The Sudarkasa scholarship is awarded to U-M undergraduate students and provides support for their travel and internship. ASC Advisory Board Chair Michael Sudarkasa created and funded the scholarship in honor of his mother, Niara Sudarkasa, who was a highly accomplished scholar and university leader. Dr. Sudarkasa was one of the founding faculty members of the Center for Afroamerican and African Studies (now known as the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies or DAAS) at U-M and was the first African-American female director of the center. The Niara Sudarkasa Internship Grant is administered through DAAS.

Edmond Kimulwo (Graduate Student, Anthropology)

Edmond conducts paleoecological research in the Baringo Basin and other possible early hominin sites in Kenya. His research involves the collection and analysis of paleontological data, as well as collaboration with experts in sedimentary geology. Edmond explained that the “study reveals patterns of past climate shifts and is useful in predicting future climate changes as well as informing us about the existence and extinction of species”. Edmond’s journey to Michigan was his first journey outside of his home country of Kenya. He says of the journey,  “every part of it felt like a journey through both time and terrain, navigating through land and seas. This trip brought my academic aspirations to life and solidified my career path in a way that only such an immersive experience could”. Nicknamed “Professor” since the age of 6 by his community, Edmond aspires to be a professional anthropological researcher and says he is deeply grateful for the support from the Sudarkasa Scholarship in laying the groundwork for his promising academic future.

Alexandre Gategeko (Graduate Student, Anthropology)

Alex’s project is about endangered golden monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis kandti) that live in Volcanoes National Park (VNP), Rwanda. The overall goal of his project is to examine the relationship between mating, reproduction, and physiology of golden monkeys in the VNP. When asked about his project, Alex told ASC that this work is important as it will “produce a fundamental understanding of the biology and ecology of reproduction in these endangered monkeys, as well as open the path for other students to build on and use the data collected for future projects.” 

Elsa Olander (Undergraduate Student, Art & Design)

Elsa, in collaboration with PhD student Ethan Shirley, worked in Kenya’s Tsavo National Park as part of an ongoing research project to document elephant populations and mortality events. Through this project, Elsa worked on wildlife photography, scientific specimen photography, scientific illustration, and photogrammetry skills. Elsa told us, “this experience opened my eyes, allowing me to feel and draw observational sketches of elephant’s skeletons, live elephants, and their environment all around. I even got to touch the skin of orphaned baby elephants, something I never thought I would do! This research serves as the beginning of my research for my nine-credit Integrative Project at Stamps for my senior year, and I look forward to showing off artwork related to this project in an art show in the future, as I continue to work peripherally with the team of conservation scientists and ecologists”. The Sudarkasa Travel Award, in conjunction with the International Institute’s Global Individual Grant and the African Studies Center’s Student Research and Internship Grant, made this opportunity possible!