Elon has been repeatedly recognized for the number of its alumni who participate in the Fulbright Program as teachers, graduate students, and researchers and has been named a top-producer of Fulbright students in six separate years. Students and alumni interested in the Fulbright Program or other nationally competitive fellowships are invited to contact the National and International Fellowships Office. The deadline to notify the office of your intent to apply for Fulbright in this upcoming cycle is June 1, 2026. Rising seniors are required to work with the National and International Fellowships Office to apply for Fulbright, and alumni are highly encouraged to do so.

Those who received awards this year are:

Azul Bellot 鈥�26

Azul Bellot, a double major in psychology and sociolinguistics with a minor in TESOL, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain. She is The Elon Commitment scholar in the Odyssey Program and a student scholar with The Center for Engaged Learning.

Bellot has been preparing for an experience like Fulbright long before she arrived at Elon. Reflecting on her early years, she says, 鈥淕rowing up as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, I was my family鈥檚 translator from a young age. I navigated formal systems, adult conversations, and bureaucratic spaces in both English and Spanish long before I had the language to describe what that experience was doing to me. It gave me a deep understanding of what it means for language to be a gateway, and what it costs when that gateway is closed.鈥�

These formative years laid the groundwork for her time at Elon, where she developed her own independent sociolinguistics major, volunteered as an English tutor for children and adults, and conducted research on meaningful mentoring relationships. To Bellot, a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Spain is 鈥渢he most honest intersection of everything [she鈥檚] been working towards:聽language, identity, education, and community.鈥�

After Fulbright, Bellot plans to pursue more international fellowships before returning to academia to earn her PhD in Applied Linguistics. Her Elon mentors include Archie Crowley, assistant professor of English; Nina Namaste, professor of Spanish; and Sylvia Mu帽oz, assistant dean of students and director for the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education.

Anya Brati膰 鈥�26

Anya Brati膰, a double major in international & global Studies and public policy with a minor in public health, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Vietnam. She is an Elon College Fellow, a Periclean Scholar, and the Student Government Association Student Body President.

To Brati膰, Fulbright represents the intersection of her two greatest passions: global engagement and teaching. She found ways to blend these passions during her time at Elon. As a Periclean Scholar, she had the opportunity to study abroad in India to understand what mutually beneficial relationships look like in practice, not just in theory. As a student consultant with the Center for Design Thinking, she developed a love for teaching and facilitation, specifically the challenge of guiding others through the structured process of finding meaningful solutions to 鈥渨icked鈥� problems. Serving as an English teaching assistant will allow her to refine her intercultural and teaching skills while strengthening diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam.

After Fulbright, Brati膰 is interested in pursuing a career in diplomacy or global social impact. 鈥淪imply put, I want to work at the intersection of people, policy and purpose,鈥� she says. Brati膰鈥檚 constellation of Elon mentors includes Amanda Tapler, associate teaching professor of public health studies; Safia Swimelar, professor of political science and public policy; Sean McMahon, professor of entrepreneurship; and Danielle Lake, director of design thinking and associate professor of human service studies.

Molly Moylan 鈥�26

Biochemistry major Molly Moylan has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain.

At Elon, Moylan took every opportunity to foster and blend her passions for STEM research, teaching and service. As a researcher, Moylan worked with chemistry professor Dan Wright to study trace metals within medicinal herbs and spices. She refined her teaching skills by serving with America Reads, the Village Project, the CityGate Dream Center, and more. Most notably, Moylan found a way to combine her passions by co-founding Imagine Science, a program designed to address declining student engagement in science education by bringing hands-on experiments and activities to local after-school programs.

In Spain, Moylan will serve as an English Teaching Assistant in Galicia, a region that is especially interested in promoting students鈥� scientific thinking skills. This Fulbright year will serve as crucial preparation for Moylan as she applies to medical school. The language and cultural skills she will gain in Spain will allow her to better serve Spanish-speaking patients in the future.

Moylan鈥檚 most influential Elon mentor has been Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dan Wright. 鈥淒r. Dan Wright has been instrumental in my success at Elon,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hrough his continued support, my confidence in both my personal and professional capacities has grown immensely, and I am extremely grateful to have had him as a mentor.鈥�

Madison Powers 鈥�25

Madison Powers, who graduated in 2025 with a degree in journalism and a minor in Spanish, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain. At Elon, Powers was a communications fellow and a 2023 Pulitzer reporting fellow. Since graduating, she has served as an editorial intern at Garden & Gun Magazine in Charleston, South Carolina.

