The Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture announced the recipients of the 2020-2021 Faculty Fellowships in research and in course development. These grants encourage and support faculty who wish to incorporate the Catholic Jesuit intellectual and cultural tradition into their academic repertoire.

Congratulations to the ten members of the College of Arts and Sciences faculty and their colleagues from other Colleges and Schools receiving these prestigious fellowships.

“As the interim director of the Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture, I would like to thank the members of our Fellowship Grants review committee and especially all those who submitted a proposal,” said Dr. Jeannette Rodriguez, Interim Director, Stamper Endowed Chair in Catholic Intellectual and Cultural Traditions and Professor, Theology and Religious Studies.  “We received a strong pool of applications and are glad to have been able to fund the great majority of these. We look forward to increasing our capacity to support more research and courses to advance the Jesuit Catholic vision within the university’s academic programs, so that students may gain a deep appreciation of the vitality and future of Catholic higher education.”

The 2020-2021 recipients of the ICTC Faculty Research Fellowships are:

• Jaisy Joseph, PhD, Assistant Professor in Theology and Religious Studies, “On the Edges of Catholic Consciousness: Eastern Catholics in the United States”
• Rick Malleus, PhD, Associate Professor in Communication, “Communicating Catholicism in Crisis: The Zimbabwean Context”
• Charisse Cowan Pitre, PhD, Professor in the College of Education, “Black Catholic Educators on Teaching for Justice: Reflections on Identity, Wholeness, and Reconciliation”
• Mary-Antoinette Smith, PhD, Associate Professor in English, “Introducing Ellen Tarry: African-American Catholic Convert and Interracial Justice Advocate”
• RESEARCH TEAM: Jessica Imanaka, PhD, Associate Professor in Philosophy and Management, Naomi Kasumi, MFA, Professor in Art, Art History and Design, Douglas Peduti, SJ, PhD, Instructor in Philosophy, Sharon Suh, PhD, Professor in Theology and Religious Studies, Michael Trice, PhD, Professor in the School of Theology and Ministry, and Jason Wirth, PhD, Professor in Philosophy, “Buddhist/Christian Dialogue: Departing from St. Francisco Xavier’s letters on Japan”

The 2020-2021 recipients of the ICTC Faculty Course Development Fellowships are:

• Anne Farina, PhD, LCSW, Assistant Professor in Social Work, “Global Perspectives of Mental Health”
• Gabriella Gutiérrez y Muhs, PhD, Professor in Modern Languages and Cultures, and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, “Gloria Anzaldúa: Her Writings, Life, and Legacy”
• Kirsten Moana Thompson, PhD, Professor in Film Studies and English, “Visual Culture and Catholicism”

Fellowship Review Committee:

• Chair: Mary Kay Brennan, DSW, College of Arts and Sciences - Social Work
• Marinilka Kimbro, PhD, Albers School of Business - Accounting
• Kristi Lee, PhD, College of Education – Counseling
• Jessica Palmer, MA, Assistant Director - Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture
• Jeff Philpott, PhD, University Core Curriculum and College of Arts and Sciences - Communication
• Matthew Whitlock, PhD, College of Arts and Sciences - Theology and Religious Studies