ASA selects program fellows

President Annie Johnston and Vice President Prince Adhikari revealed the Augustana Student Association's (ASA) selections for its first research fellowship program on Feb. 4.

The program began development at the start of fall 2024 as part of the ASA administration’s strategic plan. The plan's goal is to expand academic engagement, foster innovation and inspire leadership at Augustana.

The fellowships cover a variety of carefully selected disciplines, according to Adhikari. The goal was to identify areas on campus that did not yet have similar programs, filling gaps observed in students' interests and needs, Adhikari said. As a result, five main programs were established, each with their own set of fellows:

• ASA History and Heritage Conservation Initiative — focused on researching and documenting ASA’s history with fellows junior Amy Kim, senior Lilly Roberts and freshman Mustafa Mumtaz.
• American Forum at Augustana University — addresses contemporary issues in the U.S., such as economic inequality and social justice. Junior Chilotam Okafor researches the experiences of immigrant students of color while junior Alexxus Radel analyzes the impact of drug cartels and overdoses on American society.
• Viking Global Review — dedicated to international affairs, arts and culture with senior Henry Dornbusch studying global politics, senior Ava Brandt exploring gender inequality among Gen Z and sophomore Madisyn Stogsdill analyzing intercultural communication.
• STEM and Emerging Technologies Fellowship Program — focused on innovations in artificial intelligence, renewable energy and biomedicine. This program features fellows such as freshman Clark Egland studying antimicrobial contact lenses and senior Andrew Bernston researching ways to use neural networks to estimate shrimp populations.
• ASA Media and Journalism Initiative — aims to train students in communication and design to promote transparency in ASA with junior Aporinta Ahona as lead graphic designer and junior Ryleigh Tupper working as a journalist and photographer.

A total of 70 students applied for the program. Some programs, such as STEM, were competitive — only 50% of the people who applied got in. Other programs, like Global Review, received the exact number of applicants to fill the available spots.

According to Adhikari, the program has already had a strong start, especially considering it is an unprecedented initiative in ASA’s history.

 "If I could go back to my freshman year, I would have loved to have this opportunity as a government student,” Adhikari said. “And, especially for international students, we know how hard it is to get an internship, so we thought about that while developing our strategic plan."

History and journalism double major Mustafa Mumtaz's main interest is to learn more about Augustana’s history. 

“The main objective for me is to share the stories of ASA and use their stories to paint a picture of the different generations who have come and gone,” Mumtaz said.

Beyond the experience and knowledge fellows gain from the program, Adhikari believes the program also enhances the university’s reputation. The initiative was designed to reflect Augustana’s commitment to innovation, and the projects developed by students have the potential to generate a positive impact in multiple fields. Another key goal of the program was to encourage diversity through both varied fields of research and multi-cultural selection of fellows.

The initiative has also caught the attention of other students. Sophomore Emaan Alam, a business and finance major who attended ASA’s Mid-Year Update on Feb. 18, was impressed by the scope and potential of the research projects.

“I think it is a good way to keep students motivated toward working on their respective organizations and the fields they are interested in,” Alam said. “It is a way to award them and let them know that their efforts are recognized on campus.”

The ASA executive board and public relations committee conducted the selection process, supported by faculty members and university administrators in each field of research. Although professors did play an active role in selecting fellows, Adhikari hopes that in the future the process will be even more centered within academic departments. 

According to Adhikari, the program’s development took months. The idea was conceived during the student government elections and designed from September to November of 2024 when it was officially opened for applications. 

Despite its initial success, Johnston and Adhikari decided not to establish a permanent rule in the ASA constitution requiring the program to continue.

"We left all the instructions ready to facilitate continuity, but if the next administration chooses not to continue the program, that’s also fine," Adhikari said.

Adhikari believes that careful and detailed planning prevented challenges during the program's implementation. 

So far, Adhikari said, ASA and student fellows haven’t run into any problems. He acknowledged that difficulties may arise but highlighted that all fellows have been well-prepared and will be guided by professors in their respective fields.

Those interested in following the projects can access updates on ASA’s official website. Fellows will update ASA with their progress through periodic reports, and their activities can be monitored on the website’s programs and initiatives page.