鈥淪weetening鈥� refers to the softening of deities鈥� iconographies, the standardization of religious narratives, and the sanitization of ritual practices. Alongside this current exists 鈥渋ntensification,鈥� the insistence on the continuing relevance of rigorous, visceral, and frequently stigmatized practices and beliefs, often in response to new circumstances and challenges.

Individual chapters trace these currents across diverse Hindu geographic, linguistic, ethnic, and social contexts; textual and theological traditions; and ritual and media formats. Allocco鈥檚 own chapter, 鈥淚nsistence, Persistence, and Resistance in Tamil Hindu Rituals to Call the Dead,鈥� theorizes from a 2019 ritual performed for a deceased man named Ganapathy to consider how ancestors make their desires known through possession performances and demand particular offerings and practices鈥攊ncluding alcohol, crematory ash/grave soil, and tongue-piercing鈥攁nd argue that the dead鈥檚 steadfast refusal to be satisfied by anything but fierce practices and materials signals a deliberate resistance to the sweetening trends visible in many contemporary Tamil ritual contexts. Director of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society, Brian Pennington, contributed a chapter on local deities in the Indian Himalayas.

Allocco and Zeiler鈥檚 collaboration evolved over several years. In 2019, Allocco delivered a lecture titled 鈥淩itual Relationships with the Dead in South Indian Hinduism鈥� at the University of Helsinki at Zeiler鈥檚 invitation. During her time in Finland, they began conceiving a joint project focused on the categories of sweetening and intensification in contemporary Hinduism. The next year, the pair applied for and were awarded a Collaborative International Research Grant from the American Academy of Religion to begin a research project that would bring these two currents into sustained conversation.

They then convened a double panel under the title 鈥淚ntensification vs. Sweetening? New Patterns in Contemporary Representation and Practice鈥� at the 49th Annual Conference on South Asia in 2021. The two sessions brought together a diverse complement of scholars from Europe, South and Southeast Asia, and the United States to consider this dialectic from different methodological, regional, and disciplinary perspectives. Allocco and seven other scholars presented papers across the two panels and the ensuing discussion helped to develop the theoretical framework for the planned publication. The resulting book highlights how sweetening and intensification processes intersect with and even drive contemporary (re)negotiations, (re)interpretations, and (re)constructions of Hindu deities, practices, narratives, and symbols.

Allocco and Zeiler were recently invited to participate in the New Books Network podcast on Indian Religions about their new book. The episode, hosted by Raj Balkaran, will be available .

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.

Sandy Marshall, associate professor of geography, serves as interim director of the Multifaith Scholars program this year while Professor Amy Allocco is on research leave in South India funded by the American Institute of Indian Studies.

鈥淲e had a very strong applicant pool, and I am excited about the diversity of backgrounds and research interests represented in this new cohort,鈥� Marshall said. 鈥淭heir topics span a range of time periods and regions, from the Middle East to here in North America. Likewise, their proposed research combines diverse interdisciplinary perspectives from history and politics, to economics and psychology. We are excited to work with these students and their mentors over the next two years to facilitate their scholarly development and personal growth.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 participate in youth and social events with the local Muslim community, teach in the mosque鈥檚 English-language tutoring program, join community garden workdays, volunteer with the food pantry, and take part in potlucks and iftar meals during Ramadan.

Project Title: Navigating Modesty from a Modern Perspective: A Comparison of Adolescent Muslim Women in Palestine and North Carolina.
Major: Political Science
Minor: Interreligious Studies
Mentor: Amy Allocco

Kenzie Ross

Project Title: Economics and the Relationship between Religion and a Consumption-Based Economy
Majors: Economics Consulting, Marketing
Minor: Interreligious Studies
Mentor: Cora Wigger

Christina Skelly

Project Title: Rewriting the Script: Muslim Women, US Policy, and the Legacy of Orientalism
Majors: International and Global Studies, Religious Studies
Minors: Islamic Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Political Science
Mentor: Sandy Marshall

Lizeth Torres-Tomas

Project Title: Faith, Law, and Migration: Analyzing the Sanctuary Movement and Faith-Based Responses to Anti-Immigrant Policies Surrounding Latinx and Muslim Communities
Majors: Political Science, Sociology
Minor: Interreligious Studies
Mentor: Michael Matthews

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 黑料不打烊 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 黑料不打烊 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.

