Figge Fellows Research Program Welcomes Seven New Undergraduate Students

The Figge Fellowship Program, led by Drew Christiansen, S.J., Ph.D., and David J. Collins, S.J., Ph.D., recently announced its new cohort of fellows. This fellowship will allow the group of seven undergraduates to pursue research at the intersection of religion and issues of social, cultural and historic importance. 

Further Facts About the Figge Fellows

The Figge Fellowship Program is a highly selective, year-long, mentored research program for Georgetown undergraduates. It encourages the application of theological reflection to issues of social concern. 

This year’s fellows will be working on topics such as peace-building in Northern Ireland, substance abuse in Ukraine, inequities in the health care of immigrant populations and the role of the church in communities harmed by drug-trade driven violence in Latin America.

These sophomores, juniors and seniors from the College and McDonough School of Business were chosen from the largest pool of applicants in the twelve year history of the program. The fellows themselves come from three states – Indiana, New York and Texas – and two countries – Mexico and Ukraine. Their majors include Biology of Global Health, English, Government, History, Philosophy and Political Economy.

The Figge Fellows’ senior mentor, Fr. Drew Christiansen S.J., the Distinguished Professor of Ethics and Human Development in the Walsh School of Foreign Service and at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, remarked that “what is remarkable about this year’s cohort is how deeply so many of them have already thought about the usefulness of bringing theological reflection to the issues of serious social concern that they have already been working on in disciplines across the university.”

Fr. David Collins, the Haub Director of Catholic Studies, added that “the Figge Fellowship Program isn’t about turning the fellows into theologians, but rather about bringing theological reflection and insight to, in the words of Vatican II’s Gaudium et Spes, the ‘joys and hopes, griefs and anxieties of this age.’ 

“In fact, the fellows are already working on these concerns in all the disciplines that constitute a university,” the professor continues. “What a contribution to our mission as a Jesuit and Catholic university and how grateful we are to the Figge family for their support of a program like this.”

-by Shelby Roller (G’19)