Powers has long had her sights set on a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Spain. During her undergraduate years, she spent a semester in Sevilla and fostered her dual passions for cross-cultural exchange and global education. Eager to return, she applied for Fulbright in last year鈥檚 application cycle and was named a semifinalist. She remained so committed to the value of a Fulbright experience that she chose to reapply this year, and her hard work and persistence paid off.

Powers will serve as an English teaching assistant in Madrid. She is excited to live and work in a large, diverse city while improving her Spanish language skills and forming connections with her community. Serving in Madrid will also allow her to work closely with students on Global Classrooms/Model UN projects, which are important to the development of their critical thinking and cross-cultural skills.

This Fulbright year will serve as a bridge between Powers鈥� current and future journalistic work. Upon returning to the U.S, she plans to work as a journalist reporting on and working in Spanish-speaking communities. Her Elon mentors include Kelly Furnas, associate teaching professor of journalism; Jan Register, administrative assistant for the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life; and Pablo Celis-Castillo, associate professor of Spanish.

Aryanna Vindas 鈥�25

Aryanna Vindas, a graduate of the class of 2025, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in South Korea. She graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography and a minor in Asian studies.

Serving as an English teaching assistant in South Korea is a natural extension of the work Vindas began at Elon. She completed a two-year undergraduate research project about Korean Buddhist mindfulness, studied abroad for a semester in South Korea, and undertook a rigorous course of Korean language study. Simultaneously, she developed her teaching skills by serving as a volunteer English teacher, tutoring Spanish, and leading and assisting dance classes.

Because her grant does not begin until January 2027, Vindas has chosen to go above and beyond to prepare. She will spend this summer in South Korea completing intensive language study at Yonsei University in Seoul, which will help her integrate more successfully into her future host community and build more meaningful relationships with her students.

After Fulbright, Vindas plans to enroll in graduate school to continue the research on Buddhist mindfulness she began at Elon. Vindas鈥� Elon mentors include Renay Aumiller, associate professor of dance; the 鈥渨onderful鈥� dance staff; and Pamela Winfield, professor of religious studies and associate director of international & global studies.

In addition to these students, one senior has been named an alternate. Alternates are still in the competition and have the chance to be promoted to finalists (recipients of the grant) up until the official start of the grant period. We will update this story as we continue to hear news of their progress.

Rebecca Lovasco 鈥�26

Rebecca Lovasco, a psychology major with minors in women鈥檚, gender, and sexuality studies and neuroscience, has been selected as an alternate for a Fulbright study/research grant in Taiwan to earn a master鈥檚 degree in Mind, Brain, and Consciousness at Taipei Medical University.

Lovasco is an Elon College Fellow who went on to win the Lumen Prize. Her research, which integrates cognitive neuroscience, clinical psychology, and philosophy of mind, explores how anxiety and depression affect reinforcement learning and conscious visual perception. Outside of her research, Lovasco is proud to have served as a law enforcement crisis counselor with the Campus Alamance program.

Lovasco鈥檚 Elon mentors include Kristina Krasich, assistant professor of psychology; William Schreiber, associate professor of psychology; Kim Epting, professor of psychology; Alexa Darby, professor of psychology; and Jill McSweeney,聽assistant director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning聽and assistant professor of wellness.

Six rising juniors have been named members of the tenth class of Multifaith Scholars, a two-year fellows program for juniors and seniors that offers a closely mentored, experientially rich and intellectually rigorous educational opportunity for students with significant potential.

After a highly selective application and interview process, students are awarded $5,000 annually to support research and study in global contexts connected with religious diversity and multi-religious societies. Students who show great potential as academically curious and socially engaged leaders committed to their own ongoing development and the enhancement of their local and global communities are selected each spring.

