Press Release

Contact:
Doug Stone or Barbara Laskin
651-696-6203

Two Mac Seniors Awarded Thomas J. Watson Fellowship

Two Macalester seniors: Zachary Devlin-Foltz '08 and Hector Pascual Alvarez '08 were awarded the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. The Thomas J. Watson Foundation awarded 50 fellowships to college seniors of unusual promise for a year of independent exploration and travel outside the United States. These seniors are from 23 states and five foreign countries. As the 40th class of Watson Fellows, they'll span 102 countries, exploring topics ranging from child soldiers to ant colony behavior to heirloom seed preservation.

As interesting as the projects are, “The awards are long-term investments in people, not research,” says Rosemary Macedo, the Executive Director of the Watson Fellowship Program and a former Watson Fellow. “We look for people likely to lead or innovate in the future and give them extraordinary independence in pursuing their interests. They must have passion, creativity, and a feasible plan. The Watson Fellowship affords an unequalled opportunity for global experiential learning.”

Nearly 1,000 students from up to 50 selective private liberal arts colleges and universities apply for these awards each year. This year, 175 finalists competed on the national level, after their institutions nominated them in the autumn. Each fellow receives $25,000 for the year of travel and exploration.