Reed College President’s Summer Fellowship
The President’s Summer Fellowship offers students a chance to think big and tackle a summer project that combines intellectual pursuit, imagination, adventure, personal transformation, and service to the greater good. The program was established in 2012 and is made possible with generous support from Dan Greenberg '62 and Susan Steinhauser.
2013 President's Summer Fellowship winners
Maya Frodeman I’m a sophomore philosophy major with an interdisciplinary orientation. I am interested in how questions of ethics and values show themselves in all walks of life—in this case, in a biology lab.
This summer I have the opportunity to work in a microbiology lab at L’école normale supérieure de Cachan, just outside of Paris, France. My time in the lab will focus on three goals: improve my French; learn something about the specifics of DNA transcription; and most crucially, as part of my interdisciplinary approach to my Reed philosophy major, to apply a philosophical lens to the process of scientific research. My project focuses on the epistemology and ethics of science, including how local culture and beliefs can affect the way that science is carried out.
Maria Maita-Keppler I’m a junior art major. I grew up influenced by Japanese culture through the education I received in both my immersion school and my mother's household. I am always seeking the opportunity to explore my Japanese heritage through my artworks as I continue pursuing an art major.
This summer, I will be learning the art of traditional Japanese woodblock printing from artist Richard Steiner in Kyoto, Japan. When I return from my seven-week course in Kyoto, I will teach an introductory course on woodblock printing to the Japanese classes at Mt. Tabor Middle School and Grant High School. It is my hope that I develop a deeper connection with my culture and the exquisite craft through this experience, a connection I hope to share with Portland students enrolled in the same kind of immersion programs that were so essential to forming my identity.
Hannah MacKenzie-Margulies I’m a sophomore potential anthropology major originally from Lexington, Massachusetts. Before coming to Reed I danced professionally for ballet companies in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and South Carolina. I work in the Reed costume shop, play the flute and the clarinet, and spend my free time doing the lindy hop, a 1930s vernacular jazz dance.
My project, Reconstructive Improvisation, explores the work of choreographer William Forsythe through participation in the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance’s 2013 Summer Workshop. A long-time-but-disillusioned dancer when I arrived at Reed, I found myself reinspired through theoretical work and studio practice in the Reed dance department. Spurred by a term paper I wrote on Forsythe’s choreography, I developed this project to continue my study of the choreographer in an intense, embodied environment. I hope that this workshop will allow me to deepen and reinvigorate my theoretical and embodied study of dance, as well as my personal relationship to the art.
Sophie Naranjo-Rivera I am a junior sociology major. I am a proud Midwesterner on my mother’s side. On my father’s side, I have deep Cuban roots. Being from many different backgrounds pushes me to think broadly and to see things from many angles.
The Obama administration legalized family visits within the past few years in Cuba, giving me the opportunity to visit my mother country for the first time and connect with my relatives and long-restricted heritage. This is a critical time in Cuban history, as Castro is prepared to resign in 5 years, and the generation that lived through the Cuban revolution is soon to disappear. I will interview Cuban natives about the their memories of the revolution to preserve this information before it is lost, and gather a collection of stories to share with others when I return.
Lucas Ovrom I’m a junior French major from Iowa. As a Fellow, I will attempt to identify the geographic origins of a medieval French manuscript on the basis of dialectal traits and cultural references.
The manuscript I have chosen is BNF 375, a manuscript written on vellum in 1288 and now catalogued at the BNF in Paris, France. My inquiry will consist of two stages. In the first stage, I will travel to Paris to read and translate portions of BNF 375 in order to catalog any linguistic patterns present in the text. Because at least 21 regionally specific dialects were spoken in 13th-century France, any such pattern would allow me to posit a theoretical place of origin. I will also look for geographic, political, and religious references that might help locate the text. In the second stage, I will travel to the provinces to consult local resources that might corroborate my theory.
Vasishth (Vas) Srivastava I am a junior political science major from Avon, Connecticut. During my time at Reed I have served on the Honor Council as well as the student Senate, and academically speaking, my interests include the study of Congress and American political economy. In my free time I enjoy following football and baseball, reading longform journalism, and sitting in comfy chairs.
This summer I will be working in the research department at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, in Washington D.C. On a day-to-day basis I will assist with personnel and policy research for 2014 Senate races. I also intend to take advantage of the forums, hearings, and seminars that are held around the city daily. Finally, I will be able to conduct primary research for, and narrow the scope of the thesis I will begin writing in the fall.
Jo Stewart I am a junior English major invested in creating innovative avenues of expression in the Reed community. Despite Reed’s reputation for ingenuity and originality, I believe there is not yet a medium with which to convey our collective spunk, enthusiasm, and dedication to intellectual pursuit and creative vision.
I will spend my summer interning and visiting various colleges to acquire the knowledge and skills to develop the groundwork for an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal that will engage the diverse voices of Reed’s students, faculty, and staff. I hope this publication will serve as a platform and a permanent medium in which to showcase already published material, new writing and research, and creative projects that normally have an ephemeral presence on campus, to the entire community. I expect the journal will be printed annually, composed of art, essays, fiction, poetry, politics, and reviews, uniting students, faculty, and staff in intellectual and artistic discourse.
Sarah Tiffany-Appleton I am a junior studio art major from Walnut Creek, CA hoping to become an architect. Outside of academics, I enjoy cooking, exploring Portland, and playing ultimate Frisbee.
I will volunteer with Architecture for Humanity Portland, a local nonprofit organization committed to empowering communities in need by facilitating sustainable design solutions. In addition, I will complete a course in architectural computer graphics and apply my new skills to my work with Architecture for Humanity. As a whole, my fellowship experience will give me the tools to pursue a career in architecture and, more important, the opportunity to effect positive, lasting change within my community.