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Vanderbilt University Register

April 13, 2005

Michael B. Keegan Traveling Fellowship Awarded

Michael B. Keegan Traveling Fellowship awarded

by James Doyle

Arts and Science senior Siobhan Hogan has been awarded the 2005 Michael B. Keegan Traveling Fellowship for her project “Sustainable Service, Sustainable Partnerships, Sustainable Global Impact.”

Evolving from the Corning Fellowship program of the 1960s, the Michael B. Keegan Traveling Fellowship was revived in 2003 with funding secured by Keegan, the 1980 Traveling Fellow. The award provides $15,000 to support a year of travel to a graduating senior to pursue an idea or an issue about which the student is impassioned. Hogan was inspired to enhance knowledge about available opportunities for international service after serving as site leader for the Alternative Spring Break trip to Guatemala last month.

“After seeing the interest surrounding the Latin American service spring break trips, I saw the need for a strong, reliable network of international opportunities for college students,” said Hogan, a Spanish and Communications double major, with a minor in Latin American Studies.

The traveling fellowship is not designed for graduate education or career preparation; instead, it allows an independent senior with imagination and determination to pursue a project to gain a global perspective on the selected issue. Past issues have included international business, maternal and child health care systems, worldwide HIV/AIDS treatment programs, journalism, music and indigenous art and craft production.

Hogan’s project gained inspiration from Idealist.org, a Web site that serves as a forum for nonprofit organizations. “After spending countless hours on Idealist.org, it occurred to me that there is not a current resource for students to find international opportunities. Moreover, if there are international opportunities, they are limited, underdeveloped and costly,” said Hogan.

She hopes to identify more scholastic and service opportunities overseas. One of her main goals is to improve the networking between undergraduates and recent graduates with international non-profits or non-governmental organizations (NGOs). She hopes to involve not only Vanderbilt faculty and students, but also corporations.

Hogan will plan to embark on her journey this September, beginning in Belize, travel through Latin America and possibly to other countries. She is focusing on Latin America as a region that faces economic turmoil, political unrest and a constant struggle to maintain democracy. As she develops her contacts and moves from place to place, she can alter her travel plans and pursue her developing interests.

“Ultimately, I want to challenge the boundaries of international service, develop personal and professional service partnerships and proudly introduce Vanderbilt as the future leader of service-learning opportunities in Latin America,” Hogan said.

Posted 04/13/05

Vanderbilt Hustler

April 25, 2005

Senior Awarded Traveling Fellowship

Senior awarded traveling fellowship

Recipient to work in Latin America.
by Stephanie Madden

After graduation, many seniors immediately begin the search to find a job. Not Siobhan Hogan.

As the recipient of the 2005 Michael B. Keegan Traveling Fellowship, Hogan will be traveling across Latin America, Africa and Asia, beginning in September in Belize, as part of her project "Sustainable Service, Sustainable Partnerships, Sustainable Global Impact."

While overseas, Hogan hopes to identify more scholastic and service opportunities, and to improve networking between undergraduates and graduates with international non-profits or non-governmental organizations. Hogan was inspired to undertake this project by Idealist.org, a Web site forum for nonprofit organizations.

"After spending countless hours on Idealist.org, it occurred to me that there is not a current resource for students to find international opportunities. Moreover, if there are international opportunities, they are limited, underdeveloped and costly," Hogan said.

Hogan, a Spanish and Communications double major, with a minor in Latin American Studies, wanted to enhance knowledge about opportunities for international service after serving as a site leader for the Alternative Spring Break trip to Guatemala. Hogan is focusing on Latin America as a region that faces economic turmoil, political unrest and a constant struggle to maintain democracy.

"After seeing the interest surrounding the Latin American service spring break trips, I saw the need for a strong, reliable network of international opportunities for college students," Hogan said.

Largely self-directed, Hogan has a great deal of freedom about where she wants to go and what she wants to study with the fellowship. Hogan feels that this opportunity will not only enhance her leadership and networking skills but also her independence and knowledge of herself.

"Ultimately, I want to challenge the boundaries of international service, develop personal and professional service partnerships and proudly introduce Vanderbilt as the future leader of service-learning opportunities in Latin America," Hogan said.

The Michael B. Keegan Traveling Fellowship, funded by the 1981 Traveling Fellow Keegan, is an award that provides $15,000 to support a year of travel to a graduating senior to pursue an idea or issue the student is impassioned about. The fellowship is not designed for graduate education or career preparation but allows an independent senior to pursue a project to gain a global perspective on the selected issue.

The Selection Committee identifies the applicant who is most likely to succeed in his or her proposed project.

Other fellowship winners have dealt with issues including international business, music, health care systems and worldwide HIV/AIDS treatment programs.

Kristin Fleschner, the current fellow, is exploring women's rights and domestic violence in South Africa, Uganda and Zambia.