Stephen Nadler ‘21, Matthew Roizin-Prior ‘21 and Sarah Vanasse ’21 have each been awarded a prestigious Thomas J. Watson Fellowship to spend the next year pursuing their passion.
The three are among 42 students selected as finalists after nominations from private liberal arts colleges and universities in the United States. The fellowship offers a one-year grant to seniors “of unusual promise” to study independently outside the U.S. The stipend for individual award winners is $36,000.
The newest fellows come from 22 states and eight countries. They will traverse 77 countries exploring topics from marginalized languages to community healthcare; from food sovereignty to Black women's liberation through art; from computer science education to underground music production.
All fellows will depart by Aug. 1 if international travel safety related to the pandemic improves. Otherwise, students will be granted a flexible deferral period for starting their fellowship.
Since the program’s inception, 62 Union students have been awarded fellowships. This marks the first time since 1973 the College has three winners in a single year.
“I see Stephen, Matthew and Sarah’s Watson projects as the culmination of their four years at Union both in and out of the classroom,” said Lynn Evans, director of National Fellowships and Scholarships at Union. “They each worked hard during the application process, developing insight into their personal and professional goals, and learning how to communicate their narratives and objectives to others. I couldn’t be happier that the knowledge and skills they have gained at Union have led to this outcome.”
The children of Thomas J. Watson, Sr., the founder of IBM, and his wife, Jeanette, established the program in 1968 to honor their parents’ longstanding interest in education and world affairs.
To learn more about this year’s Watson Fellows and their projects, visit the Watson website.
STEPHEN NADLER ‘21
Hometown: Scarsdale, N.Y.
Majors: Anthropology and Visual Arts
Project title: Photographing Soccer: Community and Identity Across the World
Countries: Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Spain, Senegal
Description: “My project immerses me among the most passionate soccer communities around the world. Over the course of this year, I will work with various photographers, photo-journalists, non-profit organizations and researchers across each country to gain numerous perspectives about soccer’s impact on players, fan groups, and larger national identity. By integrating myself into other cultures, I look forward to meeting others from around the world that can share their own stories and teach me about their self-identity.”
MATTHEW ROIZIN-PRIOR ‘21
Hometown: Easton, Pa.
Major: Mechanical engineering
Minor: Studio Fine Arts
Project title: Designing Ourselves: Investigating the Design-Culture Feedback Loop
Countries: Dominican Republic, Uganda, Australia, Greece
Description: “Rather than focus on how one facet of the design industry interacts with culture, my project will provide a broad perspective on multiple facets of design. On each leg of the journey, I will study how different regions insert cultural-thinking into the engineering design process. The experiences collected throughout this journey would then be used to construct a design process for myself and future designers, one that would help anticipate the impact of design on culture.”
SARAH VANASSE ‘21
Hometown: Worcester, Mass.
Majors: Biology and Anthropology
Project title: Activism in Female Empowerment
Countries: Sweden, South Africa, India, New Zealand
Description: “I hope to learn more about what motivates people to engage in activism focusing on women’s rights. I hope to broaden my perspective on female empowerment through listening to people’s stories on how they uplift themselves and women around them. Personally, I hope to further understand what motivates me and what challenges me throughout the Watson year, as well as learn how to deal with uncertainty and go with the flow!”
