studying in both the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as the School of Communications, have allowed her to showcase her work in a variety of ways. The focus on two different fields gives her research a unique perspective: the cultural and societal lens from her Anthropology studies and the media lens from her Film and Digital Media studies. This provided a strong case as to why she would make a great Ricci Scholar candidate. She stated that her undergraduate work thus far has opened her eyes to the impact on individuals in both her fields of study, giving an understanding to the importance of media in all its forms of everyday life.
“I am incredibly passionate about the ways that the media affects people and love that my educational experience has allowed me to work with people in multiple fields,” explained Rojewski. “I see myself as someone who wants to promote the ideas that communication and media studies are important.”
As for the reasoning behind applying for the program, Rojewski said she had an interest in both the media research she would be completing, as well as the rewarding opportunity to spend the whole year abroad. After all, even a month studying abroad is not guaranteed to each student, let alone an entire academic school year. After multiple research proposals sent to faculty and Ricci Scholar mentors in the fall of her sophomore year, she officially received her acceptance into the program in January of this year. Now that she has publicly been announced as a scholar this Fall, Rojewski now resides at the John Felice Center in Rome conducting her research.
Political Media in an Evolving Digital World
Given her double major studies, Rojewski had several routes that she could have taken to best explore her research when applying for the program. In the end, she decided to direct her focus towards the media side, looking into the ties between politics and media presence through television.
“I am studying the use and intention of television programming as a way to promote or highlight a certain culture or set of values,” detailed Rojewski.
She plans on specifically exploring the relationship between a democratic-run country and the types of programs and values its government utilizes through the promotion of its television programs. Her belief is that there is a very evident connection between television and culture, in the sense that “…television acts as both a mirror and architect of a culture.” This is a focus point that is ever more important in today’s vastly changing digital landscape. With technology and media in a constant state of evolution, Rojewski hopes her research will draw connections to this belief, ultimately highlighting and displaying the role of public media in a democratic society.
Rojewski’s Research on the Rise
Although she still has the majority of her Ricci studies ahead of her, Rojewski is already beyond thrilled to have begun. Between exploring a complex relationship between politics and media, and navigating research on an international scale, the number of pathways this opens for Rojewski is almost overwhelming. However, more than anything, she cherishes the opportunities that have already been granted to her, even if her research and studies are far from over.
“I am incredibly grateful that being a Ricci Scholar has allowed me to spend time researching, writing, and talking about the importance of media, television, and film creatives.”
In the spring semester of this academic school year, Rojewski aims to continue her studies and research in Seoul, South Korea. But for now, she’s enjoying every moment of this program one researched step at a time.