Ángela Cruz-Zachary, a fourth year Ph.D. student in the Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies Program, was the recent recipient of the prestigious International Sturgis Fellowship.

Cruz-Zachary spent three months studying and working at the University of Antioquia, in Medellin, Colombia, which houses one of the most important historical memory research groups in Latin America, "Hacemos Memoria." Cruz-Zachary researches the "cultural memory and historical memory, specifically regarding the '80s and '90s in Colombia, and the narco-traffic splendor during that time." Focusing on "the Pablo Escobar persona and how it is portrayed in pop culture, but also how some spaces…are organized around this myth. What I try to see is if those spaces … like museums, memorials, monuments … are helping to clarify and build historical memory for the victims of the violence in Colombia." 

The International Sturgis Fellowship is one of the university's many opportunities for students and their research. The fellowship offers an important academic community of support in addition to the financial benefits. A host institution or university is part of this community and a requirement of the Sturgis Fellowship. Having completed the University of Antioquia's Historical Memory online program as a complement to her work in CLCS, Cruz-Zachary reached out to them, requesting their support as a host institution, prior to her application process. Being there with the academic backing allowed Cruz-Zachary to not only visit the places but also conduct interviews with different actors involved in memory related processes.

"I took advantage of my former networking in Colombia, and that was good, but also having the support of the fellowship and the university opens a lot of doors," she said. 

The experience broadened her understanding of academic research and field work beyond data collection. "It's more than that, it is a chance to get involved, to really get involved with the people, the places, the emotions that are at play with your topic." But this also brought challenges for Cruz-Zachary's research. Originally from Colombia, "I [had] to question myself, my own point of view all the time. … I [needed] to find the balance between my point of view as a researcher and my point of view as a person that went through the events, and also as a person that is researching about my country, but from outside my country, in American academia." 

Cruz-Zachary encourages students to rely on their professors' experiences and attributes part of her success in the CLCS program to the academic community of support provided by her professors.

"I really like [the CLCS] program. And I highly respect the people that have been my professors," Cruz-Zachary said. "I was really excited to find it. … I have an amazing adviser, and I'm really thankful to her, Dr. Yajaira Padilla, [chair, Department of English]; Dr. Erika Almenara, [director of the Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies Program] has been amazing too, and the person that actually helped me shape this dissertation project was Dr. Lissette Lopez Szwydky [associate director of the Arkansas Humanities Center]. … This came from an assignment for her class!"

With the academic support of her professors, Cruz-Zachary was able to map out her project and start working toward those goals. 

"Don't hesitate to apply; your research is worth the process," Cruz-Zachary said.

The university's application portal has expedited the paperwork requirements.

"You just need to follow the instructions and be true to your research objectives," she said. "Because those are valuable. … I'm very grateful to the Sturgis Fellowship. … I think these grants are an amazing opportunity to develop yourself as a professional, and open all the doors."