鈥淚 am delighted to welcome these six impressive rising juniors into the Multifaith Scholars program and look forward to supporting their compelling projects over the next two years,鈥� said Amy Allocco, director of the Multifaith Scholars program. 鈥淭heir research interests include music and Christian religious experience, linguistic anthropology and the vocabulary of faith, religious diversity in clinical settings, gender and religious roles in Asian art, the intersection of biomedicine and traditional healing practices and the history of Black churches here in Alamance County.鈥�

In addition to pursuing their faculty-mentored undergraduate research projects and undertaking academic coursework in religious studies and interreligious studies, the scholars will extend the program鈥檚 ongoing community partnership with the Burlington Masjid. Through the partnership, scholars teach English classes, participate in youth and social events with the local Muslim community, join community garden workdays, volunteer with the food pantry and take part in potlucks and iftar meals during Ramadan.

鈥淚t is wonderful to welcome such a strong class with such diverse academic interests,鈥� reflected Brian Pennington, director of the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society, which supports the Multifaith Scholars program. 鈥淎s we approach the tenth anniversary of the MFS, it is gratifying to see so many clear signs of the program’s maturity and significance: our largest class ever, the inclusion of seven new faculty mentors, and students majoring in three disciplines never before represented in MFS.鈥�

The 2026-2028 Multifaith Scholars

Addison Anderson

Majors: History, Sociology

Minors: Museum Studies, Public History, and Interreligious Studies

Mentor:聽Amanda Kleintop (History and Geography)

Project Title: History and Memory of Alamance County鈥檚 Black Churches

Proposed Research: Examine the relationship between Alamance County African American churches and local politics in North Carolina from Reconstruction through 1900.

Blair Berenson

Major: Anthropology

Minors: Jewish Studies, Sociology, Philosophy and Interreligious Studies

Mentors:聽Amy Allocco (Religious Studies) and Devin Proctor (Sociology & Anthropology)

Project Title: An Anthropological Approach to Cross-Generational Shifts in Hindu and Jewish Perspectives of Faith in the US

Proposed Research: Conduct fieldwork in Jewish and Hindu communities in Atlanta to understand how different generations articulate the concept of faith.

Katie Castelo

Major: Biochemistry

Minors: Neuroscience, Spanish, and Interreligious Studies

Mentor:聽Cathy Quay (Nursing)

Project Title: Bridging Faith and Medicine: Improving Cultural Awareness of Religious Practices in the Healthcare System

Proposed Research: Explore the healthcare industry鈥檚 approach to death and ways it can be more open to diverse religious practices.

Faith Elliott

Major: Neuroscience

Minors: Expressive Arts and Interreligious Studies

Mentors:聽Lynn Huber (Religious Studies) and Morgan Patrick (Music Theory)

Project Title: Neurotheology: An Interdisciplinary Study into Sacred Music and Feelings of Well-Being

Proposed Research: Examine the historical significance of music and understand and measure the behavioral impact associated with an emotional, transcendent spiritual experience and the well-being that results from listening.

Mariama Jalloh

Major: Public Health

Minors: Biology and Interreligious Studies

Mentor:聽Sandra Darfour-Oduro (Public Health)

Project Title: Faith, Healers, and Health: How Religious Beliefs and Community Trust Shape Healthcare Decisions in West African Communities

Proposed Research: Examine how religious leaders and traditional healers influence healthcare decisions in communities in Ghana, and how public health programs can partner with these practitioners to improve health education outcomes.

Ryleigh Rouse

Majors: Art History, Religious Studies

Minors: Museum Studies and Public History and Asian Studies

Mentor:聽Kirstin Ringelberg (Art History)

Project Title: Religion鈥檚 Impact on Japanese Women: Through an Art Historical Lens

Proposed Research: Employ art as a lens to examine how religion shaped gender perceptions and Japanese women鈥檚 roles.

Winfield鈥檚 paper, entitled 鈥淔rom the Misai-e to the Mishuh艒: 鈥楳aking Sense鈥� of Ritual Structures in Heian, Japan,鈥� examined the evolution of imperial state-protecting New Year鈥檚 rites beginning in the early ninth century. The pre-existing Misai-e ceremony took place in the imperial palace鈥檚 large public Daigokuden Hall and focused solely on sutra recitation and analysis, but after 835, a concurrent Mishuh艒 ritual was inaugurated in a new private Shingon鈥檌n chapel near the emperor鈥檚 residence that involved all the senses.