Union’s previous Watson fellows:
Vito Potenza ‘69
Study of East Asian Contemporary Society
Arnold Drogen ‘70
Dance and Theater in East Africa
Eugene Kokot ‘70
Regional Problems of Development in Northern Scandinavia
Steven Cole ‘71
Study of Voice and Opera
Steven David ‘72
Analysis of Chinese and Israeli Aid Programs in East Africa
William Dobishinski ‘73
Economic Cooperation The Way to Political Peace
Vincent Foster ‘73
Economic Development
Michael Vanhatten ‘73
Folk Roots of European Jazz
Charles Goodwin ‘74
Photography
Robert Cable ‘75
Child Development
Jayne Greenwald ‘75
Martial Arts and Dance
Joseph Bedell ‘76
Blue-collar Workers in Industry
Kit Singh ‘76
Research for Novel
David Hopkins ‘77
Energy Regulation
Laura Shore ‘78
Goethe's Italian Journey
J. Peter Donlon ‘79
Sociology of Amusement Parks
Peter Hooper ‘80
Communal Agriculture
Edward Horstmann ‘80
Symbol and Ritual in Coastal Villages
Michele Beaulieu ‘81
Midwifery
Tamara Wood ‘82
Cultural & Economic Factors Influencing Engineering Career Choices
Jonathan Titus ‘83
Management of National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries
Liesel Golden ‘85
Women in the Military
Melinda Zumski ‘86
Political Theater
Daniel Gordon ‘87
Cross-cultural Study of Baseball
Susan von Reusner ‘87
Women Textile Workers
Vincent Nicotina ‘88
Cultural Formation and Folk Music
Eddy Remy ‘88
African Dance Westernization and Tradition
Yeshaya Poyurs ‘89
Role of Religion in Revolution
Anna Allen ‘90
Comparative Study of Drug Legislation Policies
Gregory Angus ‘90
Role of Toys in Childhood Development
Shelley Szymko ‘91
Changes in the Work Ethic: Integration of Capitalist Ideas & Socialist Ideology
Katherine Rawstron ‘93
Photographing the Disabled
Elisabeth Tripp ‘93
Ancient Engineering
Jacques Etienne ‘94
Effects of Modernization on Traditional Markets
William Wolff ‘94
Writing Poetry in Eliot's Europe
Rebecca Gergely ‘95
Influence of Culture on Educational Goals
Trinh Thai ‘96
Technological and Social Aspects of Ancient Bridges
Jessica Bernstein ‘97
Female Tae Kwon Do Artists
Zane Riester ‘97
Exploring Renaissance & Baroque Churches & Train Stations
Scott Stedman ‘99
Past & Present: A Screenplay on Walter Benjamin
Anastasie Prokhorova ‘01
The Cultural Phenomenon of the "Wunderkind"
Louisa Stephens ‘01
Photographic Explorations: Pursuing the Sun
Nori Lupfer ‘03
Circuses & Stunts: Photography of Entertainment in Motion
Adam Grode ‘05
Long-Necked Lutes from Baku to Bishkek: A Musical Journey in Central Asia
Noah Eber-Schmid ‘06
The Kids Are Alright? Punk Subcultures as Community and Movement
Andrew Krauss ‘08
In the Pursuit of Speed: Evolution in Outrigger Canoeing
Frederick Franke ‘10
Out of the Kitchen and Into the Fire: Exploring Open-Fire Cooking Methods
Burleigh Morton ‘10
Large Format Cargo: Photographing the Shipping Industry
Joshua Anderson ‘13
Holistic Self-sufficiency: Exploring the Intersection of Community, Innovation, and Self
Shilpa Darivemula ‘13
Of Medicine and Mudras: Exploring Healing Through Traditional Dance Cultures
Sean Day ‘14
What Moves You: Exploring The Value of Human Motion Through Cultural Perceptions of Disabilities
Shiqing He ‘14
The Fading Color: Natural Dye Production around the Globe
Karlee Bergendorff ‘15
The Dirty Archeology of Alternative History
Warren Thompson ‘15
Flute Music Across the World: Exploring Expression, Ritual, and Healing
Htoo Wai Htet ‘16
Jugaad Innovation: Making Technological Empowerment Affordable
Riley Konsella ‘17
Stuck in Traffic: Steering Offbeat Transportation Solutions through Human Pushback
Samantha Miller ‘19
Poignant Nostalgia: Investigating Architecture through Abandoned Spaces
Emmanuela “Ella” Oppong ’19
Social Entrepreneurship: Empowering Local Minds, Finding Healthcare Solutions
Cameron Bechtold ‘20
Staying Afloat: Community Responses to Water Management
Danielle Pinney ‘20
Moving Stories: Crafting Narratives Through and About Dance