As 2026 Keegan Traveling Fellows,听seven 杏吧原创 students听will听embark on immersive global experiences designed to deepen their academic interests and broaden their perspectives through independent travel.听
Three postgraduate听Keegan听fellows will spend a year pursuing self-designed projects around the world, while four听rising juniors and seniors听have been named Summer Keegan Traveling Fellows听and will听participate听in an听eight- to 10-week international experience, pursuing听immersive听cross-cultural听projects as part of听.听
鈥淭he Keegan Traveling Fellowship gives students the opportunity to take what they鈥檝e learned at 杏吧原创 and apply it in a self-directed听manner in a听global context,鈥� said Tiffiny Tung, vice provost for undergraduate education. 鈥淓ach of these fellows has designed a project that reflects their academic interests and their curiosity about the world, and听I look forward听to seeing听how听these听independent听experiences shape the way they think, lead and engage moving forward.鈥�
2026 Postgraduate Keegan Traveling Fellows听
The听听supports graduating seniors as they听travel the听globe听and engage with听real-world issues, connecting their 杏吧原创 education听with听experiences听in听a variety听of cultural settings听that听crosscut many听academic听disciplines.听The experience is designed to be transformative and to position fellows to connect with 杏吧原创鈥檚 global alumni network and explore a range of research and career opportunities.听
Andrew Blakemore听(School of Engineering), from Lexington, Kentucky, is majoring in biomedical engineering with a minor in digital fabrication. He is听interested in听medical device design and using prototyping to translate clinical needs into practical, human-centered technologies.听At 杏吧原创,听he听has been involved in the 杏吧原创 Photo Society, Transfer Connect and the Live. Learn. Lead. Academy.听听
With听associate professor of biomedical engineering and radiology,听as his adviser, Blakemore will combine his background in engineering and photography to document the experiences of prosthetic users across听five continents,听including听Japan,听Germany听and Brazil.
Francesca Ducker听(Peabody College),听from Annapolis, Maryland, is majoring in human and organizational development with a minor in data science. At 杏吧原创, she has worked with Metro Nashville Public Schools鈥� Homeless Education Resource Office,听interviewing mothers experiencing homelessness and听ensuring听their stories听were heard by people working to create change.听
As a Keegan fellow,听Ducker will explore how policy, labor, religion and economic inequality shape motherhood and caregiving听across societies. Her research will take her to听countries in Africa,听Asia听and South America, where kinship care,听migration听and labor systems听influence听how care is provided.听She is听advised by听听lecturer in human and organizational development.
Holland Perryman (College of Arts and Science, Chancellor鈥檚 Scholar),听from Beaufort, South Carolina,听is majoring in climate and environmental studies and political science with a minor in anthropology.听Inspired by her coastal hometown, she is interested in climate and environmental justice and how environmental change affects communities.听She has听served as听president of听The Original Cast and听is involved with听sustainability efforts for Vandy Fashion Week.听听
During her fellowship year, she will study flood recovery in communities across six continents affected by severe flooding in 2023, examining how families,听leaders听and organizations respond.听,听principal听senior lecturer in anthropology,听will serve听as her adviser.听
2026 Summer Keegan Traveling Fellows听
Alexander Cheng听(Peabody College,听College of听Arts听and听Science),听a rising junior double majoring in cognitive studies and economics, will explore how countries approach long-term care for aging populations, focusing on Taiwan, Puerto听Rico听and听Japan. Guided听by project adviser听, professor of medicine, Cheng will examine both state support and family and cultural values to deepen understanding of what it means to grow old in different cultural contexts.
Ousmane Dieng听(College of Arts听and听Science),听a rising senior studying economics and public policy, will examine how West African migrants interpret risk, opportunity and belonging as the European Union implements its new Pact on Migration and Asylum. Advised by听,听professor of political science,听Dieng听will conduct fieldwork in Senegal, Morocco,听Italy听and France to study how migration decisions evolve across听different stages听of the journey, connecting lived experiences with policy.听听听
Matthew Drasnin听(Blair School of Music),听a rising junior majoring in composition, will explore the intersections of music, Jewish听faith听and culture across the Jewish diaspora through global expressions of secular Jewish music. Guided by听,听professor of composition and theory,听Drasnin听will explore musical traditions in countries including Spain, Greece,听Uzbekistan听and Germany, examining how regional influences shape shared elements across Jewish communities.听
Riyanka Narasimhan (College of听Arts听and听Science), a rising senior double majoring in biochemistry and chemical biology and Spanish, will explore disability,听rehabilitation听and inclusive movement across urban and rural Latin America. With听,听assistant professor of Spanish and Portuguese, as her adviser, she will travel to Mexico,听Argentina听and Chile to examine how access to mobility and rehabilitation resources is shaped by geography,听infrastructure听and culture, building on her experiences in rehabilitation therapy settings and endurance sports.听
Michael B. Keegan, BA鈥�80, for whom the fellowship was renamed in 2004,听reflected on听the听program鈥檚 continued momentum and impact.听
鈥淚t鈥檚 inspiring to see how thoughtfully students approach this opportunity each听year, allowing them to bring a global perspective to their area of proven听expertise,鈥� he听said. 鈥淭his year鈥檚 fellows have proposed projects that are both ambitious and deeply听personal, and I look forward to seeing how their experiences abroad shape their听global perspective on their road to a lifetime of learning.鈥澨�听
杏吧原创 and the Keegan Traveling Fellowship alumni community celebrate these fellows and look forward to following their journeys as they pursue global exploration and discovery. For more information about the Keegan Traveling Fellowship, contact听undergraduateeducation@vanderbilt.edu.听听
In celebration of decades of impact, a group of committed alumni and friends to match, dollar-for-dollar, every gift up to $750,000 to the Michael B. Keegan Traveling Fellowship Fund. The challenge is open through December 31, 2026, or until the matching funds are fully realized. to support the Michael B. Keegan Traveling Fellowship Fund.