This latter secretive Buddhist rite required vibrantly colored images of mandalas and protector deities (sight), chanted mantras and Sanskrit prayers (sound), incense offerings and smoky fire ceremonies (smell) and altar objects and ritual implements (touch). Moreover, the esoteric Buddhist patriarch K奴kai (784-835) metaphorically likened these sensational elements to the flavor of medicinal ghee (taste), which, he claimed, would protect and preserve the emperor鈥檚 body, and by extension, the larger body politic.

By recovering the embodied, lived experiences of pre-modern Buddhist and Shint艒 practitioners, the English- and Japanese-language papers of this conference contributed to the current trend in Religious Studies that investigates the role of sensory perception in religious experience.

The article examines the controversy surrounding state government authority over pilgrimage practices in Garhwal, a linguistic-cultural region in the Indian Himalayas.

In November 2021, the state government of Uttarakhand, India withdrew the C膩r Dh膩m Devasth膩nam Management Act, a law enacted only two years prior to establish state government authority over pilgrimage practice at fifty-three temples in Garhwal. Supporters of this bill had sought to ensure transparency in the management of these major pilgrimage temples. Hereditary ritual specialists at the temples and others vehemently contested the law鈥檚 efforts to regulate practice at the temples associated with the C膩r Dh膩m Y膩tr膩 pilgrimage, where ritual and administrative practice was long governed by diverse local traditions.

As Pennington argues, the debates over this law mirror closely the century-long struggle during British rule to protect pilgrims, maintain pilgrimage infrastructure and combat corruption while avoiding the entanglement in Hindu religious affairs that was prohibited by British law. Just as British officials were caught between the imperative to avoid involvement in the religious affairs of their Hindu subjects and the moral demands to protect pilgrims from exploitation, partisans in the 2019鈥�21 debate differed on whether to accede to the 鈥渢raditional鈥� ritual rights of those attached to the temples or to reform temple practice according to modern organizational principles. The article argues that the debates over the 2021 C膩r Dh膩m Devasth膩nam Management Act rehearse the tortured history of Indian secularism and reveal again its intractable contradictions.

Held in McKinnion Hall, the event honored Asian and Pacific Islander (API) students, celebrating their achievements, resilience and community. Formerly known as the API End-of-Year celebration, the newly named 鈥淟ight the Way鈥� was selected by the Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month planning committee to align with the committee鈥檚 goals for the heritage month festivities and holds cultural significance.

鈥淚n many Asian cultures, the significance of lanterns often symbolizes a [transitional] period and a wish for good fortune in the future,鈥� George Dou, assistant director of the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education (CREDE), said during the event’s welcome. 鈥淟ikewise, the purpose of 鈥楲ight the Way鈥� is our way of sending off the year in a way that honors, uplifts and affirms the diverse identities and cultural heritages within Asian and Pacific Islander communities.鈥�

During the celebration, students were presented with various awards and student superlatives. Awards included the Beacon Award, Asian Studies Awards, Academic Excellence Awards, Illumination Award, Radiance Award and Outstanding Senior Award. Superlatives illustrated the camaraderie of the community with titles such as 鈥淢ost Likely To Be In The API Room,鈥� 鈥淢ost Likely To Brighten Your Day,鈥� 鈥淢ost Likely To Be On A Reality TV Show鈥� and 鈥淏usiest Bee.鈥�

Following the award presentation, the event transitioned into a stole ceremony honoring graduating seniors. CREDE staff members presented stoles to 10 students to be worn during commencement as a symbol of each student鈥檚 connection between their heritage and identity.

Co-designed by Tiffany Huang 鈥�23 and Alana Evora 鈥�24, the stole incorporated flowers that tie into the overarching theme of 福利亚洲国产精品’s 2025 Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration: bouquets. This theme was inspired by two key principles:

1. No single symbol or idea could fully represent the diverse API community.
2. Unity and togetherness strengthen the community.

The stole鈥檚 floral motifs were designed to empower soon-to-be graduates to continue to 鈥渂loom鈥� beyond their time at the university. Reflecting on the 鈥渂ouquet鈥� theme, each table was decorated with various flowers significant to the API culture, reinforcing the richness of the community鈥檚 shared heritage.

鈥淭he flowers represented individuality and the uniqueness of each community,鈥� Dou said. 鈥淭he act of you all, sitting here with us today, is the bouquet鈥揷ommunities coming together to support each other.鈥�

Along with their stoles, seniors received a small booklet containing cards from individuals who have 鈥渓it鈥� their path throughout their collegiate experience.

