The Boyce grant makes possible life-changing experiences. Recipients of this prestigious award have pursued immersive fieldwork and internships that have fostered deeper connections to their areas of study.
For University of Michigan students receiving the Boyce Family Caribbean Studies Grant through the College of LSA’s Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS), summer offers more than a chance to travel—it is an opportunity to immerse themselves in the living histories and vibrant cultures of the Caribbean. Thanks to the grant, students at every stage of their academic journey, from undergrad to Ph.D., can conduct field research in an English-, French-, or Dutch-speaking Caribbean country, bringing their studies to life in ways that libraries or online archives alone could never replicate.
Drs. Paul (B.S. 1994) and Simone Boyce generously funded the grant, which reflects their personal connection to the region: both grew up in the Caribbean. The Boyce family’s mission is to ensure that Caribbean Studies at Michigan continues to thrive, offering students the opportunity to explore the region’s rich history and culture.
“The Boyce grant makes possible life-changing experiences. Recipients of this prestigious award have pursued immersive fieldwork and internships that have fostered deeper connections to their areas of study,” said Gavin Arnall, director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. “With their gift, Drs. Paul and Simone Boyce have helped students transform their scholarship through lived experience in the Caribbean.”
Each of the three 2025 Boyce Family Caribbean Studies Grant recipients—Ph.D. students Maya Sudarkasa and Simon Rakei, and undergraduate Ben Kalosa-Kenyon—maximized that opportunity. Through LACS, the grant supports interdisciplinary study, where Caribbean studies intersect with each student's research interests: Maya in history; Simon in anthropology, history, and economics; and Ben in international studies and French. Their trips to the Caribbean broadened their understanding of the region's literary movements, financial institutions, and Pan-African identities.
Read Maya, Simon, and Ben's Stories from the Caribbean
Boyce Family Inspiration
There I was, thinking I was the resident expert on the Caribbean, but I indeed was not. [Chalkdust] opened my eyes to so much more of the Caribbean culture among the many islands and put it into the perspective of some of my experiences in my new home. This was MY class!
Dr. Paul Boyce, a native of San Fernando, Trinidad, arrived at the University of Michigan (U-M) at the age of 18 as part of the LSA Honors Program.
"Leaving my beautiful island home of Trinidad for Michigan was exciting,” he later recalled, “but it also stirred a deep longing for home and familiarity.”
Paul knew that one of Trinidad’s most renowned calypsonians, Hollis Urban Lester Liverpool, better known by his stage name Chalkdust, was then pursuing his Ph.D. in history at U-M. But when he learned that he was also teaching a course on Caribbean culture, Paul was thrilled and immediately signed up.
"There I was, thinking I was the resident expert on the Caribbean, but I indeed was not. He opened my eyes to so much more of the Caribbean culture among the many islands and put it into the perspective of some of my experiences in my new home. This was MY class!"
Graduating from U-M in just three years, Paul soon went on to earn a medical degree at Emory University, later completing a Pulmonary and Critical Care fellowship at Harvard University and attaining a master’s in public health. Since then, he has served as the chief of pulmonary medicine at Northside Hospital, a distinguished five-hospital system in Georgia. His commitment to the health and well-being of others, particularly during the challenges of the pandemic, is a testament to his unwavering dedication.
It’s fitting that Paul met his wife, Dr. Simone Boyce, during Carnival in Trinidad in 1998, where their shared love for calypso music brought them together. Simone hails from Mandeville, Jamaica, and holds a Bachelor of Science in economics from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in economics from UC Berkeley. Her career has been marked by a focus on public health, economic, and education research. Today, she serves as the director of research & learning at Habitat for Humanity International, utilizing her expertise to improve the lives of communities worldwide.
The couple are parents to two children and aspire to set a meaningful example for them of the importance of giving back. They made the decision to endow the Boyce Family Caribbean Studies Grant not only to convey this message but also to ensure that “Caribbean Studies at the University of Michigan continues to thrive, becoming a permanent part of our family’s mission.”
Their endowment also pays tribute to the enduring legacy of Chalkdust, whose work has enriched the realms of both music and scholarship.
Life-changing Education in LSA
In the University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, life-changing education in the liberal arts and sciences extends beyond the classroom, and research and discovery happen further afield. Culturally immersive international internship and field research opportunities—like those that the Boyce Caribbean Studies Grant supports—expand students’ perspectives and help them contextualize global affairs, including political, educational, societal, and economic issues.
Look to Michigan for the foundational knowledge and experience to ignite purposeful change.
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