American Studies Celebrates Summer 2011 Ph.D. Graduate Placements

This summer the Department of American Studies proudly celebrates recent placements for graduates of our Ph.D. program:

Summer 2011 Graduate Placements

• Dr. Kristen N. Hodge has accepted a two-year appointment as a Policy Analyst for the Association of American Universities under the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS). The position is part of the ACLS‚ inaugural Public Fellows program, an initiative to place scholars with doctorates in the humanities as staff within various government and non-profit organizations. This program is funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and it aims to demonstrate that the capacities developed in the advanced study of the humanities have wide application, both within and beyond the academy.

• Dr. Tamara Wilds Lawson has accepted a position as the Director of Posse DC. The Posse Foundation is a national comprehensive college access and leadership program that is over 20 years old and has a 90% graduation rate. She will be responsible for running the DC office, managing a staff of ten people and will manage a budget of over one million dollars.

• Dr. Justin Maher has been appointed Postdoctoral Fellow in Graduate Education Administration at The Graduate School here at the University of Maryland.

• Dr. Vincent Stephens, who has been finishing up a three-year postdoctorate in the Humanities at Syracuse University, has accepted the position of Director of the Office of Multicultural Student Services at Bucknell University. This office provides academic support and cultural programming for Bucknell‚s students of color who comprise about 10% of the campus population. Dr. Stephens‚ essential responsibilities will include speaking the languages of academic and student affairs and bringing intellectual depth to advocacy and programming efforts.