The largest exchange program in the country, awards approximately 2,200 grants annually in all fields of study. Recent graduates and graduate students undertake graduate study, advanced research, and English teaching worldwide. Founded in 1946, the Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people of other countries.

黑料不打烊 has been repeatedly recognized for the number of its alumni who participate in the Fulbright Program as teachers and researchers and has been named a top-producer of Fulbright students in six separate years. This year, The National and International Fellowships Office supported the largest cohort of Fulbright applicants in 黑料不打烊鈥檚 history: 34 applicants.

黑料不打烊 students and alumni interested in the Fulbright program or other nationally competitive fellowships are invited to contact the National and International Fellowships Office.

Those who received awards this year are:

Leah Schwarz ’24

A psychology and Spanish double major with a minor in Latin American studies, Leah Schwarz has been selected for a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain. She is from Hudson, Ohio.

At 黑料不打烊, Schwarz was an 黑料不打烊 College Fellow who spent two years researching Latinx student experiences in higher education. She also served as a student representative for the Latin American Studies Board, and as a Spanish tutor. She is a member of Sigma Iota Rho and Sigma Delta Pi honor societies.
鈥淚 applied to Spain because I studied abroad in Sevilla in Spring 2023 and instantly felt at home,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 loved the Spanish way of life, the relationships I made with locals and the emphasis on working to live, not living to work. I applied to Fulbright because, while abroad, I was a student English teacher at an elementary school and had so much fun working with the students. I loved the way the children were so excited to learn English and I was blown away with how much they knew.鈥�

In the future, Schwarz plans to pursue a doctorate in psychology to become a clinical psychologist. Steve Braye and Leyla Savloff have been Schwarz鈥檚 most influential 黑料不打烊 mentors.

Nellie Garrison ’24

Nellie Garrison, an English Literature major with minors in Spanish and听颁辞尘尘耻苍颈肠补迟颈辞苍蝉, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain. From Staunton, Virginia, Garrison was the director of diversity, equity and inclusion for her sorority, worked extensively with Campus Recreation and Wellness, and served as the co-president of Sigma Tau Delta, the national English Honor Society. She is also a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Garrison became inspired to pursue an English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) after her semester abroad in Spain. 鈥淚 applied for Fulbright because of my passion for cross-cultural education that I developed while studying and teaching in Sevilla. My interest in instructing English as a second language first grew after working with adults at Alamance Community College during a TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language) course my junior year. I look forward to working in Madrid for the chance to work with a diverse community of learners,鈥� she says.

Teaching English through the Fulbright program is the first step in Garrison鈥檚 journey to a career as a dual-language educator and potential lawyer. Regardless of what she does, her aim is to 鈥渃reate welcoming environments where people from diverse backgrounds can learn and grow together鈥濃�攁 mission that will no doubt be strengthened through her time as an English Teaching Assistant.

Garrison鈥檚 most influential 黑料不打烊 mentors include April Post, Jennifer Eidum and Dinidu Karunanayake.

Britt Mobley 鈥�24

A strategic communications and outdoor leadership and education double major, Britt Mobley has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in the Czech Republic. He is from Raleigh, North Carolina.

At 黑料不打烊, Mobley was an Odyssey Scholar and a Communications Fellow, served as the Student Government Association Student Body President and worked as the course director on the ELOA Challenge Course. Fulbright is a natural extension of his deep involvement, and he was drawn to the program in part for its definition of holistic student success. 鈥淗onestly, I applied out of spite,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 applied to challenge my own fears and doubt about being good enough and having the most pristine academic record.鈥�

Mobley鈥檚 strong, holistic undergraduate career has prepared him well to serve as an ETA at the Business, Hospitality and Vocational School Tabor in Tabor, Czech Republic. After his Fulbright year, he plans to attend the University of North Carolina-Charlotte to earn his doctorate in organizational sciences.

