Doan Fellows
The University of Notre Dame's Franklyn E. Doan Fellows program honors College of Arts and Letters students who have demonstrated academic success, provided substantial service to the university or surrounding community, and show promise as novice researchers of topics related to the Africana Diaspora. Doan Fellows are typically selected based on their campus involvement and engagement in research during their first two years at Notre Dame. The program is supported by a gift from the estate of the late Franklyn E. Doan, a 1929 graduate of Notre Dame.
Each Franklyn E. Doan Fellow receives an award commemorating the Doan Fellow designation.
The Doan Fellows represent some of the best and brightest students on our Notre Dame campus. Africana Studies is lucky to have the opportunity to work with these talented students and we welcome questions about the fellows, the program, and our commitment to supporting research initiatives across campus.
About the Award
As Doan Fellows, students become active participants in the Department of Africana Studies and the Initiative on Race and Resilience under the supervision of the department's director of undergraduate studies and various research fellows of the IRR. In addition, Doan Fellows are eligible to apply for travel expenses to academic conferences, archives, or other cultural events related in some way to their major academic interests or vocational aspirations. Group community building events, one on one mentoring, and connection to University resources related to pursuing graduate education are also part of our programming.
About the Winners
Approximately 20% of these alumni are pursuing careers in finance, marketing, or business; 20% have entered the profession of teaching; 20% have entered law school or are currently practicing law; and 11% entered or completed terminal degree programs in PhD, PsyD, and MFAs. Others are in health professions including practicing physicians, ministry, social work, and public policy.
Selection Process
Each academic year, the director of undergraduate studies in the Department of Africana Studies identifies Franklyn E. Doan candidates. These candidates represent undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Letters who are in their first or second year and have demonstrated interest in research topics around the Africana diaspora. Candidates are invited for an initial conversation with representatives of the department and the Initiative on Race and Resilience.
These conversations provide students with an opportunity to talk about their academic interests, what brought them to Notre Dame, their commitments to social issues, and their academic aspirations. The interview also enables faculty and students to begin thinking about a plan for research, applications for grants and scholarships, and for graduate school.
Following the first round interviews, Doan finalists are invited to submit an essay on the topic of their choice for review. The focus of the essay is selected by each candidate and may be on a topic related to one’s academic focus, a contemporary issue, or a specific subject area related to Africana history, politics, sociology, art, language, economics, religion, or culture. Students who complete this process will become a Doan Fellow for the remainder of their time in the College and are eligible to be paired with an IRR Fellow or Africana Studies faculty member as a research assistant.