MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

Hello, Welcome to the Olaniyan Scholars Program website.  My name is Dr. Ronda C. Henry and I am writing to introduce this new undergraduate research program IUPUI, and specifically, the IU School of Liberal Arts, has created to promote the development of undergraduate research, civic engagement, and professional experience.  The program’s scholarly and academic activities, and the scholarship and research produced, will focus on Africana Studies—a program of study centered around people of African descent still living in Africa and those populations of African descent scattered .

around the globe since slavery and colonization.  This program provides exciting opportunities for students, as well as aiding in providing the financial support students need to encourage them to focus on and succeed in their academic pursuits as they work toward successfully completing all graduation requirements at the university

The program is established around two central components:  the undergraduate research piece in which scholars will work with a full-time faculty mentor to develop a research project, which will culminate in a presentation of their work at a conference or student forum; and the community internship piece, which will allow scholars to participate in an internship with one of IUPUI’s community partners working to enrich the lives of people of African descent in Indianapolis.  Moreover, students are eligible to remain in the program for up to four years.   Thus, when scholars graduate, they will have been given the opportunity to develop both the academic training to go to graduate school and the professional experience and contacts to begin a career.

As you can tell this is an absolutely wonderful program that demonstrates IUPUI’s and the IU School of Liberal Arts’ commitment to the lives, histories, and traditions of people of African descent.  Moreover, it also shows the university’s commitment to developing a cohort of academically-gifted and professionally-equipped graduates who are prepared to make an impact in a culturally-diverse world.  I am very grateful to be a part of such an awesome endeavor, and I hope that you will also have the opportunity to share in making the program an unqualified success!
Best Wishes,

Dr. Ronda C. Henry
Public Scholar of African American Studies and Undergraduate Research
Associate Professor of English and Africana Studies