Mobley鈥檚 黑料不打烊 mentors include Evan Small and Israel Balderas, who have acted as cheerleaders and advocates 鈥渇or [his] academic record and what [he is] truly capable of as a student, even though [his] transcript doesn’t fully portray that.鈥�

Trevor Molin ’23

Trevor Molin, a political science major and member of the Class of 2023, has received a Fulbright grant to pursue a master’s degree in philosophy from Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada. Molin has spent the past year at the London School of Economics earning their first master鈥檚 degree in Gender Studies. During their time at 黑料不打烊, Molin served on the Student Government Association, worked in the Gender and LGBTQIA+ Center as the inaugural Healthy Masculinities & Relationships student assistant, and coordinated and directed 黑料不打烊 Volunteers.

Molin was inspired to reapply for Fulbright after being named a semifinalist for a Fulbright grant to the United Kingdom last year. 鈥淚n all honesty, after going through the process last round, part of my decision to apply this time was just from how useful the process itself was, especially as I was looking to apply to graduate programs anyway,鈥� they explain. Embarking on the process a second time led Molin to Canada and Memorial University, where they are eager to engage with new scholars and explore the natural beauty of Newfoundland.

This degree from Memorial, paired with Molin鈥檚 first graduate degree from the London School of Economics, will no doubt pave the way for a promising academic career. 鈥淚 hope to pursue a PhD in an interdisciplinary, theory-based program and hopefully go on to become a professor,鈥� they say. 鈥淲ho knows what will happen, but I know for certain I want to teach theory, we鈥檒l see where that will take me though!”

Molin鈥檚 constellation of 黑料不打烊 mentors includes Jodean Schmiederer, Lauren Guilmette and Liza Taylor.

Eliana Olivier ’24

With majors in environmental and ecological sciences and Spanish and a minor in Latin American Studies, Eliana Olivier has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Colombia. The Honors Fellow and is from Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Pursuing an ETA in Colombia is a natural extension of Olivier鈥檚 黑料不打烊 involvement. Internationally, she spent a semester abroad in the Dominican Republic. Back on campus, she served as an environmental justice intern with the Office of Sustainability. 鈥淚 applied to the program in Colombia because I was excited about the opportunity to engage with a new culture and because of my interest in the Spanish language and Latin America, specifically,鈥� she explains. 鈥淚 also applied because of all of the ecological diversity of Colombia, and I thought it would be a great place to further pursue my environmental interests.鈥�

Olivier鈥檚 黑料不打烊 mentors include Kelly Harer and Ricardo Mendoza. 鈥淚 have had so many incredible professors and mentors who have helped me to succeed and grow in the past four years,鈥� she says. In the future, she plans to attend graduate school.

In addition to these students, five seniors and alumnae have been named alternates for various Fulbright grants. 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.

Those who were selected as alternates are:

Heeba Chergui ’22

An alumna from the Class of 2022, Heeba Chergui has been selected as an alternate for a Fulbright grant to teach English in Albania for the second time. Earlier this year, Chergui was selected as one of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 first Rangel Graduate Fellows.

At 黑料不打烊, Chergui majored in international and global studies, minored in leadership studies and was a Leadership Fellow. She dedicated her academic and experiential pursuits to the study of the Middle East and North Africa and received the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship to study abroad in Amman, Jordan, where she interned with a peacebuilding nongovernment organization. These experiences were invaluable in helping her to receive , which will train and prepare her for a career in the Foreign Service through the State Department.

Her 黑料不打烊 mentors include Kevin Bourque, LD Russell, Sandy Marshall and Maritza Gulin.

Bethany Marzella ’24

Bethany Marzella, a member of the Class of 2024 with a major in international and global studies and six minors (peace and conflict studies, political science, interreligious studies, geography, Islamic studies, and Middle East studies) has been selected as an alternate for a Fulbright research grant to Oman. Marzella鈥檚 proposed project in Oman would be a continuation of her undergraduate research on sectarian conflict.

