SUMMER FELLOWS

The Summer Keegan Traveling Fellowship offers rising juniors and seniors the opportunity for immersive 8-to-10-week explorations researching a topic of their choosing. This new initiative allows more students to experience the transformative Keegan program while pursuing personal growth and learning over a summer. Learn more here.

2026

ALEXANDER CHENG

Alex (‘28) will explore how countries approach long-term care for aging populations, focusing on Taiwan, Puerto Rico and Japan. Cheng will examine both state support and family and cultural values to deepen understanding of what it means to grow old in different cultural contexts.

OUSMANE DIENG

Ousmane (‘27) will examine how West African migrants interpret risk, opportunity and belonging as the European Union implements its new Pact on Migration and Asylum. Dieng will conduct fieldwork in Senegal, Morocco, Italy and France to study how migration decisions evolve across different stages of the journey, connecting lived experiences with policy.

MATTHEW DRASNIN

Matthew ('28) will explore the intersections of music, Jewish faith and culture across the Jewish diaspora through global expressions of secular Jewish music. Drasnin will explore musical traditions in countries including Spain, Greece, Uzbekistan and Germany, examining how regional influences shape shared elements across Jewish communities.

RIYANKA NARASIMHAN

Riyanka (‘27) will explore disability, rehabilitation and inclusive movement across urban and rural Latin America. She will travel to Mexico, Argentina and Chile to examine how access to mobility and rehabilitation resources is shaped by geography, infrastructure and culture, building on her experiences in rehabilitation therapy settings and endurance sports.

2025

CLAIRE ARNEY

Claire (‘27) will explore how communities in Latin America engage with sustainability ideas and solutions in their native culture and economies and how these communities are impacted by climate change and government environmental policies.

MADELYN BONADIO

Madelyn (‘26) will investigate the life cycle of a garment, from its creation to its disposal, and each set of hands that graces it. By conversing with the people at the front lines, she aims to create space for their voices and formulate actionable policy ideas. Her travel centers around three dimensions — economics, environmental sustainability, and human rights — to provide a review of the multi-faceted impacts of fast-fashion.

DEVIN CRAWFORD

Devin ('27) will study how intelligence agencies have historically targeted marginalized communities, shaping societal trust, governance, and power structures across different regions, and analyze how the lasting impacts of intelligence-driven persecution may shape future global dynamics.

ANDREA-GRACE MUKUNA

Andrea (‘27) will study cross-continental central African music scenes to track how diasporas’ removal by both time and distance from their native countries has impacted their cultural and artistic practices.

2024

NATHAN BORNSTEIN

Nathan (‘26) explored marine conservation policy and observing different projects and initiatives world wide that worked to save marine environments.

DUAA FAQUIH

Duaa (‘25) studied how Islam is practiced around the world, deepening her understanding of the diverse interpretations and cultural nuances of Islam and fostering greater intercultural dialogue.

ARIEL OLALEYE

Ariel (‘26) examined the linguistic, social, and historical ties between traditional West African folk music and European classical music.

AALIYA RAMAKRISHNAN

Aaliya (‘26) explored rhythmic patterns in the music of the countries she visited to understand the way in which rhythm is a crucial part of society and community.

 FAQs

  • The Summer Keegan is a program that awards four students per summer $5,000 to pursue international travel for at least eight weeks during the summer to research a topic of their choosing. The Summer Keegan satisfies the Immersion requirement.

  • Rising juniors and seniors may apply during their sophomore and junior years, respectively.

  • The Summer Keegan lasts 8-10 weeks. Students typically depart in May or June and return in July or August.

  • The application opens late fall and is due in late January. Check back on this site and Vanderbilt's Summer Keegan Fellowship page for dates.

  • Each fellow is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach for evaluating applicants. Generally, we look for leadership, authenticity, and a solid project idea.

  • Each applicant completes an online application in Infoready that contains short answer/essay questions and submits:

    (1) CV
    (2) Project proposal
    (3) Letter of recommendation from fellowship adviser

    Applications open late fall and are due late January. Finalists may be asked for additional materials. Selections are made in early-mid March.