Become an African Studies Fellow

What is an African Studies Fellow?
Unlike a major or a minor, becoming a CAS Student Fellow does not involve fulfilling requirements. Students self-select through participation in relevant Africa-related programs (see below). Upon request we will provide fellows with certification of membership in the Student Fellow program. Fellows are welcome to indicate this participation on their resumes.

What do Fellows do?
CAS Student Fellows meet informally to get to know more about what Rutgers has to offer students who are interested in Africa. Peer Fellows provide them at that time with information on some of the opportunities that might interest them. The community sets its own “Principles of Participation” for the year, generates a plan for how to choose a delegate to represent students at the Center, and sets programming or other priorities.

Why become a Fellow?
CAS Fellows enjoy some of the following privileges:

• Access to CAS Student Fellow programming funds to support student-led events related to Africa

• Access to CAS Undergraduate Study Enhancement awards to assist in taking advantage of unusual learning opportunities (internships, Group Projects Abroad programs)

• Access to the Student Fellows Reading Room in Beck Hall (Livingston), where Fellows can relax, enjoy coffee, check their email, and meet other Fellows

• Assistance in finding space for student-initiated gatherings of the Fellows (discussion groups, reading groups, African language conversation groups, fundraising activities); food is often provided!

• Access to peer mentoring—Fellow activities provide students with opportunities to learn from one another about how to navigate a big university like Rutgers

• Access to CAS faculty mentoring—each fellow is provided with the name of a faculty mentor for entirely voluntary guidance upon announcing an interest in being a fellow.

• Access to earning opportunities as a peer mentor

• Having an experience that is very similar to an honors program.

How do I become a Fellow?
Student fellows enter our community through any of the following “gateways”:

• Participation in a 1 credit First Year Interest Group (FIG) with a peer instructor on an Africa-related topic. For more on this program see: http://figs.rutgers.edu/

• Participating in any 1 credit Byrn First Year Seminar that has a focus on Africa such as “Islam and African Women Writers,” taught by faculty member Ousseina Alidou. For more on this program see http://byrneseminars.rutgers.edu/

• Residency in Africana House (a residential community in the Global Village)
http://drc.rutgers.edu/index.php?page_name=gv_academic_programs

• Declaring a Minor in African Area Studies and registering with the CAS office.

• Participating in the Rutgers Model African Union

• Becoming an Aresty Scholar working on a research project related to Africa http://aresty.rutgers.edu/

• Participation in Study Abroad or an internship program to Africa http://studyabroad.rutgers.edu/

• Participation in the Rutgers African Students organization TWESE (contact D. Osei-Hwedich, President [davidose@eden.rutgers.edu]

• Or through demonstrating membership in another relevant student group, significant coursework about the continent, or experiential learning related to the continent.

Students who would like to become fellows need only register with the CAS office; there are no other requirements! Contact Renee DeLancey to register: rdelance@rci.rutgers.edu.

What are my obligations as a Fellow?

Have fun! Meet other students and share what you know! Be a great ambassador for Africa here at Rutgers!