U of A Student Wins Prestigious Madison Fellowship

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Annie Williams

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – A University of Arkansas student has been awarded a prestigious James Madison Fellowship in the amount of $24,000 to help her pay for graduate studies.

Annie Williams, who is enrolled in the Master of Arts in Teaching program in the College of Education and Health Professions, was chosen as the Arkansas recipient of the fellowship. The James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation generally selects one winner from each state, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories each year.

“The College of Education and Health Professions is proud to attract students of Annie Williams’ caliber to our Master of Arts in Teaching program,” said Tom Smith, dean of the college. “It is an honor to have a James Madison Fellow studying at the University of Arkansas. The fellowship program provides recipients with experiences and knowledge that will serve them – and their students – well throughout their teaching careers.”

Jason Endacott, assistant professor of social studies education, is Williams’ faculty adviser.

“Winning the Madison Fellowship is a sign of scholarly excellence that speaks very highly of Annie and of the candidates the U of A attracts for its teacher-education programs,” Endacott said.

Williams, who is from Farmington, Mo., graduated magna cum laude from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo., in 2007 with bachelor’s degrees in French, history and international studies. She earned a master’s degree in history from Missouri State University in 2009. She plans to remain in Northwest Arkansas after completing the M.A.T. program and teach high school social studies.

Successful applicants for the fellowship must be committed to teaching American history, American government or social studies full time in grades 7-12. They must have demonstrated a commitment to civic responsibilities and to professional and collegial activities and be pursuing a master’s degree.

James Madison Fellows are required to attend the foundation’s four-week summer institute in Washington. The institute includes a graduate course called The Foundations of American Constitutionalism during which participants visit historic sites in the nation’s capital associated with the institutions of American government and the Constitution’s framers.

“While working on my master’s degree, I focused on 16th century French history, but I am now interested in learning more about the U.S. Constitution and ideas of the early framers to better understand the current political climate,” Williams said. “I am also excited about traveling to the Georgetown campus and taking the course next summer where I will meet other fellows who share my interests.”

Williams was a teaching assistant while working on her first master’s degree and led three discussion sections of a course on American history since 1877. She also taught world history as an adjunct instructor at Missouri State University from January 2010 to May 2011.

Previous James Madison Fellows from the U of A include Alexander McKnight (history) 2009, Korienne Barnes (history) 2002, Kathleen Blankenship (history) 2001, and David Buchner (secondary education) 1999.

Students interested in applying for a James Madison Fellowship should contact the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards at awards@uark.edu.