Fifty-seven graduate students receive fellowships to advance their scholarship and teaching

Campus scene of the Old Well created using a tilt-shift filter effect.
(photo by Jon Gardiner)

Fifty-seven graduate students in the College of Arts & Sciences have received fellowships funded by private support to advance their scholarship and teaching. Increasing support for graduate students has been a priority of Kevin Guskiewicz since he became dean in 2016.

The fellowships for the 2018-2019 academic year were funded thanks to new gifts to the College, plus funds from an existing unrestricted endowment.

These graduate fellows, who will serve as ambassadors for Carolina, will also be invited to attend a graduate seminar that Guskiewicz will co-teach beginning in 2018-2019 called “The American Professoriate.”

The new graduate fellows are listed below.

Thomas S. Kenan III Graduate Fellows

A generous gift from alumnus Thomas S. Kenan III (’59) funds the Thomas S. Kenan III Graduate Fellows Program. Kenan is passionate about funding graduate students at a level that enables them to be fully immersed in their scholarship and realize their potential. This new program will help some of the College’s most talented graduate students work toward completion of their doctorates. The 10 students in the first cohort of this program will receive a $5,000 top-up to their regular stipend in 2018-2019 and a $2,500 summer stipend in either 2018 or 2019.

  1. Amanda Black, Music
  2. Luke Drake, Religious Studies
  3. Adrienne Erazo, Romance Studies
  4. Carlee Forbes, Art and Art History
  5. Alan Kuntz, Computer Science
  6. Daniel Kurtz, Chemistry
  7. Aubrey Lauersdorf, History
  8. Ricardo Martinez-Schuldt, Sociology
  9. Katrina Morgan, Mathematics
  10. Sarah Schmitt, Geography

Druscilla French Graduate Fellows

The Druscilla French Graduate Student Excellence Fund will help support some of the College’s best graduate students working toward completion of their terminal master’s or doctoral degrees. These recipients distinguished themselves both as a student and as a teacher or mentor to undergraduates in a classroom or research setting. They will receive a $4,000 top-up to their regular stipend in 2018-2019 and a $1,000 summer stipend in either 2018 or 2019.

This fellowship is made possible by a generous gift from a UNC alumna. Druscilla “Drucie” French is a psychologist and cultural mythologist who, after receiving two degrees from Carolina (B.A. ’71, M.A. ’78), earned her Ph.D. from Pacifica Graduate Institute. French understands the challenges of graduate work and is dedicated to the success of Carolina graduate students.

  1. Kirsten Cooper, History
  2. Melissa Dollman, American Studies
  3. Frances Duffy, Public Policy
  4. Gena Gerstner, Exercise and Sport Science
  5. Catherine McKenas, Chemistry
  6. Arun Nagendra, Psychology and Neuroscience
  7. Meg Orita, Music
  8. Mark Ortiz, Geography

James Lampley Graduate Fellows

This fellowship is made possible by a generous gift from Jim Lampley (’71), a four-time Sports Emmy Award winner and host of 14 Olympics broadcasts. Lampley is passionate about ensuring that Carolina remains a leading global public research university and understands the importance of having outstanding graduate students.

Lampley graduate fellows will receive a one-year $4,000 top-up to their regular stipends in 2018-2019, plus a $1,000 summer stipend.

  1. Micah Hughes, Religious Studies
  2. Sonny Kelly, Communication
  3. Katherine Lee, Chemistry
  4. Amy Sentementes, Political Science
  5. Ryan Williams, Political Science
  6. Mary Wolfe, City and Regional Planning
  7. Megan Wood, Communication
  8. Chloe Zachary, Psychology and Neuroscience

Dean’s Graduate Fellows

This fellowship is made possible by an endowment funded by generous gifts from many Carolina alumni over the years.

Dean’s Graduate Fellows will receive a one-year $4,000 top-up to their regular stipends in 2018-2019 and a $1,000 summer stipend. As with the other fellowship awardees, they will serve as ambassadors for Carolina in the pursuit of outstanding future graduate students.

  1. Akram Al-Turk, Sociology
  2. Michael Antonacci, Physics and Astronomy
  3. Iain Carmichael, Statistics and Operations Research
  4. Leah Christiani, Political Science
  5. Mark Collins, English and Comparative Literature
  6. Hope Davis, Exercise and Sport Science
  7. Sean DiLeonardi, English and Comparative Literature
  8. Charlotte Fryar, American Studies
  9. Andrew Guinn, City and Regional Planning
  10. Andrew Hanson, Economics
  11. Geoffrey Hughes, Anthropology
  12. Rachel Isom, English and Comparative Literature
  13. Jelle Koedam, Political Science
  14. Christina Lebonville, Psychology and Neuroscience
  15. Nick Levis, Biology
  16. Alina Malkova, Economics
  17. Amanda Martin, City and Regional Planning
  18. Zach Mozenter, Economics
  19. Rachel Norman, English and Comparative Literature
  20. Zac Parker, Communication
  21. Jon Patteson, Chemistry
  22. Sertanya Reddy, Geography
  23. Mark Reeves, History
  24. Holly Shablack, Psychology and Neuroscience
  25. Sarah Singer, English and Comparative Literature
  26. Keshav Singh, Philosophy
  27. Tyler Steelman, Political Science
  28. Dwight Tanner, English and Comparative Literature
  29. Rob Williams, Political Science
  30. Yang Yu, Statistics and Operations Research
  31. Blane Zavensky, Chemistry