At 黑料不打烊, Marzella was a Phi Beta Kappa Multifaith Scholar whose work focused on the Middle East. She spent a semester abroad in Amman, Jordan, which she cites as the most influential experience she had while an undergraduate. In the future, she is eager to attend graduate school abroad in a field related to politics and international studies.

Marzella鈥檚 constellation of 黑料不打烊 mentors includes Sandy Marshall, Tom Kerr, Summeye Pakdil, Amy Allocco and Allegra Laing.

Sarah Mirrow ’24

An economics and applied mathematics double major and a French minor from the Class of 2024, Sarah Mirrow has been selected as an alternate for a Fulbright grant to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in economics from University College Dublin in Ireland. She is from Arlington, Virginia.

At 黑料不打烊, Mirrow was an Honors Fellow and Lumen Scholar who pursued two years of rigorous research about how access to abortion clinics impacts female educational attainment. She chose to pursue a Fulbright grant in Ireland specifically because the country has experienced abortion legislation upheaval in the past 10 years that presents a unique research opportunity.

Mirrow鈥檚 ultimate goal is to pursue a doctorate in economics. Her most influential 黑料不打烊 mentors include Steve Bednar and Karen Yokley.

Claire D. Przybocki ’24

Claire D. Przybocki, a member of the Class of 2024, has been selected as an alternate for a Fulbright grant to teach English in Poland. At 黑料不打烊, Przybocki was a double major in international and global studies and economics with minors in Islamic studies, interreligious studies, and leadership studies. She was also a Leadership Fellow, a Multifaith Scholar, a Maryland Public Service Scholar, and served as the vice president of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Arabic Language Organization.

Pryzbocki鈥檚 time as a Multifaith Scholar, where she spent two years researching refugee resettlement in Poland, plus her experience working with international nongovernment organizations, motivated her to apply for this grant to teach English in Poland. In the future, she plans to attend graduate school to prepare her for a career in migrant resettlement. Her constellation of 黑料不打烊 mentors includes Brian Pennington, Amy Allocco and Sandy Marshall.

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.

Sandy Marshall, an associate professor of geography, served as interim director of the Multifaith Scholars program this year while Professor Amy Allocco has been on a Fulbright-funded research sabbatical in India. 鈥淲e had an exceptionally strong applicant pool, and I am excited about the diversity of backgrounds and research interests represented in this new cohort,” Marshall said. “Their topics span a range of time periods and regions, including Africa, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. Likewise, their proposed research combines diverse interdisciplinary perspectives from history and politics, to computer science and theatrical design. We are excited to work with these students and their mentors over the next two years to facilitate their scholarly development and personal growth.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 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.

The 2024-26 Multifaith Scholars:

Alyssa Carney

Majors: International and Global

Studies / History

Minors: Philosophy, Politics, and Economics / Geography / Interreligious Studies

Mentor: Sandy Marshall (Geography)

Project Title: Echoes of Al-Andalus: Islamophobia and Migration in Spain

Proposed Research: Carney鈥檚 research will examine the lived experience of Muslim Arab migrants in Spain and the contested memories of Islamic Spain and the Spanish Reconquista within the context of growing right-wing populism.

Owen Hayes

Major: History

Minors: Political Science / Interreligious

Studies

Mentor: Brian Pennington (Religious Studies)

Project Title: Catholic Missionaries and Indigenous Peoples of Australia

Proposed Research: Using archival research and interviews, Hayes will examine contentious encounters between Catholic missionaries in Australia and Aboriginal peoples.

Hasan Khan

Major: Computer Science

Minors: Data Science / Leadership Studies / Interreligious Studies

Mentor: Pratheep Paranthaman (Computer Science)

Project Title: Exploring Multifaith Engagement through Video Game Representation

Proposed Research: Based on visual and narrative analysis of popular video games as well as interviews with gamers themselves, Khan鈥檚 research aims to critically examine depictions of religion in video games with the goal of producing guidelines for game designers to improve religious representation.

