Gary L. McDowell Institute 2024-25 Student Fellows Program

True to the principles that inspire the McDowell Institute, the Student Fellows Program seeks to engage ideas across the ideological spectrum and is designed to enrich the intellectual experience of students interested in political, social, and economic thought. 

The 2024-25 fellows will participate in a co-curricular reading group that will discuss Brad Wilcox's book Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization (Harper Collins, 2024). Wilcox argues that “getting married and forging a strong family is the best way to build a prosperous, meaningful, and happy life — and a way that needs a lot more guidance and support from the culture and law than it is now garnering.” He is a professor of sociology at the University of Virginia and the director of the National Marriage Project. 

Fellows will also participate in small group discussions with McDowell Institute guest lecturers Danielle Allen and Barton Swaim.

At the start of each fall semester, students interested in becoming fellows are invited to email Gary L. McDowell Institute co-directors Dr. Dan Palazzolo and Dr. Terry Price, along with administrative coordinator Heidi Thompson, a statement of interest in the program and the name of a University of Richmond faculty member who is willing to serve as a reference. In September, a selection committee reviews applications and invites new fellows to join the program for the academic year.

2024-25 Seminar Leaders

Kevin Cherry

Dr. Kevin Cherry,
Associate Professor of Political Science

Dr. Erik Craft,
Associate Professor of Economics and Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law (PPEL)
Dr. Jessica Flanigan, 
Professor of Leadership Studies and Philosophy, Politics, Economics and Law (PPEL), Richard L. Morrill Chair in Ethics and Democratic Values

2024-25 Scholar-for-the-Day

Dr. Brad Wilcox,
Professor of Sociolgy at the University of Virginia and Director of the National Marriage Project

2023-24 Student Fellows

Brett Barnes, '25, mathematics and computer science majors

Shelby Campbell, '25, business administration and PPEL majors

Kate Chasin, '26, leadership studies major

Samara Chowdhury, '25, leadership studies major

Abby Clar, '24, leadership studies and business administration majors

Tyler Concaugh, '24, PPEL and leadership studies majors

Olivia Cranshaw, '24, business administration major

Alafair Cutler, '24, leadership studies major

Melanie Day, '25, leadership studies and political science majors

Maddie Fellner, '25, leadership studies and political science majors

Campbell Finch, '24, political science major

Claire Geibel, '26, business administration major

Holden Habermacher, '27, undeclared major

Peter Hawes, '24, philosophy and English majors

Rodrigo Herrera, '25, political science major

Anna-Laura Houston, '25, leadership studies and English majors

Isabelle Huggard, '24, economics and PPEL majors

Mark Johnson, '24, leadership studies and music majors

Adam Kasti, '27, undeclared major

Olivia Kivort, '24, business administration and PPEL majors

Kalina Kulig, '26, PPEL major

Harrison Lehman, '25, leadership studies and PPEL majors

 

Malena Lo Prete, '26, art history and political science majors

Sarah Marghub, '26, undeclared major

Annie Michael, '24, PPEL major

Shelby Mokricky, '24, leadership studies and health studies majors

Ella-Brooke Morgan, '27, undeclared major

Lauren Oligino, '24, leadership studies and political science majors

John Paschold, '26, political science and French majors

Olga Rokhlenko, '27, undeclared major

Nick Ryan, '27, undeclared major

Katie Sinclair, '26, political science major

Charlotte Tisdale, '26, leadership studies major

Hannah-Claire Ward, '26, psychology major

Ella-Grace Will, '26, psychology major

*Not pictured: Lindsay Kramer, '25, leadership studies and health studies majors