As the celebration neared the conclusion, Nguyen delivered an inspiring charge to students, addressing both graduating seniors and students continuing their Elon journey.

鈥淭o my fellow graduating seniors, you are our trailblazers,鈥� Nguyen said. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e helped build something lasting, and you鈥檝e shown us what leadership looks like: intentional, kind, and sometimes running purely on iced coffee and vibes. We鈥檙e going to miss you, but we know your light is going to shine far beyond this campus.鈥�

To returning students, he reminded them that the 鈥渢orch鈥� was now being passed to them. Acknowledging that this responsibility may be intimidating, he encouraged them to keep lighting the path for those who would follow after them, inspiring them to be bold, compassionate and to make space for new voices and ideas.

鈥淣ever underestimate the power of one small individual flame that鈥檚 in each of you, because a spark can start a fire, and a fire can fuel a movement,鈥�

-Ivan Nguyen 鈥�25

Nguyen concluded his address by thanking individuals who have supported him throughout his time at the university. He also encouraged students to continue shining no matter where the path may lead them.

鈥淎s we celebrate tonight, let鈥檚 carry that light with us, into our homes, our classrooms, our futures, our new journeys,鈥� said Nguyen. 鈥淏ecause when we shine together, there鈥檚 no limit to how far we can go.鈥�

The evening closed with a performance by Sitare Sadeghi 鈥�25, Tara Venkataraman 鈥�25 and Sabetha Hersini 鈥�27.

2025 Award Recipients

Beacon Awards
Adam Kim, assistant professor of psychology, and聽George Dou

The Beacon Awards are given to two faculty or staff members who have gone above and beyond to be a beacon of support to the API community at 福利亚洲国产精品.

Asian Studies Awards
Language Track: Ivan Nguyen and Nicholas Rugbart 鈥�25
Non-Language Track: Bo Dalrmyple 鈥�25

The Asian Studies Award recognizes students who demonstrate excellence in research and service related to Asia.

Academic Excellence Awards

The Academic Excellence awards recognize students who have attained the highest GPA in their respective class years:

• Class of 2028: Jaya Iyer and Sophia Sta Rosa
• Class of 2027: Julia Chan
• Class of 2026: Hashini Amarasinghe
• Class of 2025: Sol Addison

Illumination Award
Tara Venkataraman 鈥�25

The Illumination Award recognizes a student whose scholarship has shed light on the understanding of API identities, cultures, history or heritage.

Radiance Award
Emma Hash 鈥�26

The Radiance Award recognizes a sophomore or junior who has shown great dedication, passion or awareness around API identities or topics at 福利亚洲国产精品.

Outstanding Senior Award聽
Ivan Nguyen

The Outstanding Senior Award recognizes the leadership, involvement, and mentorship exhibited by a senior throughout their four years at 福利亚洲国产精品.

As part of her semester-long appointment, she is teaching a graduate level seminar on Zen and visual/material culture and pursuing research for her next book. On Friday, Oct. 25, Winfield also delivered the keynote address for the annual Premodern Japanese Religions Conference at McGill University.

Her talk, 鈥淢ateriality as Method: How to Do Things with Zen鈥� launched the conference, where scholars from Harvard, McGill, University of Edinburgh, SUNY Albany and High Point University shared their latest research at the intersection of Buddhist studies and visual/material culture.

鈥淲hen I鈥檓 writing, I don鈥檛 think about genre or what side of the bookstore it鈥檚 going to end up in. You have to finish the thing first,鈥� Karunatilaka said. 鈥淥nce the book is humming, when it鈥檚 talking to you and the characters are talking to you, you don鈥檛 feel the need to contrive anything.鈥�

Karunatilaka鈥檚 鈥淭he Seven Moons of Maali Almedia,鈥� won the 2022 Booker Prize, one of the most prestigious literary awards in the English language. The novel is an absurdist comedy, murder mystery and political satire set during Sri Lanka鈥檚 civil war in the 1980s and told from the perspective of a slain journalist.

The author spoke for more than an hour Monday, Oct. 7, in Turner Theatre during a wide-ranging conversation moderated by Assistant Professor of English Dinidu Karunanayake and taking questions from the audience of about 100 people.

Repeatedly calling himself a cynic, he recounted his middle-class Sri Lankan upbringing during an era of political turmoil and violence that informs his writing and worldview.