Olivia Novak

Majors: Religious Studies / Theatrical Design

Minor: Entrepreneurship

Mentor: Toddie Peters (Religious Studies)

Project Title: Abortion in Context: Historical Influences on 21st Century Abortion Discourse

Proposed Research: Novak鈥檚 research will examine the historical roots and religious discourses that influence today鈥檚 political debates about abortion and reproductive rights. With the goal of producing traditional scholarly outputs as well as a theatrical performance to share her research.

Jesse White

Major: Religious Studies / International and Global Studies (Middle East and Africa concentrations)

Minor: Islamic Studies

Mentors: Waseem Kasim (History) and Mussa Idris (Anthropology)

Project Title: Mahdism and Sudanese: History and Memory of an Islamic Movement in North America鈥檚 Diasporic Sudanese Communities

Proposed Research: White鈥檚 research combines historical textual analysis of archival resources with ethnographic research with Sudanese diaspora communities to examine the history of the Mahdi revolt, the role of Sufism therein, and how it is remembered today in light of contemporary politics and conflict in Sudan.

The plan details specific objectives and initiatives for the university to undertake that are designed to increase diversity within the university community, make 黑料不打烊 a more equitable and inclusive campus and community, introduce new opportunities for multifaith engagement and demonstrate the importance of multifaith learning.

The plan is the work of the Multifaith Strategic Planning Committee, which was formed to help achieve broader university goals outlined in Boldly 黑料不打烊, the university鈥檚 10-year strategic plan that was adopted in 2020. It enhances and expands many of the multifaith initiatives launched during The 黑料不打烊 Commitment, the university鈥檚 strategic plan spanning 2010 to 2020.

鈥満诹喜淮蜢� is already a recognized national leader in multifaith education and community engagement around these issues,鈥� said Professor Brian Pennington, director of the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture and Society, and planning committee co-chair. 鈥淭he infrastructure established through The 黑料不打烊 Commitment will now provide a foundation for offering further support to students, faculty and staff as they engage with these issues.鈥�

Guided by The 黑料不打烊 Commitment, the university established a focus on multifaith understanding and education that included the creation of the Numen Lumen Pavilion, which is home to the Truitt Center for Religion and Spiritual Life, as well as the establishment of the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society. The university鈥檚 2015-20 multifaith strategic plan, 鈥淓ngaging Religion/Building Community,鈥� resulted in the creation of the Multifaith Scholars program, the student-led Ripple Interfaith Conference and the Interreligious Studies minor.

The Multifaith Strategic Planning Committee is chaired by Pennington, Vice President and Associate Provost for Inclusive Excellence Randy Williams, University Chaplain and Dean of Multifaith Engagement Kirstin Boswell and Associate Professor Geoffrey Claussen, who chairs the Department of Religious Studies. The team was tasked with creating a plan that expands opportunities for multifaith engagement and education across campus, and will lead its implementation and provide support to these efforts.

The goals outlined in the plan will be championed by the implementation team, with much of the work being undertaken by a broad range of campus partners who will be key to achieving a deeper commitment to multifaith work and opening up new multifaith opportunities across campus.

鈥満诹喜淮蜢� is ripe for this, not just because of the content, but also the climate for supporting this type of work,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淭here is readiness for this work. We鈥檙e going to build upon the achievements of the previous plan with work that鈥檚 relative to this day and time.鈥�

The plan sets out four broad strategic goals that are in alignment with the university鈥檚 Boldly 黑料不打烊 Strategic Plan:

• Goal One: Make 黑料不打烊 a more religiously diverse campus and community
• Goal Two: Make 黑料不打烊 a more equitable and inclusive campus and community
• Goal Three: Support opportunities for multifaith learning and engagement for all members of the 黑料不打烊 academic community
• Goal Four: Articulate the value and importance of multifaith learning as well as multifaith diversity, equity and inclusion for all constituents

Under Goal One, the university seeks to triple the number of Muslim students and significantly increase the number of other underrepresented religious populations at 黑料不打烊. That will be accomplished by developing recruitment and employment practices that contribute to a learning and working environment that has a diversity of viewpoints.

