FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Arkansas senior Alexander McKnight has been named a James Madison Scholar. He will receive a $24,000 Junior Fellowship for his future graduate work, as well as a four-week summer trip to Georgetown University. He plans to use his funds to pursue a Master of Arts in Teaching degree at the University of Arkansas.

The James Madison Junior Fellowship is awarded to undergraduates in history or the social sciences, who are about to complete, or have recently completed, their undergraduate course of study and plan to begin working toward a graduate teaching degree on a full-time basis.

 “This is the most prestigious award of its type,” said Lynda Coon, chair of the department of history. “Our department could not be more proud of Alex McKnight’s accomplishment and of his goal to teach history at the secondary level. I have no doubt that he will succeed in actively engaging students in history generally and in constitutional issues specifically.”

McKnight, a history major with a minor in African American studies in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, was nominated for the fellowship by Charles Robinson, vice provost for diversity and associate professor of history.

"Alex McKnight embodies the outstanding qualities that any teacher cherishes in students,” Robinson said. “He is self-driven, disciplined and gregarious, with a real hunger for learning. In addition, Alex possesses a passion for helping others that truly sets him apart. I feel very grateful to have mentored him and to have him as a student in the African American studies program."

McKnight said that as a teacher he hopes to bring history alive for his students.

“Teachers exist to build bridges for others, to assist in the discovery of learning,” he said. “Educating tomorrow's minds is, in my opinion, the most important job in the world. I want to awaken an interest in learning among students and show them history can be exciting and fun to learn.”

The maximum award amount of $24,000 is pro-rated over the individual student’s period of study, thus making the James Madison Fellowship the leading award for secondary-level teachers undertaking the study of the Constitution. Fellowship payments cover the actual costs of tuition, required fees, books, and room and board but cannot exceed $12,000 per academic year.

As part of the fellowship program, McKnight will attend the four-week Summer Institute on the Constitution held at Georgetown University and will have a unique opportunity to strengthen his research, writing and analytical skills, forming professional ties that can significantly influence his career goals.

Georgetown University awards six credit hours for successful completion of the institute and features the scheduling of occasional trips to sites in and around Washington that are associated with the Constitution.

Fellows are encouraged to choose institutions, including the University of Arkansas, that offer courses that closely examine the origins and development of the U.S. Constitution, the evolution of political theory and constitutional law, and the effects of the Constitution on society and culture in the United States.

According to the foundation, the James Madison Fellowships were created to honor Madison’s legacy and principles by providing support for graduate study that focuses on the Constitution, gaining a deeper understanding of the principles of constitutional government, which they in turn transmit to their students. In this way, the James Madison Fellowships ensure that the spirit and practical wisdom of the Constitution will guide the actions of future generations of American citizens.

After receiving his master’s degree, Alexander McKnight will be required to teach American history, American government, or social studies in grades 7-12 for one year for each year of fellowship funding. The James Madison Foundation prefers that Fellows teach in the state associated with the award.

Previous James Madison Junior Fellows from the University of Arkansas include Korienne Barnes, 2002; Kathleen Blankenship, 2000; and David Buckner, 1999.