鈥淧eople live in these dystopias. How do we make sense of life?鈥� Karunatilaka said. 鈥淭he trope is that the hero flies away in a helicopter and writes a Pulitzer-winning article. But what about the guy who鈥檚 waving at the helicopter? His story is interesting. Someone should write that.鈥�

Rather than feature police detectives, he has preferred to tell stories through the eyes of journalists and use satire to criticize politics and society. He prizes absurdism, 鈥渢he throughline in my work,鈥� and often 鈥減lays with reality鈥� using the perspective of unsung heroes who are also unreliable narrators.

鈥淵ou can still make jokes when you鈥檙e staring into the abyss,鈥� he said. 鈥淢aybe it鈥檚 my warped sensibility. Maybe absurdism is the only plausible explanation I鈥檝e caught onto as an accurate way to write about Sri Lanka.鈥�

Karunatilaka described the difficult and sometimes 鈥減atronizing鈥� process of rewriting 鈥淭he Seven Moons of Maali Almeida鈥� for Western audiences 鈥� that included the publisher changing the title from its original 鈥淎 Chat with the Dead鈥� to make it easier to market 鈥� but said working with a 鈥渂rilliant editor鈥� created the book鈥檚 definitive version.

Karunanayake, who is also Sri Lankan, was particularly interested in why the author used the second person point of view to tell 鈥淭he Seven Moons of Maali Almeida.鈥�

鈥淲hat survives the death of your body? I thought it would be the voice in your head. For me, that鈥檚 in second person, telling me what I did wrong or what I should be doing,鈥� Karunatilaka said. 鈥淢aybe I thought I could get away with more and include more between the lines, but honestly, it just felt right.鈥�

Karunatilaka is the author of two novels, including 鈥淐hinaman,鈥� the short story collection 鈥淭he Birth Lottery and Other Surprises,鈥� and several children鈥檚 books. As for his much-anticipated third novel?

鈥淲hen you get down to writing, you have to shut out the noise. It鈥檚 you and the page and the words,鈥� Karunatilaka said. 鈥淚t won鈥檛 be easier to write, but I鈥檒l find a story and attack it from every side.鈥�

Shehan Karunatilaka won 鈥� one of the most prestigious awards given for works in the English language 鈥� in 2022 for his novel 鈥淭he Seven Moons of Maali Almeida.鈥� The book is an absurdist comedy, murder mystery and political satire set during Sri Lanka鈥檚 civil war in the 1980s. Karunatilaka will discuss his work, its impact on his country, Sri Lanka and the process of bringing his fiction to Western audiences with Assistant Professor of English Dinidu Karunanayake at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7, in Schar Hall鈥檚 Turner Theatre.

鈥淲hen Shehan Karunatilaka won the Booker Prize, it was a victory for all Sri Lankans,鈥� said Karunanayake, who also is from Sri Lanka. “The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida” was published at the end of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa鈥檚 regime which was brought about by mass, nonviolent protests.

鈥淭he novel arrived when Sri Lanka was at a crossroads,鈥� Karunanayake said. 鈥淎t a time of despair and new dreams, Karunatilaka鈥檚 victory was like a fresh rain on parched land. It put Sri Lankan resilience and creativity on the world map.鈥�

Karunanayake incorporates the author鈥檚 works into his classes, and this fall he included 鈥淭he Seven Moons of Maali Almeida鈥� in his ENG 3800 Advanced World Literature course. Students have responded enthusiastically to Karunatilaka鈥檚 humor and genre-bending, as well as his experiments with history, memory and the use of magic realism in his narratives, he said.

He hopes the audience will leave the discussion with new perspectives on the power of literature to make ethical interventions and a deeper understanding of Sri Lanka鈥檚 culture and history.

鈥淩eading a book is one thing, but being in the same space to chat with its creator is a unique experience,鈥� Karunanayake said. 鈥淚 hope everyone interested in global politics, literature and humor will show up to share the evening with Karunatilaka.鈥�

Karunatilaka鈥檚 visit is coordinated by the Department of English with additional sponsorships from the Dean鈥檚 Office of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences; the Periclean Scholars Program; the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture and Society; the Provost鈥檚 Office; the Isabella Cannon Global Education Center; the Elon Core Curriculum; the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning; the Global Neighborhood; the Peace Corps Prep Program; the Department of Religious Studies; and the Asian Studies, American Studies, Interreligious Studies, and Peace and Conflict Studies Programs.