The plan incorporates research into the campus community that included a survey of students, faculty and staff that found that along with those who do identify with a specific religious faith, there is a sizable segment who are spiritual but not religious, or agnostic or atheist, Pennington said. That reflects a national shift and underscores the need to incorporate those views into multifaith efforts as well, he said.

鈥淲e have to remember that a huge part of the student experience is what students learn from one another 鈥� from those who are in their classes, in their dormitories and in the dining halls with them,鈥� Pennington said. 鈥淒iversifying our community in these ways opens us all up to a range of ethical viewpoints and backgrounds, a range of ideas about the importance and centrality of things like spirituality and religion, a range of student experience drawn from different types of backgrounds. That makes us better and it prepares our students for engaging a rapidly diversifying and globalizing world.鈥�

Goal Two details a range of initiatives designed to create a campus environment where students, faculty, and staff report experiencing belonging, welcome, inclusion, safety and feeling understood at higher levels than they currently do.
鈥淚deally, every member of our community should feel welcomed, understood, and supported 鈥� a sense of deep and multilayered belonging 鈥� while at 黑料不打烊,鈥� Boswell said. 鈥淎lthough we know that we have some work to do to get to that point, the plan gives us a roadmap.鈥�

For instance, the university will be working to ensure that its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts are attentive to religious, spiritual and secular identities. 黑料不打烊 will be examining its observance of religious holidays to ensure they reflect a diverse student and employee community, and will be strengthening the capacity of 黑料不打烊 Dining to accommodate diverse dietary needs. 黑料不打烊 will assess current practices, events and spaces to determine whether they promote an inclusive and welcoming environment and experience.

鈥淚n today鈥檚 increasingly polarized society, it is more important than ever that we work to ensure that our policies, procedures, programs, language, symbols and spaces are equipped to engage the multi-layered identities that we all hold,鈥� Boswell said. 鈥満诹喜淮蜢� has been a national leader in this work of uplifting the diversity of religious, spiritual, ethical and philosophical frameworks. However, we know that as 黑料不打烊 continues to grow and change to meet the demands of our global society, it is necessary for us to expand our commitment to the support and understanding of diversity in all its forms. It is our moral responsibility, and it is work that we take seriously as an institution.鈥�

Within Goal Three lies an emphasis on expanding the number of students, faculty and staff who are engaging with multifaith learning at 黑料不打烊 and on developing new frameworks with local and global partners to enhance student engagement around multifaith learning. These efforts are not just focused on the undergraduate experience, will also impact students in graduate and professional programs across campus.

The goal includes new initiatives in the areas of research and engaged learning, including the development of new short-term study away programs, new internship opportunities, new cocurricular experiences and new connections between the campus and community leaders and organizations. The plan calls for developing new paths for supporting student research on religion at the undergraduate and graduate levels, with new models for impactful mentorship experiences for students. The university will assess and expand support for 黑料不打烊鈥檚 signature degree programs for multifaith education, such as those in religious studies, interreligious studies, Jewish studies and Islamic studies.

鈥満诹喜淮蜢� is a national leader in engaging students on questions related to the category of religion, and we are excited to build on our success during the years to come,” Claussen said. “We look forward to new opportunities for students to think critically about religious, spiritual, and secular frameworks at work in the world as well as in their own lives.”

The final goal focuses in on ensuring robust information about these efforts, initiatives and opportunities is flowing between stakeholders and the Office of University Communications so that the university may implement a comprehensive multifaith communications and marketing strategy.

