Featured Fellow: Jonathan Puckett

The deadline is drawing near to apply for one of 62 Phi Kappa Phi Fellowships ranging from $8,500 up to $35,000 each to members entering the first year of graduate or professional study. Though the national deadline is April 15, students must apply through their local chapter and each one has a unique local deadline prior to that date. Check with your chapter for your chance to join the list of recipients like Jonathan Puckett.

As last year's top-ranking applicant in humanities and the arts, Puckett was awarded the $35,000 Sherrill Carlson Fellowship. He earned bachelor's degrees in history and English from the University of Southern Mississippi before continuing his studies at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Puckett's love for history and literature began when he was quite young, using his public library to explore the world. As an undergrad, Puckett’s experiences in the honors college provided him many opportunities for research and study abroad. Most notable was his senior thesis about the archival rediscovery of the literature of Pauline E. Hopkins, an early twentieth-century African-American author, and Hopkins' literary contributions to conversations about citizenship in the Jim Crow era.

Puckett’s undergraduate studies in history, literature and archival work will prepare him for his pursuit of a Master of Library Science. "Libraries, museums and archives can be communal and bridge-building spaces, and I hope to use my occupation to emphasize the dignity and importance of every human being I encounter," said Puckett.

Want more information about applying for a Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship? Visit our award page or download this Applicant 101 Guide for advice.

Questions? Email Kelli Partin, awards manager, at kpartin@phikappaphi.org.