Allocco鈥檚 nine-month ethnographic study focused on one hereditary family of Tamil Hindu ritual drummers called pampaikk膩rar. Allocco accompanied the ritual drummers to dozens of engagements 鈥� from temple festivals to government-sponsored heritage events to domestic family rituals to post-death story recitations 鈥� to document their song story, and ritual repertoires.

During her sabbatical, Allocco also presented her research at two invited lectures in India and at four international conferences. At the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras in Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu, whose Department of Humanities and Social Sciences offered Allocco an affiliation during her Fulbright, she presented, 鈥淩itual Arts, Access, and Aesthetics: Sensory Dimensions of Tamil Hinduism.鈥� Her talk adopted approaches from disability studies to consider the varied modes of engagement with the divine available in Hindu ritual contexts.

At Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar (SSN)聽College in Chennai, she presented, 鈥淒rumming, Decoration, Divination, and Dialogue: Vernacular Tamil Hindu Modalities.鈥� In this talk, she proposed that the musician-priests鈥� performances prompt us to consider the fundamental roles of decoration, flame, water and dialogue in Hindu ritual contexts in contrast to scholarly models that have long privileged sight (darshan).

Two of the four conference papers that Allocco delivered in connection with her current research project were delivered in person, while two were presented online at hybrid conferences. Her in-person presentations were 鈥淭echnologies of Insistence and Resistance in Rituals to Call the Dead in Hindu South India鈥� at the European Association for the Study of Religions/International Association for the History of Religions in Vilnius, Lithuania and 鈥淭races of the Deified Dead in Hindu South India鈥� at the International Society for Academic Research on Shamanism (ISARS) at Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.

Allocco presented 鈥淩itual Relationships with the Dead in Hindu South India鈥� virtually at The First International Conference on Critical South Asian Death Studies at the University of M眉nster and 鈥淜inship, Gender, Power, and Place in Tamil Rituals to Domesticate the Dead鈥� online as part of a full-day symposium dedicated to Tamil religion at The Annual Conference on South Asia at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

In addition to these four presentations on her scholarship, Allocco was an invited speaker in a plenary session at the International Association for the History of Religions (IAHR) Special Conference hosted by the University of Tokyo in Japan. Her paper, 鈥溾�楨ngaged,鈥� 鈥楶olitical,鈥� and 鈥楽cientific鈥� Study of Religion: Perspectives from the American Academy,鈥� situated how the study of religion is framed in the United States vis-脿-vis the ways it is approached in global contexts. It will be published in the peer-reviewed journal, Religious Studies in Japan.

During her fellowship research in India, Allocco applied for and was awarded a Fulbright Scholar South and Central Asia Regional Travel Grant to present workshops in Sri Lanka. Over the course of eight days, Allocco shared her expertise with various organizations serving war-affected and marginalized populations in the Tamil-speaking north and east regions of Sri Lanka. She employed the UNESCO Story Circle methodology to facilitate interreligious understanding and interethnic engagement with the 35 women participants from the Mahasakthy Women鈥檚 Federation who participated in her full-day 鈥淪torytelling for Personal Healing and Intercultural Learning鈥� workshop.

In addition to offering a half-day workshop titled 鈥淓ngagement Across Difference with UNESCO Story Circles鈥� for students at St. John鈥檚 Vocational Training Centre in Batticaloa, she presented a session focused on research and writing skills with the same NGO. Allocco also led a mentoring session with graduate students affiliated with the University of Jaffna, conducted field visits with a women鈥檚 development officer and consulted with the leadership team of a grassroots feminist organization.

Allocco was pleased to be able to serve the US India Education Foundation (USIEF), which administers the Fulbright program in India, by sharing her expertise in three interactive sessions. She presented a workshop called 鈥淲riting an Effective Research Proposal鈥� during International Education Week as part of a program for Ph.D. students and early career faculty at the United States consulate in Chennai. Her second and third presentations, 鈥淐onducting Research in India鈥� and 鈥淟iving in India,鈥� were offered at the Fulbright Student Researchers鈥� Orientation in New Delhi and the Fulbright English Teaching Assistants Orientation in Chennai.

