Alison Lin, a candidate for May graduation from Hamilton College, has been awarded the college's Bristol Fellowship.
The Bristol Fellowship was begun in 1996 as part of a gift to Hamilton College by William M. Bristol, Jr., (Class of 1917). The purpose of the fellowship is to perpetuate Mr. Bristol's spirit and share it with students of the college that was such an important part of this life. Created by his family, the fellowship is designed to encourage Hamilton students to experience the richness of the world by living outside the United States for one year and studying an area of great personal interest.
Lin's project is titled "Grassroots Literacy for Women's Empowerment: Senegal, Haiti, Vanuatu, Cameroon, and Martinique." She will study grassroots literacy organizations in order to gain insight into how their projects empower women from Third World countries. Lin will examine literacy programs within those countries, analyzing the organizations, working with program participants and living within the communities to better understand the role of women. Lin says working within the literacy programs and immersing herself in these societies will help her determine the specific barriers that must be overcome to facilitate the process of critical literacy.
The Bristol Fellowship is intended to be highly personal and is open to all interested Hamilton seniors. Proposals are evaluated based on inquisitiveness, a spirit of adventure, depth of personal interest, and openness to other cultures. While not a requirement, proposals are also considered for their sense of family connection.
William Bristol served as a Hamilton trustee, president of the alumnae association, fundraiser and benefactor. He was one of six generations of Bristol family members to attend Hamilton, dating back to the chartering of the college in 1812. Mr. Bristol's great, great grandfather became one of the college's first trustees after helping to found the Hamilton-Oneida Academy, which later became Hamilton College in 1793.
Lin, a graduate of Columbus Academy, is a chemistry major at Hamilton. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in October, 2002, and has been named to the Hamilton College Dean's List each semester. She is assistant director of Hamilton Action Volunteer Outreach Coalition, an executive board member of the Sexual Assault Center, an orientation leader, member of the Oratorio Society, the Hamilton Outing Club and the Hamilton Environmental Action Group, and a peer tutor at the Quantitative Literacy Center.
