Eakin Fellowship Reflections
I had the amazing opportunity to go to New Orleans, Louisiana and study the unique material culture of death in the New Orleans cemeteries. I learned how the land of New Orleans affects their culture of death, resulting in an "above-ground" burial process unique to the area. They created familial tombs to store their dead away from the danger of rising water levels. With the climate so warm in the summer, these tombs effectively worked as a form of "natural cremation," where the bodies decompose quickly under the intense heat. Coupled with the popularized Voodoo religion, this unique culture of death has permeated throughout the city with many locals claiming "mystic" and "spiritual" powers. As someone who has lived and studied in Richmond for my entire life, it was fascinating to see a city and culture so differently than mine. It highlighted how integrated religion is to the popular culture of a space and people, how slight changes in religiosity can result in massive differences. Most importantly though, my experience in New Orleans expressed the necessity of understanding and appreciating distinct cultures, something I learned first in the Religious Studies Department at UR. I'm so grateful for the many opportunities this Department has given me and am so proud to be an inaugural Eakin Fellow! Matt Rooney, '23
Applying for an Eakin Fellowship
Eakin Fellows will receive special funding to pursue the academic study of religion beyond the classroom through research, travel, fieldwork, internships, conferences, and other educational experiences.
Applications will be accepted in the spring semester. Eligible students will have completed a minimum of two classes with the Department of Religious Studies and will be asked to submit a short proposal of how the Eakin Fellowship can enrich their study of religion.
Want to brainstorm some ideas? We’d love to talk!
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Examples
Interested but not sure where to start? We have created some examples of how a student might enrich their study of religion through becoming an Eakin Scholar. Click through these examples for inspiration!
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Research Archives
Fascinated by the non-binary Publick Universal Friend after taking Sex & Salvation in Nineteenth-Century America (RELG 210)? Conduct research at the Yates County History Center, which preserves the Friend’s portrait, wide-brimmed hat, carriage, and a wide range of historical manuscripts documenting their communal settlement in Upstate New York.
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Fieldwork
Interested in learning more about biblical history in context? Join an archaeological dig!
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Academic Conferences
Come watch scholars at work at the 2023 Society of Biblical Literature/ American Academy of Religion (AAR) Conference in San Antonio.
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Fellowship Projects & Internships
- Fascinated by Ancient Egyptian Religions (Relg 210)? Consider enriching your study through a summer fellowship and explore Egyptian Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York or the Brooklyn Museum of Art in New York.
- Interested in the intersection of sex/gender and religion? Check out the Gilda Slifka Internship Program at Brandeis University.
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Study Abroad
- Captivated by J. R. R. Tolkien & the Medieval Imagination (FYS 100)? Schedule visits to Bodleian Library and The Tolkien Society in Oxford while studying abroad in England, tour iconic LOTR film locations in New Zealand, or head out to Marquette University once you return to the U.S.
- Intrigued by Body/Sex in World Religious Literature (RELG 205)? See the prehistoric masterpieces in the caves at Lascaux in France that inspired Georges Bataille’s theories about the origins of religion.
- Captivated by J. R. R. Tolkien & the Medieval Imagination (FYS 100)? Schedule visits to Bodleian Library and The Tolkien Society in Oxford while studying abroad in England, tour iconic LOTR film locations in New Zealand, or head out to Marquette University once you return to the U.S.
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Museums & Religious Sites
- Studied Islam in America (RELG 294)? Explore Muhammad Ali’s journey and his experience with Islam at the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, KY.
- Interested in learning more about Native American Religions (RELG 257)? Plan a spring break camping trip to the Great Gallery in Utah, the most astonishing indigenous rock art site in North America!
Dr. Frank Eakin
A graduate of the University of Richmond (’58), Dr. Eakin joined the Department of Religious Studies in 1966 after receiving his Ph.D. from Duke University. He published five books and numerous articles in leading academic journals during his distinguished career. Under his steady leadership and forward-looking vision as chair, the Department of Religious Studies shifted from an emphasis on Christian theological studies to focus on the academic study of religion as a humanistic discipline. Dr. Eakin was a legendary professor, beloved by countless students for his caring teaching style, effective mentorship, and unswerving commitment to respectful interreligious dialogue. He remains the longest-tenured faculty member in the University’s history.
To make a gift online, click the button to the side, enter “Eakin” in the Search Funds field and select The Frank E. Eakin Jr. Fund in the drop down menu.