Finally, Allocco made substantial progress on her scholarship while conducting fieldwork in India during her sabbatical. She wrote and submitted one journal article, one book chapter and a co-edited volume, each of which are now under review. Allocco also wrapped up her work during a final grant meeting with Xenia Zeiler, professor of South Asian studies at the University of Helsinki, related to their joint project, 鈥淪weetening and Intensification: Currents Shaping Hindu Practices.鈥� Their collaboration is funded by a Collaborative International Research Grant awarded by the American Academy of Religion (AAR) and will culminate in the publication of a co-edited volume (under contract with State University of New York Press) with the same name. The volume includes Zeiler and Allocco鈥檚 co-written critical introduction, a chapter authored by Allocco, and 12 other chapters contributed by a diverse cohort of international scholars.

鈥淓lon has long been a place where individuals have made a difference, by going above and beyond,” said Gozik. “The GEC and Elon could not continue to do such important work without the passion and care offered by faculty, staff and students as exhibited by this year鈥檚 award winners.鈥�

Recipients of the 2024 awards include:

Elizabeth (Libby) McKivigan 鈥�24聽was recognized as the recipient of the Dean鈥檚 Award for Excellence in the category of 鈥淪tudy Away Student鈥�. As an international business dual degree (IBDD) student, who completed her last two years at NEOMA Business School in Reims, France, she was recognized for her many contributions to the IBDD program.

鈥淚n my years of having peer-educators, no one has fostered community across cultures more effectively than Libby,” said Mark Kurt,聽assistant dean of global education and professor of economics.

While in France, McKivigan assumed a leadership position among dual degree students, while also working to develop her language fluency in French. She immersed herself in local culture through clubs and organizations at her host institution as well.

鈥淪tudying abroad with the dual degree program has completely changed my life,” said McKivigan. “I am from a very small town in Pennsylvania and always wanted to see the world and engage with new people, cultures and languages and the dual degree program has given me that amazing opportunity.鈥�

Hao (Howard) Chi 鈥�22 G鈥�24聽was awarded the Dean鈥檚 Award for Excellence in the category of 鈥淚nternational Student鈥�. Chi鈥檚 award acknowledged his many contributions to Elon as an undergraduate student in psychology and international & global studies, where he completed a capstone project entitled, 鈥淎 Framework for Study Abroad Experience: The Transition to Adulthood鈥�. During his time as an undergraduate student, Chi served as an International Student Ambassador. This award also recognized his time as a student in the master of arts in higher education program, where he completed a graduate apprenticeship with Undergraduate Admissions and internships at both Duke University and 福利亚洲国产精品, including within the GEC.

Chi鈥檚 recommender explained that: 鈥淗oward represents the very best that international students have to offer to Elon. He is passionate about international education and high-impact practices and has contributed to both of those areas throughout his time as a student at Elon.鈥�

Kathy Ziga, director of academic advising, was awarded the Dean鈥檚 Award for Staff Excellence for her dedication to integrating global perspective and understanding the work of the Academic Advising team. It was noted that Ziga and her team have collaborated consistently and creatively with the GEC to provide student information sessions, cross-train staff in both offices, share professional development opportunities around inclusive advising practices and support international exchange partners.

鈥淜athy has revolutionized how the international community (degree seeking, exchange, etc.) is served academically at Elon,” said Kristen Aquilino, director of international student services. “Knowledge of serving the international community is integrated throughout her team’s work and values. Kathy’s leadership has committed her unit to fully owning the inclusive efforts and unique support required to serve this awesome community.”

Martin Kamela, associate professor of physics and chair of the department of physics, was awarded the Dean鈥檚 Award for Faculty Excellence. Born in Poland and raised in Canada, Kamela has taught at the university level in both Canada and the United States. Kamela was recognized for his work in developing three short-term, faculty-led programs in Brazil and India, serving as a faculty in residence for the Elon in London semester program; serving on numerous committees including the Isabella Cannon Global Education Center Advisory Committee (GECAC), and his involvement in the Asian Studies and Periclean Studies programs.

鈥淢any of us across the GEC are fully aware of how immense Martin’s impact has been across international education at Elon when it comes to the GECAC, faculty, staff and student involvement in global engagement, support of the international faculty/staff and student community and more,” said Aquilino.