Ediobong “Edi” Ebiefung, a senior, has been chosen as one of forty students from the United States to participate in the 2014 Humanity in Action Fellowship. He will be going to Amsterdam.
International groups of college students and recent university graduates, including American fellows representing thirty-three academic institutions, will gather in various cities—Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, Paris, or Warsaw—to study historical and contemporary examples of discrimination and resistance to injustice. From May 26 to June 29 they will meet with Humanity in Action senior fellows, board members, and distinguished guests. The project aims to instill in each fellow a sense of responsibility to promote human rights locally and globally.
“The opportunity means a lot to me, and I am honored that I was selected,” said Ebiefung, who was born and raised in Chattanooga, the son of parents who emigrated from Nigeria. “I am particularly eager to meet the other fellows and seeing their different perspective on the issues we will be discussing. I look forward to gaining a deeper appreciation for immigration issues and understanding the histories of minority rights issues on a global scale.”
Ebiefung will graduate from UT in May with a double major in political science and global studies. He is a founding member of the campus chapter of She’s the First, which promotes education for girls in the developing world. He is also a regular participant in Model United Nations.
Interested in issues of poverty, education, and international development, Ebiefung plans to go to graduate school and study political science or a related field.
Since 1999, Humanity in Action has selected more than 1,200 fellows for its transatlantic study programs focusing on human rights and minority issues. The interdisciplinary program features daily lectures with academics, journalists, politicians, and activists, as well as site visits to government agencies, community organizations, museums, and memorials.
For more information about the Humanity in Action Fellowship and guidance in making application, contact UT’s Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships at onsf@utk.edu or visit onsf.utk.edu.
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CONTACT:
Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, ablakely@utk.edu)