鈥淭hese efforts help us accomplish the goal of sending our graduates out into the world with greater perspectives that will inform how they interact and behave with others so that they will be much more just and inclusive,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淎s faculty and staff, we have to be able to nurture and develop those expanding perspectives across differences as it relates to multifaith.鈥�

The primary campus partners and stakeholders for 黑料不打烊鈥檚 multifaith work to implement the goals of the strategic plan will be the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, the Department of Religious Studies, the 黑料不打烊 Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society and the Division of Inclusive Excellence. While those four entities will be leading the efforts, they will be collaborating with schools, offices and committees across campus.

鈥淚 think plans like this are about building structures to encourage culture shifts,鈥� Pennington said. 鈥淎 plan like this one is about establishing the conditions for us to be talking to one another more and sharing honestly, learning in deliberate and deliberative ways from one another. That鈥檚 the 黑料不打烊 I would like to see develop in this plan.鈥�

The聽deadline聽for聽applications is Monday, March 20, at 9 a.m.

A very generous pool of funds are available to be awarded against 2023-24 tuition and expenses. Professor Pamela Winfield would be happy to answer any questions about聽the聽process or聽the聽application鈥攆eel free to be in touch by email (pwinfield@elon.edu) at any point before聽the聽deadline.

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

Amy Allocco, an associate professor of religious studies, has directed the Multifaith Scholars program since it was established in 2016. She notes that this year鈥檚 class brings additional strengths and diversity to the cohort. 鈥淚n an exceptionally strong pool of applicants, these aspiring scholars impressed the selection committee with their diverse, promising, and quite timely research projects. We are excited to work with them and their mentors over the next two years to facilitate not only their projects and academic growth, but also to help them integrate their experiences and learning.鈥� In addition to pursuing faculty-mentored undergraduate research and undertaking academic coursework, the scholars will extend the program鈥檚 ongoing community partnership with the Burlington Masjid.

The 2022-24 Multifaith Scholars

Ashley Burnett

Major: Political Science

Minor: Religious Studies

Mentor: Kathleen Crosby (English)

Project Title: Festivals: Exploring the Culture Between Religion and Politics

Proposed Research: Burnett鈥檚 research will analyze the religious aspects of various global festivals and how the respective cultures impact secular politics and social relations.

Daniel Scheff

Majors: Political Science, Religious Studies

Minors: Leadership Studies, Interreligious Studies

Mentor: Amy Allocco (Religious Studies)

Project Title: Gender and Caste Identities in the Revitalization of Andal Worship

Proposed Research: Scheff鈥檚 project will identify the ways gender identity and caste politics have influenced the depiction, expression, and worship of Andal, the eighth-century South Indian Tamil poet-saint鈥攖he only woman among the Alvar poet-saints who were instrumental in the vernacularization and subsequent democratization of Hindu devotion.

Andy Walter

Major: Religious Studies

Minor: Music

Mentor: Andrew Monteith (Religious Studies)

Project Title: Self Erasure: Colonialism, Christianity, and Indigenous Support for Cultural Genocide

Proposed Research: Walter will investigate the native voices subjected to American colonialism, focusing on the indigenous peoples who accepted Protestant missionaries and experienced cultural genocide as a result.

Beth Marzella

Major: International and Global Studies

Minors: Peace and Conflict Studies, Interreligious Studies

Mentor: Sandy Marshall (History and Geography)

Project Title: Iraq鈥檚 Intrareligious Background

Proposed Research: Marzella鈥檚 project will assess how the intrareligious tensions within Islam inform or shape Iraq鈥檚 national politics.

Claire Przybocki

Majors: International and Global Studies, International Economics

Minors: Leadership Studies, Interreligious Studies

Mentor: Brian Pennington (Religious Studies)

Project Title: Rising Catholic Nationalism in Poland

Proposed Research: Przybocki will incorporate fieldwork to investigate the historical and political influences on Catholic nationalism promoted by Poland鈥檚 ruling Law and Justice party.

These students join the current senior class of Multifaith Scholars, who will spend this year completing data analysis, presenting at academic conferences, and developing scholarly publications. Information about the seniors or the Multifaith Scholars program, in general, can be found on the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture and Society website: /u/academics/csrcs/multifaith-scholars/.